Before reading further it is recommended you understand the difference between the different types of LTE. The article What's the difference between LTE, 4G, 5G, CAT-M1 and NB-IoT? is a good place to start.
Even though you might not have cellular reception to your mobile phone at a site, you might still have access to a CAT-M1 network as the CAT-M1 network coverage is significantly wider than the standard LTE used by mobile phones.
Coverage Maps for CAT-M1 coverage
Australian Coverage
Our recommendation for checking a site for CAT-M1 coverage in Australia is via Telstra's IoT Coverage Map.
Select LTE-M and type in the address or GPS coordinates you'd like to check for coverage.
Anywhere that is either dark or light blue will likely work with an Observant field unit. It important to note however that this map is only an estimation of coverage, real coverage map differ. If you're unsure, talk to your dealer for options to check connectivity at your site.
Internationally
For checking an international sites coverage for CAT-M1 use the OpenSignal mobile app.
On site checks for CAT-M1 coverage
Unfortunately, unlike installing a 3G field unit, your mobile phone's cellular reception is no longer a good indicator of coverage for an LTE CAT-M1 capable field unit.
If you have a specific need to be able to do on-site checks for CAT-M1 cellular service, get in touch with helpdesk@observant.net and we'll aim to help you find a solution.