Skylo Technologies has certified Sony’s Altair ALT1250 chipset for its satellite network. The certification enables seamless support for both cellular and native satellite connectivity in devices without manual switching. Sony’s Altair ALT1250 chipset, meeting Skylo’s high standards, opens up opportunities for remote tracking, IoT devices, wearables, and global communication solutions. The integration of this chipset with Skylo’s network accelerates the deployment of satellite-connected IoT solutions across industries such as fleet management, logistics, and agriculture.

Skylo Technologies, the pioneer in satellite network connectivity, today announces the certification of Sony Semiconductor Israel’s (Sony) ALT1250 chipset as part of the Skylo Certification Program.

All devices incorporating the chipset will seamlessly support both cellular and native satellite connectivity without requiring the user to manually switch between the two. Connectivity plans and devices are available through a Skylo mobile service provider partner.

Sony’s Altair ALT1250 has passed rigorous testing and evaluation, proving its capability to meet Skylo’s high standards for connectivity, power efficiency, and reliability. Now, devices equipped with the ALT1250 chipset can operate on Skylo’s satellite network, providing endless opportunities for remote tracking and sensing, IoT devices, wearables, and global communication solutions.

“We are excited to have Sony’s Altair ALT1250 achieve certification under Skylo’s program. This certification milestone will simplify module and end-device onboarding to Skylo’s enabled NTN,” said Dima Feldman, VP Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel. “Our OneSKU technology now includes satellite communication and opens up a myriad of possibilities for innovation providing connectivity in multiple countries around the globe, both in urban and remote areas.”

Skylo’s Certification Program empowers manufacturers and developers by endorsing chipsets and devices that are fully compatible with its satellite-based communication platform. By doing so, Skylo is fostering a vast ecosystem of connected devices that can operate anywhere in the world. The integration of Sony’s Altair ALT1250 chipset with Skylo’s network will accelerate the deployment of satellite-connected IoT solutions globally, enabling data-driven decision-making across a host of industries including fleet management, logistics, agriculture, and beyond.

“This achievement under the Skylo Certification Program is no small feat. Sony’s Altair had to pass rigorous testing to ensure reliability, efficiency, and seamless integration for efficient operations over Skylo’s satellite network,” said Prasanna Iyengar, Sr. Director of Product Management for Skylo.

“It marks a significant milestone in IoT and wearables connectivity, enabling manufacturers to effortlessly incorporate NTN connectivity into their devices without the need for additional hardware modifications. This ensures that NTN is not just a feature but the foundation of ubiquitous connectivity.”

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The new ALT1350, a game-changer for asset trackers and smart utility meters, boasts unmatched low power consumption and advanced location capabilities.

Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony), a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, announced that its advanced ALT1350 Wireless System on Chip (SoC) is now commercially available.

LPWA cellular modules have been designed by our partners and industry leaders AM Telecom, Fibocom, Murata, Quectel, Semtech, Telit Cinterion and Wistron NeWeb Corporation (WNC). The modules are now available for sampling, with mass production expected during the first half of 2024.

The Sony’s Altair ALT1350 is the first cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT SoC to adopt a low-power application MCU, a sensor-hub for data collection and processing, enhanced security, integrated SIM (iSIM) location technology and an additional sub-GHz LPWA/FAN customizable transceiver and NTN communication options in a single chip. It features cellular connected standby mode (eDRX) connectivity at a power consumption of below 3µA, and its overall power consumption performance achieves up to 10 times longer battery life compared to previous generations. The rich feature set and performance of the chipset makes it an ideal solution for smart utility meters and single-chip asset-tracking applications.

The ALT1350 chipset promises unparalleled connectivity options and can support connectivity choices for all industries and markets. In smart cities and utility spaces, the ALT1350 can perform as a low-power cellular modem, a low-power mesh device, and a router between cellular and mesh networks as well as provide multiple connectivity backup options. The rich feature set and performance make it an ideal solution for single-chip asset-tracking applications, bundling multi-tier location services optimized for battery operated devices.

“Commercial adaptation of the ALT1350 SoC by industry leaders demonstrates strong demand for new generation LPWA technology solutions,” said Nohik Semel, CEO of Sony Semiconductor Israel .

