GPS World

Tag: LTE-M

  • Iridium launches next-generation IoT platform

    Iridium launches next-generation IoT platform

    Iridium Communications, a provider of global voice, data, and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) satellite services, has unveiled the Iridium 9604, a compact, three-in-one IoT module that integrates Iridium short burst data (SBD) satellite service, LTE-M cellular connectivity, and GNSS positioning into a single platform.

    By combining these features in one device, the Iridium 9604 reduces solution complexity, lowers costs, and accelerates time to market, making dual-mode IoT connectivity viable for price-sensitive, high-volume deployments.

    The Iridium 9604 beta program — launched earlier this year and oversubscribed by a select group of companies — has generated positive industry feedback highlighting:

    • Lower costs, simplified design, and enabling of location-aware network selection
    • Savings of 60 percent or more in board space with the 3-in-1 module, Iridium’s smallest ever form factor
    • Easy-to-use developer resources.

    “As an early Iridium 9604 developer, utilizing the three-in-one module has already fundamentally changed our product economics,” said Alastair MacLeod, CEO, Ground Control. “We eliminated two components from our bill of materials, reduced our board size, and simplified our power architecture.”

    MacLeod continued, “Additionally, having dual mode connectivity options enables a smarter, location-aware network selection in our application. The Iridium 9604 turned what would have been a complex multi-component design into a single-module solution. This is a major breakthrough for our IoT solutions.”

    “Our customers require essential data and real-time intelligence to operate with confidence anywhere in the world,” said Dean Welten, CEO, Everlink. “By integrating the Iridium 9604 with our secure cloud platform, we can now enable global connectivity, greater operational efficiency, and measurable impact at scale.”

    Representing the next phase of Iridium’s IoT strategy, the Iridium 9604 is moving the company beyond traditional satellite-only modules to a unified, multi-mode connectivity architecture. The Iridium network now offers customers three IoT service paths to follow:

    • Iridium SBD packaged with cellular and GNSS in the Iridium 9604 or SBD/Iridium Burst dedicated modules
    • Iridium NTN Direct for standards-based direct-to-device using third-party chips
    • Iridium Messaging Transport-based (IMT) for industrial-scale, larger payload capabilities with the Iridium Certus 9704

    The Iridium 9604, built on the u-blox SARA-R5 platform, delivers a compact 16 mm x 26 mm x 2.4 mm form factor, best for dual-mode IoT deployments previously cost-prohibitive across industrial, infrastructure, and mobility applications.

    Commercial availability begins in June 2026 with the Iridium 9604 Development Kit made available for testing satellite and cellular services. Reserve priority access at www.iridium.com/9604.

  • u-blox releases LTE-M/NB-IoT module

    u-blox releases LTE-M/NB-IoT module

    u-blox has released the LEXI-R4, a module customized for size-constrained application requirements. The device is suitable for small asset trackers, such as pet and personal trackers, micro-mobility devices, and luggage tags.

    Photo:
    Image: u-blox

    The LEXI-R4 module supports all LTE-M and NB-internet of things (IoT) bands, with an RF output power of 23 dBm. It is natively designed to support GNSS AT commands, and its dedicated port enables easy integration with any u-blox M10-based GNSS module, such as the MIA-M10.

    Additionally, the module can connect to additional positioning services, such as AssistNow and CellLocate.

    The compact size of the module, measuring 16 mm x 16 mm, results from a 40% footprint reduction in dimensions compared to the previous u-blox SARA-R4. Due to its small size, remaining space could host larger antennas, which can improve RF performance, or accommodate larger-size batteries.

    Another feature of the LEXI-R4 is its 2G fallback capability. Whenever LTE-M/NB-IoT coverage conditions are not optimal, it continues to function by falling back onto a 2G network. The company said this feature could be helpful in countries where LTE-M/NB-IoT networks have yet to be fully deployed.

  • U-blox provides LPWA IoT security to system engineers

    U-blox provides LPWA IoT security to system engineers

    Image: metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
    Image: metamorworks/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

    U‑blox has launched a commercial internet of things (IoT) Security-as-a-Service offering. Available on both the u‑blox SARA-R4 and SARA-R5 series of LTE-M cellular IoT modules, the service protects data from malicious third parties, both on the device and during transmission from the device to the cloud, u-blox said in a press release.

    Both the SARA-R4 and R5 have integrated M8 GNSS receivers.

    The IoT Security-as-a-Service provides an out-of-the box onboarding process to cloud IoT platforms to speed up development, shortening time-to-market.

