Ultra integrated chip for pure NB-IoT operation.
Sequans Communications S.A. today introduced Monarch N, an NB-IoT platform designed and optimized for pure NB-IoT operation to enable massive IoT deployment.
Monarch N is a single-chip LTE Cat NB1/NB2 platform, compliant with 3GPP release 14/15 of the LTE Advanced Pro standard. Monarch N is highly integrated and includes all primary functions in a small chip scale package (CSP), enabling modules smaller than 10 x 10 mm.
Georges Karam, Sequans CEO, said:
“After the great success of our Monarch dual-mode LTE-M/NB-IoT platform and the introduction of its derivatives, Monarch SX and Monarch SiP, we are now answering the demand for a highly optimized NB-IoT only platform to support ultra low speed applications such as industrial sensors and utility meters.”
“Monarch N expands our StreamliteLTE product portfolio and allows our customers to select the platform best optimized to fit their particular IoT application, with no compromise on cost or performance.”
Monarch N leverages Sequans’ 15 years of chip design optimization experience, including several years with its industry-leading, dual-mode LTE for IoT platform, Monarch. The optimizations in Monarch N have resulted in a highly efficient and cost-effective solution for even the most price-sensitive IoT applications.
“An NB-IoT-only solution with its 200 kHz channel size takes up very little spectrum so operators can deploy it in guard bands with no disturbance to their existing LTE-M network operations that are used for higher-end IoT applications,” said Karam. “We’ve designed Monarch N for maximum efficiency—for low cost, and for devices that can live many, many years in the field.”
“Monarch N is an ideal solution for Verizon’s LTE NB-IoT Guard band deployment plan where our aim is to provide customers with low-cost options for LTE LPWA applications,” said Chris Schmidt, executive director, Verizon. “Sequans is a leader in LTE for IoT and their Monarch technology was instrumental in the launch of our LTE Cat M1 network, the first nationwide Cat M1 deployment in the world. We are pleased to see Sequans make an important addition to their product portfolio with an optimized NB-IoT only solution.”
Monarch N NB-IoT Platform Features:
- 3GPP Release 14/15
- LTE categories NB1, NB2, single and multi-tone
- Extremely reduced BOM
- eDRX and PSM for long sleep duration use cases
- Proprietary Dynamic Power Management (DPM) for up to 15 years of battery life
- Programmable RF filtering for global band support in a Single-SKU™
- Optional GNSS