Quectel BC660K-GL-TE-B LTE Cat NB2 Module | Quectel
MPN: BC660K-GL-TE-B ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
BC660K-GL-TE-B Overview
An NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) module is a low-power wide-area (LPWA) cellular transceiver defined by the 3GPP LTE Cat NB2 standard. Within the wireless communications hierarchy, it sits inside the LPWA family of cellular IoT technologies, alongside LTE Cat M1, and is optimized for applications that send small payloads infrequently while running for years on a single battery.
Key features of the BC660K-GL-TE-B include the ultra-compact 17.7 mm x 15.8 mm x 2.0 mm LCC footprint for space-constrained designs, an extended operating temperature range of -40C to +85C for rugged environments, surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly suitable for high-volume automated production, and multi-band coverage for global carriers. The module's extremely low power consumption makes multi-year battery operation realistic for metering-grade devices.
Technically, the BC660K-GL adopts LCC castellated-edge packaging, which provides reliable solder joints and resistance to vibration and shock, making it ideal for durable and rugged designs. Quectel documents a compatible-design migration path between the BC66/BC66-NA and BC660K-GL, allowing designers to move between NB-IoT generations on the same PCB concept with a documented compatible design manual. AT command control is shared with the BC950K-GL family via the common BC660K-GL/BC950K-GL AT Commands Manual.
Typical applications include smart metering (water, gas, electricity), smart parking and bike sharing, smart city infrastructure, security and alarm systems, and asset tracking, where narrow bandwidth, deep coverage, and multi-year battery life outweigh raw throughput.
Design consideration: because NB-IoT payloads are small and latency-tolerant, budget antenna selection and RF layout carefully per the Quectel BC660K-GL Reference Design and Hardware Design documents; RF matching network deviations from the reference design are the most common cause of failed carrier certification.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, the Quectel compatible-design migration path, and practical design guidance not consolidated on the manufacturer product page alone.
Drop-in alternatives for BC660K-GL-TE-B — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with BC660K-GL-TE-B (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Product Type, Package, Supported Bands.
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BC66F3663
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BC660K-GL-TE-B Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | LTE Cat NB2 (NB-IoT) module |
| Standard | 3GPP LTE Cat NB2 |
| Maximum Downlink Rate | 127 Kbps |
| Maximum Uplink Rate | 158.5 Kbps |
| Supported Bands | B1/2/3/4/5/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/28/66/70/85 |
| Package | LCC, SMT |
| Dimensions | 17.7 mm x 15.8 mm x 2.0 mm |
| Weight | 1.8 g |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Technology Class | LPWA (low-power wide-area) |
| AT Command Control | Yes (BC660K-GL/BC950K-GL AT Commands Manual V1.3) |
| Compatible Family | BC66 / BC66-NA (Quectel compatible design manual) |
BC660K-GL-TE-B Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for BC660K-GL-TE-B. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Power & Thermal Characteristics
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
Power input and thermal parameters for BC660K-GL-TE-B as published by the manufacturer.
Typical Applications
BC660K-GL-TE-B is suitable for 6 applications: Smart Metering, Smart Parking and Bike Sharing, Smart City Infrastructure, Asset Tracking, Security and Alarm Systems, IoT Prototyping and Development.
Smart Metering
The BC660K-GL-TE-B fits smart water, gas, and electricity meters because its LTE Cat NB2 air interface prioritizes deep coverage and ultra-low power over throughput, letting meter readings of a few dozen bytes traverse weak-signal basements and buried vaults. Its maximum 127 Kbps downlink / 158.5 Kbps uplink is ample for periodic register reads and alarms, and the 17-band coverage (B1 through B85) lets one meter SKU deploy across European, North American, and Asian carrier networks. The -40C to +85C operating range tolerates outdoor and unconditioned enclosures, while the 17.7 x 15.8 x 2.0 mm LCC SMT package integrates into compact meter PCAs with standard reflow assembly. Battery budgets of 10+ years are realistic given the module's extremely low power consumption profile documented by Quectel.
Recommended
Smart Parking and Bike Sharing
Parking sensors and shared-bike locks need narrowband telemetry, position updates, and multi-year battery life in a rugged, vibration-prone package - exactly the BC660K-GL-TE-B's profile. Quectel explicitly lists smart parking and bike sharing among the module's target applications: the LCC castellated package resists shock and vibration for durable designs, the 17-band global coverage simplifies fleet logistics across cities with different carriers, and NB-IoT's deep link budget maintains connectivity in below-grade garages. With uplink of 158.5 Kbps, occupancy state changes and unlock commands exchange within milliseconds of airtime. Designers should follow the Quectel BC660K-GL Reference Design for the RF matching network and use the TE-B KIT with its antenna hardware to validate over-the-air behavior before carrier deployment.