    The IoT Security-as-a-Service offering, which is managed via the u‑blox Thingstream service delivery platform, is specifically optimized for low-power, wide-area (LPWA) deployments that use resource-constrained IoT devices. By substantially reducing data overhead and keeping the number of handshakes to a minimum, the service improves power consumption and extends the battery life, a critical metric for most IoT devices.

    u-blox acquired Thingstream, an IoT communication-as-a-service provider, in April.

    Central to the effectiveness of the solution is a unique symmetric key management system (KMS). Through it, an infinite number of crypto keys can be generated on the fly for each device, rather than having to rely on the storage and management of pre-shared keys (which can add to overall operational complexity and the power budget).

    Keys are tied to the hardware and can be triggered from either the module or from the server/cloud, completely eliminating the need to create, deliver, and renew certificates, and bringing significant savings in terms of system cost, operational complexity, and power consumption.

    The solution also leverages u‑blox’s Foundation security offering, which comprises fundamental elements that make SARA-R4 and SARA-R5 modules secure by design. These include a unique and immutable device identity that is tied to its root of trust (RoT), which forms the basis for a trusted set of advanced security functionality, including a secure boot mechanism that ensures that the module can only run trusted software. In addition, u‑blox’s proprietary uFOTA feature enables authentication of over-the-air firmware updates.

    Among the relevant use cases that u‑blox IoT Security-as-a-Service can support are:

    • Asset tracking. Data authenticity is essential in such scenarios, as well as secure local storage of collected data and easy secure cloud onboarding. Because tracking devices are usually battery powered, they require extremely energy-efficient secure data transmission.
    • Connected health/eHealth. In this use case, patient confidentiality is paramount, with only authorized medical staff permitted to access sensitive data. This necessitates a high degree of protection against malware and data tampering.
    • Industrial monitoring. These solutions need to guarantee the integrity of real-time operational data to increase productivity, avoid downtime, and assure the safety of the workforce.
    • Building and home automation. Data confidentiality and authenticity need to be maintained, while allowing for data to be shared with trusted stakeholders without compromising customer privacy.
    • Telematics. In this scenario, the main security risks include denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, device cloning, jamming, etc.
    • Smart metering. Here, the authenticity of data logged by remote metering units needs to be confirmed to protect billing, and, once trusted communication is established, data transmission needs to be restricted to authorized servers.

    “We implemented a true end-to-end concept that protects data from the device to the end user without making it visible to intermediate nodes or platforms, or to service providers. The modules’ symmetric KMS offers engineers a streamlined and scalable alternative to conventional public key infrastructure or pre-shared key arrangements,” says Giovanni Solito, senior product manager, Product Center Services at u‑blox. “And with straightforward onboarding to all the popular cloud IoT platforms, efforts are not taken up by security concerns and operational complexities, but can be focused on speeding up time to market and growing business.”

  • OriginGPS releases LTE-M system for low-power IoT products

    OriginGPS has chosen Gemalto’s Cinterion LTE-M wireless module to build its latest miniature OriginIoT system. Gemalto, a digital security company, designed the module for low-power applications requiring high security.

    OriginIoT systems are generic cellular internet of things (IoT) systems that simplify IoT product development and slash development resources.

    The systems include communication hardware, a GNSS module, embedded software and a novel interface to OriginIoT add-ons that accommodate multiple sensors and other peripheral devices.

    OriginGPS signal-to-noise technology is leveraged to deliver superior GNSS and cellular matching, facilitating excellent performance in noisy environments, while the OriginSmart software enables cloud-based programming, relieving developers from writing embedded code.

    The OriginIoT LTE-M system (ORG2101) has a 15 percent smaller footprint than the previous 2G and 3G models, and will be pre-certified with selected operators.

    The low-power, wide-area Cinterion LTE-M module supports more than 10 frequency bands from a single hardware device, eliminating the need for multiple variants. The module protocols can run on the same hardware, thus providing a future-proof path for additional OriginIoT models.

    “To save resources and stay competitive, such easy to develop low power solutions are essential for today’s IoT products,” said Andreas Haegele, senior vice president of IoT products for Gemalto. “We are glad to see that OriginGPS is expanding the market by offering accessible, affordable IoT products that are backed by Gemalto reliability and high quality,”

    “We designed the OriginIoT LTE-M system to address market pains, and so our new offering includes low power consumption, superb GNSS/cellular matching, interfaces to multiple connectors, and software to enable developing from the convenience of the cloud,” said Robert van Tilburg, VP Global Sales and Business Development of OriginGPS. “These features serve to simplify and shorten IoT projects. Gemalto’s Cinterion IoT module enables OriginGPS products to retain their world’s smallest footprint, while enhancing their security and extending end-product life.”

    OriginGPS will be showcasing its GNSS modules and OriginIoT systems at Embedded World, Feb. 27 – Mar. 1, in Hall 3, Booth 121.