Sierra Wireless AirPrime HL78 LPWA modules rolling out globally with KDDI and AT&T

Sierra Wireless, the provider of fully integrated device-to-cloud solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), has announced that Sierra Wireless AirPrime® HL78 LTE-M/NB-IoT embedded wireless modules, are now certified to operate on both KDDI’s LTE-M network in Japan and AT&T’s LTE-M network in the United States.

As a rapidly growing list of operators deploys LTE-M and NB-IoT networks across the globe, these are the first of many certifications for the HL78 modules.

“Sierra Wireless’ modules provide exceptional low-power performance that will dramatically extend battery life and enable many new applications on KDDI’s LTE-M network,” said Hiroyuki Kimura, Deputy General Manager, IoT Business Development Division, KDDI. “We’re pleased to work with Sierra Wireless and Altair to certify the HL78 modules.”

“These certifications pave the way for our LPWA customers to support large-scale IoT deployments in smart energy, tracking, industrial asset management, home security, patient monitoring, wearables and any other application requiring low power and extended coverage,” said Dan Schieler, Senior Vice President and General Manager, OEM Solutions at Sierra Wireless. “As an original contributor to the formation of the LPWA standards, we’re excited to see the transformation that LTE-M and NB-IoT networks will bring to IoT applications around the globe.”

Advantages of LTE-M and NB-IoT compared to traditional cellular connectivity options include:
•Longer battery life targeting up to 10 years;
•Superior coverage for IoT devices underground and deep inside buildings; and
•Reduced module and deployment cost.
Sierra Wireless’ HL78 embedded modules use the ALT1250 radio baseband chipset from strategic partner Altair.

“The strength of our ongoing partnership with Sierra Wireless helped us rapidly integrate and certify our ALT1250 chipset into the compact HL78 modules,” said Ilan Reingold, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing at Altair Semiconductor (A Sony Group Company). “The comprehensive market-leading efficiency of the HL78 modules will be the catalyst for a new generation of IoT applications.”

AirPrime® HL78 modules deliver best-in-class power performance, extending the life of battery-operated devices by 5-10 times compared to other available LTE-M/NB-IoT modules. This new level of ultra-low power consumption, with improved wake-up and sleep mode responsiveness, makes HL78 the module of choice for any power-constrained IoT application.

In addition to low-power performance unique to the HL78 design, the modules integrate GNSS tracking capability, security and an embedded SIM in a new compact CF3® size (18mm x15mm) that is pin-to-pin compatible with other HL Series modules.

Customers have the flexibility to deploy the same device on global LTE-M (Cat-M1/eMTC) and NB-IoT (Cat-NB1) networks, with support for more than 20 LTE frequency bands in addition to optional 2G fallback. Built-in security, including HTTPS, secure socket, secure boot and free unlimited firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates from the AirVantage® device management IoT Platform, helps customers ensure HL78 deployments are future-proof and secure.