“This SoC enables applications for smart cities, logistics and asset trackers, connected health devices, and in the wearables market as it brings in an era of connected everything in which battery consumption is no longer a concern. We are excited to be working with our partners to bring this SoC to the market and help them build innovative products.”

“It has been a great experience developing our connectivity module and network device based on the ALT1350 chipset, collaborating with Sony for the first time,” says Jin Gyu Lee, CMO of AM Telecom.

“This equips us with strong competitive edge in LTE network coverage as well as low cost by processing sub-GHz LPWA and LTE-M on a single SoC using the ALT1350. We believe this is a great opportunity for AM Telecom using small IoT devices based on the ALT1350 chipset which enables technically solving issues such as a battery life, WPS/GPS support, etc., disrupting the spread of IoT communications.”

“We are delighted to propel the 5G LPWA module solution in collaboration with Sony, and we are optimistic to bring empowerment in the application fields in the short term with today’s announcement on the commercial availability of the ALT1350,” said Kevin Guan, Director of MTC Product Marketing at Fibocom.

“Fibocom’s 5G LPWA module MS180 integrated with the ALT1350, adopts an ultra-compact size at 12.8*14.8mm and is designed to provide ultra-low power consumption and reliable wireless connectivity for the 5G massive IoT market. Looking forward, we are confident to empower industries such as smart metering, asset tracking, telematics, telehealth, smart city, and consumer electronics with the best-in-class module solution.”

“The collaboration with Sony, an industry leader in cellular IoT connectivity, ensures that Murata deliver unsurpassed feature integration, security, and system cost in the smallest form factor possible,” said Hirokazu Nakae, General Manager of Connectivity Module Product Department, Murata, “Murata’s ALT1350 module is designed to address specifications of vertical markets such as tracking, metering, wearables, and other emerging markets. Looking forward, it will offer worldwide operator certificates to allow customers to launch their product globally with a single design.”

“We are thrilled to be working closely again with Sony on the integration of Sony’s advanced ALT1350 chipset into our module solutions, underscoring our commitment to driving innovation and delivering superior performance to our customers,” commented Norbert Muhrer, President and CSO, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “Our Quectel BG950S-GL LPWA module will take the rich feature set and performance of the ALT1350 and set a new standard for IoT devices, enabling more efficient, reliable, and seamless communication across the globe. Together, Sony and Quectel are paving the way for a future where smart, connected devices transform every aspect of our lives, from the way we work to how we interact with the world around us.”

“Our long-time partnership with Sony has helped us to shape and innovate in the LPWA market, particularly with metering applications,” said Larry Zibrik, VP and GM of Modules at Semtech. “We are proud to continue our leading role in the evolution of LPWA technology through the use of the Sony’s Altair ALT1350 in our next generation HL7900 5G LPWA module, building on the success of our HL78 series. With the launch of the HL7900, we look forward to pushing boundaries for customers with even more efficient and long-lasting IoT solutions.”

“The low-power, multi-radio capabilities of the ALT1350 unlock a new set of use cases for the vast battery-driven cellular LPWAN and short range wireless IoT application markets,” said Manish Watwani, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Telit Cinterion. “Telit Cinterion is elated to be part of this inflection point in the industry, introducing a strong lineup of modules, namely the ME310M1 Series, based on the SoC made possible not only by the ALT1350 broad set of advanced features, but also by the strong and longstanding partnership we have with Sony.”

“WNC is very excited to launch a module line based on Sony’s ALT1350 chipset and strengthen a broad, strategic partnership with Sony. WNC’s unique value-add in connectivity modules, antenna design, and turnkey ODM/CM services sets us apart from other module and CM players,” said Fayu Chen, SVP & GM of the Automotive, Module and Antenna Business Group at WNC. “Sony’s Cat-M SoCs are widely regarded as the gold standard in Cat-M technologies. We look forward to the ALT1350’s many cutting-edge features and the new world of opportunities that it will usher in.”

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New innovative chip offers multiple ultra-low power connectivity options and low-power processing on the edge for the rapidly expanding IoT market. “This is the game changer we’ve been waiting for”, says Nohik Semel, CEO at Sony Semiconductor Israel

Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony), a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, announced the launch of the ALT1350 for the global market.

The ALT1350 is the world’s first cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT solution to enable additional LPWA communication protocols, as well as satellite connectivity (NTN), in a single chipset, opening the door to further innovation in the connected world.

