RedCap, short for reduced capability, is a 5G device class defined by 3GPP in Release 17. It narrows the channel bandwidth, reduces the number of antennas and simplifies features that only phones need, bringing the modem closer to LTE Cat-4 in size, price and power while keeping it on the 5G standalone core.
The target is the middle of the market: industrial sensors, surveillance cameras, smartwatches and routers that need more than LTE-M offers but cannot justify a full 5G modem. For operators, RedCap is also the migration path for LTE Cat-1 and Cat-4 devices as 4G networks are eventually retired. Availability depends on standalone 5G cores, so in many regions it remains a plan rather than a product buyers can order today.
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