Choosing a Modem Router

Most modern customers expect data speeds well beyond what a CAT-4 can offer

When choosing a Modem Router, a higher LTE category (e.g. CAT-12) means better performance.   A CAT-6 will usually perform twice as fast as a CAT-4 in the same location, and a CAT-12 will usually perform at least twice as fast as a CAT-6 at the same location.  Choosing a higher category modem also means you can get better speeds than a lower category modem in areas with poor signal which really makes a difference to the quality of the service.   But there's more - with a CAT-12 or CAT-6 modem it is possible get service in areas where the signal so low that it's unusable on a CAT-4. 

If you are an installer

Find out how much data capacity your customers generally require.  If they are in an area with good signal and just want something to do some light browising or video streaming, or run multiple security cameras, then perhaps a CAT-6 is the right choice for the most reliable connection.  A CAT-4 may even do in a pinch with the right antenna combination and you are armed with the knowledge one of our pre-check site surveys offers.

But if your customer wants no compromises on speed or needs to support multiple devices streaming content, browisng the internet fast download speeds, or are in an area where the signal is poor, there is no question, nothing less than a CAT-12 device is going to cut it.

Technical Explaination

In addition to accessing wider bandwidth, higher category modems are also packed with more advanced technology inside

Start off by considering the following table:

Category	Maximum Bandwidth (Carrier Aggregation)	Maximum Speed (Download/Upload)
CAT-4	2x 10MHz	150Mbps/50Mbps
CAT-6	2x 20MHz	300Mbps/50Mbps
CAT-12	3x 20MHz	600Mbps/150Mbps

Higher categories are able to utilise more of the available bandwitdh.  But in addition to having wider bandwidth to play with, they are also packed with more advanced technology inside which allows them to run more sophisticated modulation schemes on top of that bandwidth, which translates to higher capacity and better data integrity - which translates to better speeds.  This is why when you put a CAT-4 or a CAT-6 beside a CAT-12 you notice such a dramatic difference, even on the same network with the same signal.

Introducing our new Telco X1 Pro and Telco T1 - fast, reliable, user friendly!

Telco Electronics - Experience the Telco Difference Today

We have been helping Australians solve their mobile connectivity issues for over a decade, so we understand what it takes to achieve the best possible performance.  That is why we started Telco Electronics, our own line of high performance and easy to use modem routers.  While they work great out of the box, they are packed with useful settings and hardware features to optimise your connection too, like: Band Locking to tune your Telco device for your environment, saving cost and improving performance, Bridge Mode for effortless integration into existing networks, and support for Telco Cloud Management System, our all-in-one remote management and monitoring suite.

Pair a Telco Electronics device with one of our Telco antennas for maximum performance.   Need advice for picking an antenna, would like firmware customisation, engineering or techincal support?  We are based in Brisbane, so just drop us a line, we're happy to help!

If you've read our guides and are still unsure of the best solution for your situation, call or drop us a line - sometimes it helps to chat with an expert!

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