The ALT1350 by Sony is the most advanced cellular IoT solution on the market, with an architecture that resolves IoT service providers’ power consumption concerns. Its optimized standby mode (eDRX) reduces power consumption by 80% when compared to the current generation and by 85% when using it to send short messages. Overall improvements in the system’s power consumption will enable 4 times longer battery life for a typical device, enabling additional functionalities and use cases with smaller batteries.

The ALT1350’s sub-GHz and 2.4GHz integrated transceiver enables hybrid connectivity for smart meters, smart cities, trackers, and other devices. This enhances coverage, reduces costs, and further decreases power consumption utilizing IEEE 802.15.4-based protocols, such as Wi-Sun, U-Bus Air, and wM-Bus, in additional point-to-point and mesh technologies.

ALT1350 incorporates a sensor hub to collect data from the sensors while maintaining ultra-low power consumption. It also provides cellular & Wi-Fi-based positioning and is tightly integrated to provide power-optimized concurrent LTE and GNSS to accommodate various tracking applications, which can be demanding, with a single chip.

“The market demand for this multiprotocol, ultra-low power IoT chipset is intensifying, and Sony’s ALT1350 chipset meets that demand,” said Nohik Semel, CEO at Sony Semiconductor Israel.

“This is the game changer we’ve been waiting for, which will enable IoT deployments, utilizing universal connectivity on edge processing and multiple location technologies.”

The chipset is designed to support the wide-ranging market needs of utilities, vehicles, tracking devices, smart cities, connected health, and other verticals. Device manufacturers across all verticals will take advantage of its low power consumption, long-lasting battery life, mature Release 15 LTE-M/NB-IoT software stack, and future compatibility with 3GPP release 17 All these guarantee longevity and ensure the ALT1350 will operate with 5G networks. It contains an additional LPWA radio transceiver with targeting operation in <1GHz and 2.4 ISM bands for universal connectivity options.

The chipset provides advanced on-the-edge low-power processing capabilities, ranging from data collection, low-power AI/ML processing of the data, and MCU to enable IoT applications on the chip. Currently, the device is sampling to lead customers and will become commercially available during 2023. The ALT1350 also includes a secure element for application usage and integrated SIM (iSIM), designed for PP-0117 to meet GSMA requirements.

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The CAT-1 LTE modem was initially defined in 2008 as a low-cost, low-power alternative to connect IoT devices that needed to transfer limited amounts of data. However, vendors and network providers at that time focused on higher throughput. The actual device introduction started about five or six years later.

In 2016, eight years after the initial CAT-1 definition, CAT-1bis was finalized in 3GPP release 13. The new protocol was expected to further reduce the cost of the modem and simplify the device by removing the second antenna. Those technologies were far better suited for the IoT than 4G/LTE (CAT3 and above), which were designed for smartphones and other demanding devices, and whose high cost and power consumption needs were far beyond the requirements of a connected utility meter, tracker devices, medical health devices, and other applications.

At about the same time, in 2016, the specs for LTE-M (CAT-M) were frozen and released by 3GPP. Device makers and chipset designers have debated which is better. Today, staring into the future, it’s clear that LTE-M’s futureproof technology, better coverage, and lower power costs should make it the cellular modem of choice for the IoT.

CAT-1 has several key benefits over LTE-M. It offers higher maximal throughput, which may be needed for some applications, and lower power consumption when uploading or downloading significant amounts of data (faster transmission shorter on time), as well as slightly lower latency. However, the majority of IoT devices rarely need high throughput or capacity as they are inherently designed to operate at low data rates. Therefore, those advantages don’t offer a compelling use case for smart cities and utilities.

CAT-1bis, as an alternative solution, is significantly inferior to LTE-M in terms of network coverage and cost. While they both use a single antenna, the CAT-1bis network coverage is degraded by 9db, and it is still 20%-50% more expensive than LTE-M. As a result, it does not provide a real alternative.

Being Part of the 5G Framework Matters

Utility device designers and smart-city planners want to create connected devices that will share data for the next 10-15 years. LTE-M was included in the 5G framework. As a result, its technology is expected to be supported until 2040 and beyond. Smart meters and other critical infrastructure applications will continue to pump out information deep into the foreseeable 5G future.

