Sony Semiconductor, a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, this week announced the launch of the Altair ALT1255, a new low-power NB2 chipset.
The ALT1255 is 5G ready, designed with an integrated SIM (iSIM), user MCU, rich application layer, and GSM/GPRS fallback modem. The ALT1255 chipset empowers device manufacturers to develop low-power, cost-sensitive connected devices at a global scale to monitor, manage, and control critical infrastructure, medical devices, logistic trackers, and a large variety of LPWA applications.
The ALT1255 platform is now commercially available and has been selected by key module players. The ALT1255 was developed in-house by Sony Semiconductor, based on the LTE-M/NB ALT1250 chipset, and leverages its mature, broadly accepted, and globally certified NB/2G technology.
The chipsets share software architecture, modem application and networking layer, and APIs for fast and easy integration within the Altair product family. The ALT1255 built-in iSIM removes barriers related to cost, size, and power, as well as adds an additional layer of security. The GSM/GPRS modem fills the gaps in LPWA network coverage and allows future-proof technology deployment in countries with mixed 2G/NB coverage.
In addition, ALT1255 integrates a low-power ARM Cortex-M4 MCU, fully separated from the modem functionality and designed to run a variety of IoT and sensing applications, as well as an adaptation layer to interconnect within the existing ecosystem. The solution provides out-of-the-box secure cloud connectivity, utilizing numerous industry-accepted communication protocols such as power-efficient COAP and LWM2M.
Dima Feldman, VP of Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor
The market shows a growing need for a feature-rich, fully integrated NB-IoT cellular chipset with 2G fallback. Module designs based on the ALT1255 will provide reliable connectivity for smart meters, logistics, telematics, and smart cities applications.