Modem designed to support cellular connectivity for IoT

Designed as a global connectivity product for applications such as battery-powered sensors, the MDM9206 modem features a purpose-built design for IoT and offers lower power consumption and longer range connectivity than the company's previous LTE generations.

The MDM9206 modem is designed to support LTE category M1 (eMTC), upgradeable to dual category M1/NB-1 mode with an anticipated upcoming software update. This allows IoT products to function in a diverse set of operator deployments worldwide, maximising the products' global reach and scalability. The simpler narrowband LTE categories help the MDM9206 modem to support low-cost, low-power, low-bandwidth and greater coverage for the next-gen of IoT products and services, while also enhancing battery life as compared to previous LTE generations.

With the MDM9206 modem, Qualcomm is continuing to expand the capabilities of LTE to accelerate the progress in IoT. Compared to its previous LTE generations, this modem is designed to cost-effectively address cellular connectivity for low data rate IoT applications more efficiently addressed by a narrowband modem, across a wide range of business opportunities within the IoT, including smart energy and metering, building security, infrastructure, industrial control and automation, retail point of sale, asset tracking, medical, lighting and aftermarket telematics.

The category M1 and NB-1 LTE modes designed in the MDM9206 modem bring many enhancements and optimisations to LTE that will help reduce IoT device complexity, support, multi-year battery life, and provide deeper coverage than the Company's previous LTE generations, to reach challenging locations such as deep inside buildings and remote rural areas. The technologies also can use existing LTE infrastructure and spectrum, coexisting with today's mobile broadband services, while providing a superior solution to proprietary technologies for low-power wide area networks.

Additionally, backed by 3GPP global standards with a rich roadmap to 5G, LTE IoT technologies will continue to evolve beyond 3GPP Release 13 with features such as support for multicast and positioning, establishing the foundation for Narrowband 5G IoT.

"The global IoT opportunity is rapidly expanding," said Serge Willenegger, Senior Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "IoT will be much more than about connecting people to things; they will be extending information management systems all the way to the edge, allowing machines and devices to work with one another and support increasing service opportunities and operational efficiencies across most industries. Momentum around our MDM9206 modem for Cat M1 and NB-1 demonstrates demand today for reliable, optimised LTE cellular connectivity to support the range of IoT applications and services."