Absolutely all flagship smartphones have supported 5G features for about two years, and 5G is becoming a standard feature for any new smartphone. For carriers, smartphone connectivity is a major business today, and it drives many of the spectrum management decisions. Since all smartphones (and new vehicles) are 5G capable, cellular carriers around the world have already begun their spectrum re-farming from LTE to 5G. As 5G devices become commoditized, carriers will have financial pressure to migrate their spectrum to 5G. In contrast to LTE-M, CAT-1, which is supported by the LTE network only, could find itself completely unsupported as soon as 2030. Once that support is gone, devices with CAT-1 will be unable to transmit data and will need to be replaced.

For the better part of ten years, we’ve seen telecom carriers and industry insiders offer their vision of 5G. The vision is coming to fruition across the planet, enhancing IoT and bringing more smart cities closer to reality. It’s ironic that we may see CAT-1 holdouts cling to LTE technology. With LTE’s lack of support coming in as little as eight years, no one can guarantee its longevity.

This alone should be enough to drive developers to LTE-M. However, LTE-M has additional factors in its favor.

Tests Show LTE-M Offers More Reliable Coverage

In CE Mode A, we’ve seen a 5 dB improvement for LTE-M over CAT-1. CAT-1’s dual antenna seemingly would give it an advantage over LTE-M’s single antenna.

As shown in the graphic below, CAT-1 and CAT-1bis transfer more bits per second in good conditions. However, as conditions deteriorate and coupling loss increases, CAT-1’s bit rate drops and becomes closer to LTE-M. CAT-1bis completely disconnects at around 145 dB MCL (minimum coupling loss), and CAT-1 loses its connection at about 149 dB. LTE-M, on the other hand, is able to maintain its connection down to 154 dB CL.

In effect, LTE-M is a more robust solution, able to maintain connectivity even after CAT-1 has dropped offline.

LTE-M’s extended coverage in poor conditions and poor coverage areas is especially important for critical infrastructure applications, as devices frequently need to be installed in challenging reception environments like basements. System integrators also must consider that coverage could degrade over time due to vegetation growth or changes in our cities’ landscape due to continuous housing development.

LTE-M Costs Less to Build

Across the board, the costs associated with LTE-M are significantly lower than both CAT-1 and CAT-1bis. Using LTE-M as our baseline, CAT-1bis is 20%-50% more expensive, and CAT-1 is up to 80% more expensive. LTE-M uses less hardware in its design. Its simpler design has fewer parts, including just a single antenna and no need for expensive, country-specific SAW filters – enabling ONESKU solutions. This is one of the examples where economy of scale helps to reduce the cost and simplify the logistics.

LTE-M’s operational costs are also lower than that of its rival technologies. LTE-M is far better than CAT-1 and CAT-1bis at conserving power. Its reduced power consumption not only extends battery life but costs less to operate due to the smaller number of batteries.

Look to the Future

IoT utility devices are built to last for the long term. As such, LTE-M is the right technology choice. Admittedly, LTE-M doesn’t have the same throughput as CAT-1 offers. With a 5Mbps upload and 10Mbps download, CAT-1 can move data faster than LTE-M’s 1.2Mbps upload and download speed (3GPP Release 17). However, connected utilities typically don’t need the higher throughput provided by CAT-1. They can transfer data just as effectively over LTE-M.

The two technologies have comparable network capacity as well, although, in practice, LTE-M only deploys 6RB, which could lead to reduced network capacity to match the current demand. This is sufficient for a connected utility use case and helps reduce operating expenses for the carriers. LTE-M offers better latency in poor coverage areas, which is important considering that many utility meters are located in rural areas with the weaker network coverage.

Considering that LTE-M is included in the 5G framework and will last until at least 2040, has lower costs, and meets the requirements of smart utilities, it is the obvious choice for utility and smart city developers.

The post LTE-M – Delivering a Futureproof IoT appeared first on IoT Business News.

Soracom global IoT connectivity added to SPRESENSE recommended LTE operator list; SPRESENSE microcontroller board available for purchase through Soracom.

Soracom, Inc., a global provider of advanced IoT connectivity, today announced that SPRESENSE from Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (hereafter “SSS”) has joined the Soracom Partner Space ecosystem and SSS identified Soracom as a recommended provider of connectivity for its SPRESENSE microcontrollers.

