Next-Gen Cellular Chipset Rides The IoT

Qualcomm Technologies’ next-generation modem is built for Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as health monitors, asset trackers, security systems, smart meters, and smart city sensors. The MDM9205 LTE IoT modem integrates all key innovations required to build cellular-enabled IoT products and services in a single chipset, including global multimode LTE category M1 (eMTC), NB2 (NB-IoT), 2G/E-GPRS connectivity, an application processor, geolocation, hardware-based security, support for cloud services, and developer tools.

 

 

The modem reduces power consumption by about 70% or more for select use cases compared to its predecessor. The MDM9205 is also 50% smaller and more cost-effective. Designs based on the MDM9205 modem, including modules from [OEMs], are expected to be commercially available the second half of 2019.

 

Highlights

  • Support for both 3GPP release 14 eMTC and NB-IoT for operation with networks using any of these LTE IoT modes, as well as 2G/E-GPRS to allow for connectivity in areas where LTE IoT is not yet deployed. Category M1 mode also supports voice for applications such as monitored security panels, and mobility for applications such as asset trackers.
  • An RF transceiver with extended bandwidth support from 450 MHz to 2,100 MHz. It also features a complete and fully integrated RF front-end that allows users to greatly simplify their design and accelerate time to market.
  • To maximize battery life, MDM9205 couples ultra-low system-level cut-off voltage with provisions for adapting power usage according to the state of charge of the battery.
  • Arm Cortex A7 up to 800 MHz with support for ThreadX and AliOS Things real-time operating systems. The integrated applications processor avoids the need for an external microcontroller to improve cost-efficiency, and device security.
  • Integrated global positioning support for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) including GPS, Beidou, Glonass, and Galileo. MDM9205 enables design flexibility allowing for the use of either a shared GNSS/LTE antenna or a dedicated one.
  • Secure boot from hardware root-of-trust, Qualcomm® Trusted Execution Environment, hardware cryptography, storage and debug security, and hardware attestation and certificate provisioning through Qualcomm wireless edge services.
  • Integration with cloud-based services designed to facilitate the deployment of edge devices at scale, by providing zero-touch life-cycle management through services such as plug-n-play onboarding with hardware-based security, on-demand provisioning, over-the-air feature activation of relevant chipset features, as well as third party service enablement throughout the device life-cycle.
  • LTE IoT Software Development Kit (SDK)

 

For more information, visit Qualcomm.