CAT 1 devices are perfect for applications that require long deployed lifespans. AT&T has already announced the shutdown of its 2G network and has begun switching 2G towers over to LTE infrastructure. Although other carriers have publicly stated that their 2G network will be in place until 2020, that is less than five years from now, and that simply is not long enough for some deployments. Generally, devices that need to be on the network for more than five years need to move from old 2G and 3G technology to CAT 1 LTE.