SSS’s SPRESENSE 6-core microcontroller board is ideal for professional IoT use cases, with a streamlined form factor, ultra-low power consumption, multiple sensor inputs, internal GPS, and edge AI support. The unique combination of solid computing performance and advanced power efficiency makes SPRESENSE suitable for edge computing. SPRESENSE is featured in applications where there is a need for sensor analysis, machine learning, image processing and data filtering in which other microcontroller-based alternatives fall short.

SSS’s SPRESENSE LTE extension board offers an on-board antenna for global LTE Cat-M1 connectivity. Combined with Soracom’s global IoT connectivity, SSS’s SPRESENSE LTE extension board makes it easy to connect almost anywhere in the world, control connections through the Soracom console and API, and access a wide range of services supporting secure private networking, data and protocol management, and integration with leading cloud platforms.

“Collaboration with Soracom enables global connectivity to our IoT SPRESENSE solution, providing an out-of-the-box experience that ensures our customers can be dedicated to driving innovative IoT solutions, especially for Edge AI applications,” said Kenichi Nakano, General Manager, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.

Supporting more than 4 million connections with global IoT coverage in more than 160 countries, Soracom offers a portfolio of powerful connectivity solutions that help IoT deployments connect securely and easily to leading hyperscaler platforms, reduce data and power requirements, and manage total cost of ownership at scale.

The Soracom Partner Space enables partners to access live opportunities and technical collaborations to provide services to IoT innovators around the world. In turn, customers are able to find trusted partners who will help them bring solutions to market and scale more quickly, create differentiators, and simplify the IoT journey. Soracom Partner Space partners have supported many of the projects behind Soracom’s expansion.

Soracom now offers the SPRESENSE LTE-M IoT Connectivity Kit in its online store. The package also includes the official LTE Extension board for SPRESENSE, a Soracom IoT SIM card, and access to Soracom connectivity and platform services.

“Soracom is committed to partnering with leaders in hardware, software, and services to offer customers a robust global ecosystem that accelerates speed to market and success at scale,” said Kenta Yasukawa, co-founder and CTO, Soracom.

“Sony’s SPRESENSE offers IoT innovators an exceptional platform for creation of new connected experiences that take full advantage of edge and the cloud.”

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The partnership will connect tens of millions of Internet of Things devices across North America.

Ligado Networks today announced a partnership with Sony Semiconductor Israel (hereafter “Sony”) to develop chipsets for Ligado’s 5G mobile satellite network for the Internet of Things (IoT), marking a significant milestone for deploying advanced connectivity services across North America.

Ligado’s 3GPP standards-based 5G satellite IoT network will support tens of millions of mobile devices powering critical machine-to-machine communications in the transportation, agriculture, utilities, and energy sectors. The partnership with Sony brings Ligado one step closer to providing standalone satellite and combined satellite and terrestrial connections to enterprise customers.

“As a leader in developing IoT standards for mobile satellite networks, we are excited to work with Sony to advance new capabilities and serve the growing market for 5G mobile satellite connectivity anywhere in the U.S. and across North America,” said Sachin Chhibber, Ligado Chief Technology Officer. “This satellite capability will also support our 5G mobile private network solution by enabling ubiquitous coverage and reliability, which are essential for critical infrastructure enterprises as they modernize operations.”

“We are excited to support Ligado’s 5G mobile satellite network,” said Dima Feldman, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel.

“The addition of satellite connectivity to our market-leading 5G IoT chipsets improves utility for critical communications customers and expands our market reach.”

As a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, Sony will build on extensive design efforts and standards coordination to adapt 5G IoT technology and manufacture IoT chipsets that are compatible with Ligado’s L-band MSS spectrum, which 3GPP has standardized as Band 255 for Non-Terrestrial Networks. Ligado plans to deploy a 5G satellite IoT network to support mainstream devices using low-cost chipsets for both satellite and terrestrial connectivity. The satellite offering adds extended coverage and network redundancy to the company’s planned 5G mobile private network solution, enabling always-on connectivity and coverage across an enterprise’s entire footprint.

With the 22-meter reflector-based antenna of Ligado’s SkyTerra 1 satellite, the network will support real-time communication to the small modules and devices used for innovative applications like wide-area vehicle diagnostics, environmental monitoring, smart metering, and critical messaging anywhere in North America.

