21-01-2022 | U-Blox | Subs & Systems
u-blox offers two additions to its cellular LTE Cat 1 portfolio. The u-blox LARA-R6 is the smallest LTE Cat 1 module with global coverage available. The u-blox LENA-R8 comprises a GNSS receiver based on its M10 platform. Together, the modules include five certified global, multi-regional, and regional product variants, simplifying logistics for developers and improving design flexibility.
The modules provide device makers facing imminent 2G and 3G network sunsets a future-proof migration path to 4G technology for data streaming applications. Furthermore, they provide MQTT Anywhere and MQTT Flex connectivity through the company’s Thingstream platform out of the box, thereby providing low-power, low-cost connectivity with globally ubiquitous, seamless roaming.
The LARA-R6 professional-grade module series provides dual Rx antennas for reliable signal reception in challenging coverage areas such as indoors and for use cases that need voice over LTE. The security-focused module offers a root of trust, secure boot, and secure communication with regular security updates. Its unique feature set makes the module an excellent cellular modem for telematics, tracking, health applications and alarm panels, smart meters, and POS devices.
The LENA-R8 standard grade module series is aimed at customers in the tracking and telematics markets striving to minimise costs associated with their BOM and data charges. The compact module balances price and performance with a single Rx antenna and mainly targets customer deployments in the EMEA, APAC, and South America regions. It supports a wide range of frequency bands with 2G fallback, providing maximum roaming coverage for global tracking applications using a single SKU.
All family variants support CellLocate, the company's cellular network-based location service, for coarse positioning data even in the absence of GNSS signals.
“LARA-R6 and LENA-R8 are important additions to our LTE Cat 1 portfolio, meeting growing demand for small IoT solutions targeting global markets, with seamless roaming and low data costs. Both modules offer global roaming with a single SKU, which greatly simplifies logistics and supply chain management. The small size of both modules gives product developers greater design flexibility and the possibility to create smaller form factors,” says Drazen Drinic, product management cellular at u-blox.
