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u-blox has launched a satellite IoT-NTN cellular module with embedded GNSS, which addresses the issue of remote connectivity

u-blox is a leading global provider of positioning and wireless communications technology and services, headquartered in Thalwil, Switzerland. The company has deep expertise in wireless communications and positioning technologies and offers a wide range of products including semiconductor chips, modules and IoT services to support future automotive and IoT innovations. u-blox products are renowned for their high accuracy and low power consumption and are used in a wide range of applications in automotive, industrial, consumer electronics and smart cities.

One of the company's latest technologies, u-blox‘ M10 GNSS platform, represents a major advancement in the size and power consumption of u-blox’ standard accuracy GNSS receiver products. u-blox' M10 platform combines the experience and lessons learned from two decades of selling half a billion GNSS receivers, and is renowned for its ultra-low power consumption, small form factor, and superior performance. The M10 platform is available in a four-by-four-millimetre quad-flat pinless (QFN) package and consumes less than 12 mW in continuous tracking mode, making it ideal for size-constrained devices such as sports watches, handhelds, pet and child trackers, logistic trackers and automotive trackers.

Features of the M10 platform include:

Support for signal reception on all four global GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) for improved position availability and accuracy.
Employs Super-S technology to improve RF sensitivity and maintain high performance even when signals are weak or small antennas are used.
Provides real-time maximum positioning error (protection level) output, providing extra confidence for applications that require high-precision positioning.
Supports a variety of power saving modes to adjust power consumption depending on the update rate.
The SARA-S528NM10 is a satellite IoT module utilising the u-blox M10 GNSS platform and the UBX-R52 chipset, which combines u-blox's strengths in wireless communications and positioning technology. The module follows the 3GPP Rel 17 specification and supports a combination of terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) IoT, providing a global coverage solution for use cases requiring continuous or periodic asset tracking and monitoring.

Key features of the module include:

Global coverage: Support for extended connectivity via LTE-M and NB-IoT as well as NB-IoT on 3GPP Rel 17-compliant geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite constellations, including readiness for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Low power consumption: The integrated u-blox GNSS solution consumes less than 15mW in continuous tracking mode.
Concurrent positioning: enables concurrent positioning data to be provided without interrupting cellular or satellite connectivity.
Compatibility: Pin-compatible with other u-blox cellular modules in the SARA form factor, allowing engineers to easily expand their IoT products using legacy technology.
Support for new NTN bands: All three new NTN bands are supported - n23 (US), n255 (Global L-band) and n256 (European S-band).
In addition, the SARA-S528NM10 module supports the 3GPP Rel 17 NB-NTN specification, which means it can be certified for interoperability with multiple satellite providers that support this standard, providing customers with more choice.

The UBX-R52 chipset supports multi-band LTE-M / NB-IoT satellite connectivity and can be integrated with u-blox GNSS products for LTE-based positioning.

The 3GPP Rel 17 specification, which provides a standardised specification for satellite network service handhelds, is expected to be completed in 2022, with commercial products expected to be available sometime in 2024.

Overall, the launch of the SARA-S528NM10 module provides an innovative solution for the IoT market, especially in application scenarios requiring global coverage and low power consumption.

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