Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
In my previous post, I covered the features that set Cat 1bis apart from other low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technologies. I encouraged you to consider the advantages of its global coverage, location performance, single-antenna architecture and standards roadmap for your own IoT products.
Now that you've had an introduction to Cat 1bis as a promising LTE technology, this post will introduce you to the Qualcomm® 216 LTE IoT modem. Optimized for Cat 1bis, it's certified with Tier-1 global operators and ready for commercial deployment in your designs.
First Cat 1bis modem to earn Tier-1 certification
The Qualcomm 216 is the first Cat 1bis modem to be certified with major operators in North America (AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile) and Europe (Deutsche Telekom).
"As more companies embrace the opportunities offered by the Internet of Things, many customers are looking for devices to balance ultra-low power consumption with connectivity, positioning, and computing capabilities – Cat 1bis technology can help with this. We are pleased to work with Qualcomm Technologies to certify the Qualcomm 216 LTE Cat 1bis IoT Modem in Europe and enable easy deployment for these devices" – said Uday Patil, Head of IoT Hardware & Services at Deutsche Telekom
It's designed with 3GPP power-efficiency features, drawing 1.7 µA in power-saving mode (PSM) and less than 25 µA in 81.92 seconds of extended discontinuous reception (eDRX). Its low power consumption makes it ideal for IoT devices like utility meters, asset trackers, smart-city applications and shared scooters and bikes.
"We recognize the benefits of LTE Cat 1bis technology and the potential it has for IoT devices such as smart meters and asset trackers. That's why we have enabled extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) and power-saving mode (PSM) features in our LTE networks to open up more opportunities in the IoT ecosystem. LTE Cat 1bis is a perfect complement to NB-IoT and LTE-M technologies to address any IoT use case." – Carlos Carazo, CTO Telefonica Tech IoT & Big Data
The modem is engineered for compatibility with existing LTE infrastructure worldwide, with a peak download/upload speed of 10 Mbps/5 Mbps.
Instead of the two antennas used in Cat 1 modems, this Cat 1bis modem uses a single antenna, lowering unit costs and extending your power budget. Its compact, 6.1 x 6.1mm package includes a Wi-Fi receiver for improved terrestrial location at no additional cost. Location services in the Qualcomm 216 use Qualcomm® Terrestrial Positioning Service, which provides geolocation results based on proximity to nearby Wi-Fi, cellular and other terrestrial beacon installations.
Plus, the modem is available for your designs at a cost structure comparable to that of existing LPWAN products.
Next steps
The Qualcomm 216 LTE IoT modem has gone through the certification processes and scrutiny of some of the world's largest operators. If you're ready to build low-power, cost-effective IoT products with global terrestrial positioning, then start by evaluating this Cat 1bis modem now.
And, in case you missed it, download our paper, "Understanding the benefits of LTE Cat 1bis technology." You'll find insights in it that will help you decide on your next cellular IoT technology.
Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
