Platform enables dual Phy AMI networks with wireless capability

The EV8600 modem also enables seamless LoRa gateway network deployment of IoT solutions for smart city and industrial automation.

By offering both a PLC modem operating at 10-500KHz and an RF modem operating in the 142-1050MHz range, Semtech’s industry-leading EV8600 enables virtually 100% connectivity coverage with a single chip. The EV8600 also offers a LoRa fallback mode in the event of a complete network outage caused by a natural disaster or other unforeseen events.

Reza Mirkhani, Vice President, Smart Grid Products, Wireless and Sensing Product Group, Semtech, commented: “The integration of Semtech LoRa technology in the EV8600 enables critical access for network operators and provides further reliability in network operations. It helps eliminate the ‘1% problem’ in AMI networks, where the cost of reaching the 1% hard-to-reach nodes can account for as much as 50% of the entire AMI network operational cost. We already see AMI networks migrating to PLC+RF Dual PHY architectures to achieve as close to 100% coverage as possible. The addition of LoRa to EV8600 enables each end node to become a LoRa gateway, servicing LoRa-based devices and back hauling their data over the PLC network. Also, the LoRaWAN network protocol allows for seamless interoperability among smart things across the network.”

To simplify the design effort, Semtech’s LoRa-enabled EV8600 series performs all bridging/routing algorithms between the two internal modems and has embedded dual image flash memory. The implementation of LoRa features into the new Semtech’s EV8600 is accompanied by the addition of Wireless M-BUS protocol for sub-metering applications.