in the product description found here: https://mikrotik.com/product/sxt_lte_kit
it is mentioned that “The device has a built in high quality 2G/3G/4G/LTE Category 4 modem”.
However in the technical data document (https://i.mt.lv/cdn/product_files/RBSXTR_R11e-LTE_230238.pdf) there is no mention about 4G. Not even once. The project we are building is for the government and it is specifically required that modems are 4G capable. The people on the panel are not technically oriented and just want to see the letters 4G on the manufacturers data sheet.
So to summarise my questions:
a) is SXT LTE kit 4G capable?
b) If yes, could mikrotik please mention it in the product brochure?
I dunno about Mikrotik’s marketing. But once you start talking about “Category X” modem, it’s “4G”. So in reality it the category that determines it maximum speed. So a category 3 modem is pretty dated (100down/50up Mb/s max)…there are category 18+ modems (>1G max) – both are technically “4G” so it is kinda meaningless label. All the Mikrotik LTE things list the categories, higher is better. See the mapping here https://blog.linitx.com/lte-categories-what-do-they-mean/
In general, you should check cellmapper.net to see bands are in your area. If the bands align with the SXT’s LTE bands, and you’re okay with max 100Mb/s, the older SXT may be okay.
Product brochure, linked in OP, says very near the start (in the second paragraph):
… the SXT LTE kit is powered by faster CPU and > supports > not only > LTE > with more speeds …
When reading this, it is important to know that names “4G” and “LTE” are interchangeable, globally it’s same technology. 3GPP, governing organization behind standards defining 4G as we know it, named it LTE as in “Long Term Evolution”, but if we speak of generations (of mobile telecommunications) it’s the fourth generation or 4G. In the last 5 or 10 years use of “4G” prevailed over use of “LTE” for some reason. And when it came to 4G/LTE successor, it seems they didn’t bother to choose some acronym and simply went with 5G.
Anyway, yes SXT LTE kit is 4G capable … but only with (for today’s standards) basic performance as indicated by low “category” (cat 4 is mentioned in the technical specs table).
Many thanks to both of you for your useful replies. However, the government organisation will be literally looking for the words 4G in the product brochure. I do not know if mikrotik is actively reading the forums but would it be possible to add these two words in the product brochure? Either in the top part (as is the case in ltap mini lte kit brochure) or in the table below. I.e. 4G (LTE) vs LTE.
I will also try to send an e-mail to mikrotik.