Qualcomm has launched the 9205 LTE modem, a chipset designed for Internet of Things (IoT) applications which require Low-Power, Wide-Area Networks (LPWAN).

The US chip giant said on Monday that the modem has been purpose-built for devices and applications which operate on LPWAN, which includes wearables, asset trackers, health monitors, security systems, smart city sensors, and smart meters.

The new Qualcomm 9205 LTE modem supports global multimode LTE category M1 (eMTC) and NB2 (NB-IoT) as well as 2G/E-GPRS connectivity in one chipset.

In addition, the modem contains application processing power provided by an Arm Cortex A7 -- up to 800MHz -- with support for ThreadX and AliOS Things.

"The integrated applications processor avoids the need for an external microcontroller to improve cost-efficiency, and device security," Qualcomm says.

The chipset also includes geolocation positioning capabilities such as through GPS, Beidou, Glonass, and Galileo, as well as bolstered security at the hardware level by way of Qualcomm's Trusted Execution Environment. Cloud service support is also available.

An RF transceiver which supports bandwidth between the 450 MHz to 2100 MHz bands has also been integrated into the front-end, which the tech giant says is a "commercial first" in the cellular IoT space.

Qualcomm says that in comparison to its predecessor, the 9205 modem is 50 percent smaller and more cost-effective. The modem has also been designed to reduce power consumption by up to 70 percent while idle.

Developers interested in using the chipset are able to access a software development kit (SDK) suitable for use when custom software in use on the applications processor.

The SDK comes with pre-integrated support for cloud platforms including Alibaba Cloud Link One, China Mobile OneNET, DTSTON DTCloud, and Verizon ThingSpace.

"The innovations included in the Qualcomm 9205 LTE modem are critical to support many of the six billion IoT devices expected to use low-power, wide-area connectivity by 2026," said Vieri Vanghi, vice president of product management at Qualcomm Europe. "LTE IoT technologies are the foundation of how 5G will help connect the massive IoT, and we are making these technologies available to customers worldwide to help them build innovative solutions that can help transform industries and improve people's lives."

According to Qualcomm VP of Product Management Vieri Vanghi, the chipset has been in development for the past 15 months and there are now over 80 licensees, with more than 110 designs already completed and certified or in the final stages of design.

Designs based on the modem are expected to become commercially available in 2019.

In related news, earlier this month Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. The latest chipset in the product family sports an X50 5G modem for both sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequencies, Wi-Fi 6 support, QTM052 antenna modules, and Qualcomm's fourth-generation artificial intelligence (AI) engine.

By: DocMemory
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