Ligado and Sony indicated the work would be completed in several phases, with the goal of conducting initial technology trials by the end of the year.

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Proof of Concept addresses needs of advanced IoT devices and smaller form factors.

Soracom, Inc., a global provider of advanced IoT connectivity, today announced completion of a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrating integrated SIM (iSIM) capability designed to support the next generation of IoT devices.

This demonstration represents a joint effort between Soracom, Sony Semiconductor Israel Ltd. (Sony), a leading cellular IoT chipset provider, and Kigen, a global security leader, which provides secure authentication for cellular IoT devices.

In conventional cellular applications, a device uses a hardware communications module to establish a network connection and a SIM card or eSIM to validate identity. The iSIM technology combines these functions within a single, purpose-built system-on-a-chip (SoC).

By eliminating the need for a physical SIM (or eSIM), iSIM technology addresses multiple key challenges at once, streamlining supply chains and allowing significant reductions in the circuit board footprint, circuit complexity, manufacturing cost, and power requirements while increasing processing capacity. In addition, iSIM is considered highly threat-resistant and is attracting attention as a next-generation SIM technology.

“We are honored to collaborate with industry-leading technology partners on this demonstration of iSIM capability,” said Kenta Yasukawa, co-founder and CTO, Soracom.

“We believe that iSIM technology will support a new wave of innovation in industry and in everyday life, and we look forward to democratizing this capability as we have with eSIM technology and ‘subscription containers’ for over the air (OTA) subscription management.”

In this working PoC, a hardware-secured area was established within Sony’s Altair ALT1250 cellular IoT chipset and a unique Soracom carrier profile was then provisioned on the Kigen iSIM OS. This solution delivers full functionality, including the generation of Soracom’s unique key information, secure loading of the carrier profile information onto the module, connection to the cellular network, and connection to Soracom’s advanced platform services.

“Sony is a pioneer in developing the iSIM and we have seen this technology play a key role in the ongoing growth and adoption of cellular IoT,” said Dima Feldman, VP Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel. “Our chipsets are the industry’s smallest and most feature-rich solutions, providing the longest battery life in the market for numerous IoT applications. We are excited to see Soracom’s use of iSIM technology on its network, as it enables customers worldwide to provide easily integrated, economical, long-lasting, and secure IoT solutions on a massive scale.”

Based on this initial success, Soracom, Sony and Kigen will continue joint development with the intention of offering iSIM solutions for commercial use.

“We believe innovation for the next shift to billions of IoT devices will need foundational security that is easy to build with and manage at scale, which iSIM technology provides,” said Loic Bonvarlet, VP Product and Marketing at Kigen.

“The combination of Kigen’s market-leading secure iSIM OS, provisioning services and market expertise, SONY’s iSIM chipsets and Soracom’s global connectivity will pave the way for power-efficient, compact and secure-by-design IoT solutions.”

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New chipset completes Sony’s Altair Cellular IoT solution portfolio to address NB only and NB/2G applications.

Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony), a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, 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 Israel, 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.

Dima Feldman, VP of Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel, said:

“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.”

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.

As part of Sony’s Altair family of products, the ALT1255 is trusted by carriers, iSIM ecosystem partners, and developers designing IoT devices and has already received broad acceptance across the industry. The chipset has received the Global Certification Forum (GCF) certification, which allows customers to accelerate module and device certification.

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The partnership brings 5G-ready NB-IoT over satellite for the first time and delivers massive cost and interoperability advantages for the IoT industry.

Skylo, maker of the world’s most affordable and ubiquitous network that connects any machine or sensor, today announced a partnership with Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony, formerly known as Altair Semiconductor).

With the partnership, Skylo and Sony are the first to develop and deploy cellular IoT chipsets (branded “Altair”) that can connect via geostationary satellites and that leverage the standardized, 5G-ready, NB-IoT protocol.

The partnership also makes significant contributions to 3GPP future specifications, which will help standardize and accelerate the adoption of NB-IoT over satellite.

In addition, this innovative new use of Sony’s Altair cellular IoT chipsets dramatically reduces the cost for IoT applications to connect via traditional satellite networks; until the launch of this solution, satellite connectivity was cost-prohibitive and required custom-built protocols.

