- The 212 modem requires less than 1uA of sleep current
- It is compatible with IoT devices using a power supply as low as 2.2 volts
Qualcomm has launched a new Internet of Things (IoT) chipset designed for low-power devices and applications. The company claimed that this 212 LTE IoT modem, a single-mode NB2 (NB-IoT) chipset is the “world’s most power-efficient” Narrowband (NB2) chipset. The Qualcomm 212 LTE IoT modem will be made commercially available in the second half of 2020.
Qualcomm said that the modem is focused on efficiency and keeping the power consumption as low as possible. It will make the chipset suitable for endpoint devices that must rely on batteries. It said that the 212 modem requires less than 1uA of sleep current and is compatible with IoT devices using a power supply as low as 2.2 volts. To support a wide range of batteries and longer life span of the device in the field, the modem couples ultra-low system-level cut-off voltage with provisions for adapting power usage according to varying source power levels.
Vieri Vanghi, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Europe, Inc said, “The Qualcomm 212 LTE IoT Modem will help usher in a new era for a range of IoT applications around the globe, especially those requiring connectivity deep within buildings combined with low power use, like battery-powered IoT devices that need to operate for 15 years or longer in the field. Its ultra-low power consumption, compact form factor, and low cost will greatly benefit OEMs creating the next generation of low-power IoT devices.”
software development kit
The Qualcomm 212 LTE IoT chipset includes a modem baseband, an ARM Cortex M3 processor (204 Mhz), memory, RF transceiver with an RF front end, and power management components. The RF frequency bands span from 700MHz to 2.1GHz and the modem helps LTE modules below 100 square millimeters in size. It also supports single-mode 3GPP Release 14 Cat. NB2 IoT connectivity.
Qualcomm is also launching a software development kit (SDK) for the device. This will permit developers to create and run custom software on the chipset. It also includes pre-integrated support for cloud platforms including the Microsoft Azure IoT SDK.
