Qualcomm have today announced, via their subsidiary Qualcomm Technologies, that they are to launch a range of LTE modem devices designed for today’s and tomorrow’s Internet of Things devices. The key product is the Qualcomm Snapdragon X5 LTE modem, which has the designation 9×07, which is designed as an easily integrated component for device manufacturers and system integrators. The 9×07 is pin-compatible with the new MDM9207-1 and MDM9206 modem chipsets, which are also also designed for the next generation of Internet of Things devices. Qualcomm have given the 9×07 an onboard ARM application processor and the LINUX operating system so that developers may write applications for the device.
Qualcomm have given the 9×07 a number of LTE modes right up to Category 4, which supports download speeds of up to 150 Mbps and so will be a suitable component for those devices that will need a high data performance. In addition to LTE, the component also includes DC-HSPA, GSM, TD-SCDMA and cdma2000/1x support. Qualcomm’s software is described as “scalable across chipset platforms” and includes support for Circuit Switched Fall Back (CSFB, which is the term used to describe how the modem drops down to a 2G or 3G connection in order to complete a call or send a text message) and VoLTE (Voice Over LTE). The ARM application processor is based around the ARM Cortex A7 unit, clocked at up to 1.2 GHz. Qualcomm have made provision for positioning systems (such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou), high performance Wi-Fi (up to 802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy. In particular, Qualcomm detail that the MDM9207-1 modem is capable of providing ten years of battery life from two AA batteries and the MDM9206 chipset supports LTE Category-M1 (the lower powered 1 Mbps connection at 1.4 MHz) and LTE Category-M2 (500 Kbps download, 40 Kbps upload at the 180 kHz mode and designed for the Internet of Things).
Qualcomm Technologies’ Serge Willenegger, Senior Vice President of Product Management, said this on the subject: “Qualcomm Technologies is excited to announce the further extension of our industry leading modem product portfolio designed to address cellular connectivity needs across the widest range of platforms, applications and global deployments. Manufacturers can now enable their mobile broadband and IoT products with LTE cellular connectivity due to Qualcomm Technologies’ newest products that are purpose-designed for demanding ultra low power, ultra long range and deep indoor coverage.”
Qualcomm are working towards making the X5 LTE modem and the MDM9207-1 to be available to manufacturers at the end of January 2016 and expect the first commercial products containing the components to be available at the end of the first quarter. The MDM9206 will be finalized after the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have finalized the LTE Category-M1 and LTE Category-M2 standards.