Skylo, which was founded in late 2017 by foremost researchers including Dr. Andrew Kalman, is building an efficient, global NB-IoT network over satellite for millions of presently unconnected devices, machines, and sensors. Sony Semiconductor Israel is a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets and, through this partnership, both parties have extended existing cellular IoT chipsets to communicate directly over Skylo’s hosted satellite network.

Dr. Andrew Nuttall, Skylo’s co-founder and CTO, said:

“For industries with assets deployed all over the globe — including marine vessels, vehicles, and industrial equipment — having access to a ubiquitous fabric of carrier-grade, affordable IoT connectivity that is enabled by Sony’s Altair cellular IoT chipsets is a game-changer.”

“This partnership ensures our ability to continue to quickly scale the manufacturing and deployment of connector Skylo Hubs to our customers around the world.”

“We are glad to collaborate with Sony Semiconductor Israel on this important technological breakthrough, which provides an entirely new method of connectivity for IoT for customers around the world and also contributes greatly to the development of future 3GPP standards,” said Moshe Noah, Vice President of Engineering at Skylo.

“We are excited to work with Skylo and launch an entirely new IoT category for industrial machines,” said Dima Feldman, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel.

“We’re impressed by the innovative way that Skylo has extended our chip functionality over satellites to expand the connectivity reach to the most remote locations and we look forward to helping Skylo bring billions of sensors online for the first time.”

“In addition, the Altair field proven, ultra-low-power and ultra-small chipset solutions are ideal for the type of data exchange for industrial use cases,” added Feldman.

This new geostationary satellite connectivity is a technological breakthrough for Skylo. Any customer who is building IoT into their remote businesses can use familiar technologies like Bluetooth and WiFi in order to connect existing sensors to Skylo Hub. Those IoT sensors are already programmed for these communications protocols, so adding Skylo’s satellite connectivity is a seamless extension for customers that in addition to terrestrial networks can now use satellite connectivity, virtually in any place on the planet. In addition, because Sony’s Altair cellular IoT chipsets are mass-produced for terrestrial cellular networks, Skylo can affordably manufacture the Skylo Hub and pass along that savings to its customers.

Skylo is launching commercially this year over South Asia and can be accessed using the Skylo Hub, which is a portable satellite NB-IoT antenna terminal. The Skylo Hub costs less than $100 USD and integrates seamlessly with existing machines & sensors. The Skylo Network is hosted on existing geostationary satellites and enables immediate connectivity for customers without the need to add new infrastructure in space. Skylo is venture-backed by leading investors in telecom and space including SoftBank Group, Boeing HorizonX, Innovation Endeavors and DCM Ventures.

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Ericsson, Sony Network Communications Europe, and Telenor Connexion make it easy to connect people and things with intelligent tracking and monitoring solutions. Ranging from cargo to IoT healthcare devices for patients, tracking increases mobility and improves reliability and efficiency.

Using Telenor Connexion’s network, Ericsson IoT Accelerator for global connectivity, and Sony Network Communications Europe’s smart IoT services, the three partners are collaborating to enhance real-time location and tracking solutions for different sectors.

Use cases for Sony’s Visilion platform include the logistics and healthcare sectors where sensors can provide information about the real-time position of anything that is connected. Locating valuable hospital equipment with healthcare IoT tracking devices such as ECG machines and hospital beds, knowing where nursing staff and patients are in the hospital, can save time and improve resource allocation.

Similarly, the mSafety platform comes with a user friendly wearable (a device that an end-consumer can wear such as a watch) that can be used in the healthcare, wellness or safety sector. Wearables can be used to monitor users and provide information about health data such as body temperature and heart rate, track location and send alert notifications in case of an emergency.

Anders Strömberg, Director, Head of Wearable Platform Department, Sony Network Communications Europe, says:
“As the use of cellular technology matures, this can have a positive impact on the future of mobile health services and the safety and welfare of end-users.”

Mats Lundquist, CEO of Telenor Connexion, says:
“We are proud to be a long term partner of forward-thinking companies like Sony Network Communications Europe and to support their business growth and future IoT products and services.”

Kiva Allgood, Head of IoT, Ericsson, says:
“This is a great example of how IoT Accelerator can liberate our partners’ IoT solutions and services to scale globally and deliver value to end-users.”