Recommended
Smart City Infrastructure
Smart city nodes - streetlight controllers, environmental sensors, waste-fill monitors - share three constraints that the BC660K-GL-TE-B addresses directly: sparse payload traffic, harsh outdoor temperature, and long deployment cycles. The module's -40C to +85C range suits unheated pole and cabinet enclosures; its extremely low idle and transmission power supports battery or energy-harvesting nodes; and LTE Cat NB2's coverage advantage reaches street-level and underground assets that standard cellular radios miss. The 17-band support (B1/2/3/4/5/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/28/66/70/85) means a single municipal SKU covers carrier migrations over a 10-year service life. AT-command control per the BC660K-GL/BC950K-GL manual V1.3 shortens host-software development, and the documented BC66 migration path protects long-lifecycle city projects against module obsolescence.
Recommended
Asset Tracking
For pallet, container, and equipment trackers, the BC660K-GL-TE-B offers the core formula: position/telemetry bursts over NB-IoT, minimal standby drain for multi-year batteries, and a 1.8 g, 17.7 x 15.8 x 2.0 mm footprint that slips into slim enclosure budgets. Where positioning is required, pair the module with a GNSS receiver or select the GNSS-capable variant path evidenced by the TE-B KIT, which ships with a GNSS L1 ceramic antenna (1559-1606 MHz, IPEX termination) for evaluation. The 17-band band set is a decisive advantage for cross-border logistics fleets, avoiding SKU fragmentation by region. Designers should budget NB-IoT's latency-tolerant messaging (non-real-time) appropriately and validate antenna placement against the Quectel Hardware Design guide to pass carrier certification on the first attempt.
Recommended
Security and Alarm Systems
Cellular alarm communicators demand an always-available narrowband backup path, and NB-IoT's deep penetration plus the BC660K-GL-TE-B's low power suit panel-mounted and battery-backed security hardware. EverythingRF and Quectel list security among the module's primary application domains. Event messages (alarms, heartbeats, arm/disarm states) are small and bursty - well within the 158.5 Kbps uplink ceiling - while the extended -40C to +85C rating covers unconditioned exterior junction boxes. The LCC SMT construction withstands tamper-induced mechanical stress better than connectorized alternatives. Integration is simplified by the shared AT command interface with BC950K-GL (manual V1.3), and alarm-panel vendors can hedge supply risk by qualifying the pin-compatible BC66/BC66-NA path documented in Quectel's compatible-design manual.
Recommended
IoT Prototyping and Development
The BC660K-GL-TE-B KIT development board (available from Mouser, Arrow, and SOS electronic) provides engineers a turntable for NB-IoT firmware and AT-command development before PCB commitment. The kit embeds the BC660K-GL module with supplied cabling and GNSS L1 ceramic antenna hardware (25 x 25 x 8.25 mm, IPEX), enabling immediate field-network registration trials. Software teams can start with the community Arduino library for BC660K-GL on GitHub, which wraps the Quectel AT command set, then graduate to production host firmware. Because Quectel documents BC66/BC660K-GL compatible design and a shared AT manual with BC950K-GL, prototype software ports directly to sibling modules, protecting development investment. Reference Design and Hardware Design PDFs from Quectel define the schematic and layout baselines to copy into production schematics.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for BC660K-GL-TE-B — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | BC66 | BC66-NA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | LCC SMT, 17.7 x 15.8 x 2.0 mm | LCC SMT - compatible mounting per Quectel compatible-design manual | LCC SMT - compatible mounting |
| Brand | Quectel | Quectel | Quectel |
| Cellular Standard | LTE Cat NB2 | NB-IoT (earlier Cat NB1-class) | NB-IoT (earlier Cat NB1-class) |
| Band Coverage | B1/2/3/4/5/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/28/66/70/85 | Multi-band (narrower set than BC660K-GL) | North America focused band set |
| Migration Support | Official BC66 & BC660K-GL Compatible Design manual | Covered by same compatible-design manual | Covered by same compatible-design manual |
Key Differentiators
- Latest-generation LTE Cat NB2 support (vs BC66)
- Global single-SKU band coverage (vs BC66-NA)
- Rugged compact LCC construction (vs BC66)
Design Notes
Follow the official Quectel BC660K-GL Reference Design (V1.0) for the RF matching network, antenna feed, and power decoupling. Deviations from the reference RF layout are the most common root cause of failed carrier certification and reduced link budget in NB-IoT designs. The LCC castellated package requires properly defined keep-out and paste apertures; consult the Hardware Design document for footprint and stencil recommendations before finalizing the PCB.
When migrating between BC66/BC66-NA and BC660K-GL, do not assume firmware or AT-command behavior is identical even though the hardware mounting is compatible - Quectel publishes a dedicated Compatible Design manual precisely because subtle differences exist. Re-run network registration and carrier certification testing after module swap, and verify the band set enabled in your firmware matches your target region's carriers.
NB-IoT transients demand a supply network that handles radio burst currents. Although exact peak current figures are in the Quectel Hardware Design document, standard practice for this module class is a low-ESR bulk capacitor near the VBAT pins plus ceramic decoupling; size the supply for transmit bursts rather than average current. Estimate battery life using the module's PSM/eDRX modes with your actual traffic profile, not datasheet idle figures alone (Estimated: derived figures require your traffic model).
Compliance Information
Compliance declarations were not present in the retrieved distributor/manufacturer data; consult the official Quectel BC660K-GL specification PDF or request declarations from Quectel.
