Sequans along with Shanghai-based maker of wireless devices for carriers, Asiatelco, has introduced four new IoT trackers for LTE-M networks in USA (other regions to follow). The announcement comes one year after Sequans and Asiatelco announced their collaboration to bring LTE for IoT devices to market based on Sequans’ dual-mode LTE-M/NB-IoT Platform, Monarch. The trackers are built using Asiatelco modules with Sequans’ Monarch inside, and were designed for various uses, including asset tracking and vehicle tracking for insurance and buy-here-pay-here applications. The new trackers are on display at on-going CES 2019.
The trackers are built using Asiatelco’s LM91-MV module, which was designed to support LTE bands 4 and 13 in the US, and Sequans’ GM01Q module, built by Asiatelco and designed to support global LTE bands. The modules, both powered by Sequans’ Monarch platform, are ultra-small LGA modules delivering LTE-M 3GPP Release 13 connectivity and operating with a single LTE antenna.
Sequans’ Monarch provides full support for power saving mode (PSM) and extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) to enable the long battery life needed by many IoT use cases, and it provides the enhanced coverage modes defined in the standard that extend coverage for deep-indoor and remote deployments. Monarch comprises baseband, RF, power management, and RAM, all integrated into a single, tiny 6.5 x 8.5 mm package. In addition, the chip supports advanced features such as programmable RF filtering for global band support in a single SKU, and proprietary dynamic power management technology enabling battery life of 10+ years.