Ericsson IoT Accelerator is the Ericsson’s IoT connectivity and device management platform, providing enterprises with a unified solution that manages IoT operations of any scale, using worldwide mobile network infrastructure. More than 35 service providers, spanning more than 100 countries, are currently part of the Ericsson IoT Accelerator ecosystem. The service currently enables reliable, scalable, and secure connectivity management of IoT devices to more than 5000 enterprises globally. With more than 50 million devices onboarded on to the platform including over 3 million eSIMs, the Ericsson IoT Accelerator is a truly global platform.

Sony Network Communications Europe focuses on connectivity solutions and offers IoT cellular platforms such as Visilion and mSafety, providing cellular connectivity and wearable tracking devices.

Ericsson projects that the number of IoT connections, including NB-IoT and Cat-M technologies, will reach almost 25 billion by 2025.

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Sony Corporation (“Sony”) is announcing that it has reached an agreement with Altair Semiconductor (“Altair”) and its major shareholders to acquire the company.

The purchase price is 212 million U.S. dollars (approximately 25 billion yen), and Sony expects to complete the acquisition in early February, 2016.

Altair, an Israel-based company, owns modem chip technology and related software for LTE (Long Term Evolution), a 4G cellular standard for mobile devices. Altair develops and sells products focused on LTE technology, and its modem chips stand out for their low power consumption, high performance and competitive cost.

LTE is already widely used in data communication for mobile phones, and is also expected to play a pivotal role in the interconnection of the Internet of Things (“IoT”). Going forward, more and more “things” are expected to be equipped with cellular chipsets, realizing a connected environment in which “things” can reliably and securely access network services that leverage the power of cloud computing.

With the acquisition of Altair, Sony aims to not only expand Altair’s existing business, but also to move forward with research on and development of new sensing technologies. By combining Sony’s sensing technologies – such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and image sensors – with Altair’s high-performance, low power consumption and cost-competitive modem chip technology, and by further evolving both, Sony will strive to develop a new breed of cellular-connected, sensing component devices.

With the markets for wearable and IoT devices expected to continue to expand, Sony aims to deliver component devices that feature both sensing and communication capabilities, as well as new LTE solutions that leverage the strengths of these component devices.

No material impact is anticipated on Sony’s consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016 as a result of this acquisition.

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InterDigital, Inc. and Sony Corporation of America today announced the launch of a joint venture to combine Sony’s consumer electronics expertise with InterDigital’s pioneering wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) and bandwidth management research.

The joint venture, called Convida Wireless, will focus on driving new research in the growing field of M2M wireless communications and other connectivity areas.

Convida Wireless represents a new collaboration between Sony, a longtime technology leader, and InterDigital Solutions, a unit announced in October by InterDigital that explores new engagement models with industry players. Based on the terms of the agreement, the parties will contribute funding and resources for additional M2M research and platform development, which will be carried out by InterDigital Solutions. Stephens Capital Partners LLC, the principal investing affiliate of Stephens Inc., a full service investment banking firm headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, will be a minority investor in Convida Wireless. The agreement also includes a patent license from InterDigital for Sony’s 3G and 4G products.

Toshimoto Mitomo, Executive Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Sony Corporation of America, said:

“Mobile is one of Sony’s core businesses, and this joint venture will help us strengthen our foundation in this important area, focusing specifically on machine-to-machine wireless technologies. Given the pioneering efforts of InterDigital’s engineers in this growing field, we can’t think of a better partner.”

“Moreover, in a market that is by its very nature collaborative, we expect Convida Wireless to be a platform for additional industry collaboration.”

InterDigital’s current M2M research includes an M2M services delivery platform, standards leadership with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and other areas of research. Recently, InterDigital technology powered a nine-vendor demonstration of standards-based M2M technology at the 3rd ETSI TC M2M Workshop in Mandelieu, France. InterDigital’s M2M technology has been integrated into the trial platforms of various market participants, including BUTLER, Intecs, Intel Corporation, Kontron, Mformation, Radisys, Sensinode, and others.

“We’re honored to partner with Sony, a company that is synonymous with so many advances in consumer technology, and to contribute our expertise in core wireless research. InterDigital’s research efforts in M2M are mature, and have from the start been focused on creating a standards-based framework to benefit all companies in the wireless space – operators, device makers and others. We believe that collaborating with Sony through Convida Wireless will bring those efforts to the next level,” said William J. Merritt, President and CEO of InterDigital.

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