Sequans announces CBRS module design win with AMIT Wireless

Sequans Communications announced a CBRS design win with AMIT Wireless, an expert in enabling wireless M2M and IoT worldwide.

AMIT is using Sequans' Cassiopeia CB610L CBRS module to provide the LTE connectivity for two new devices: 1) a remote terminal unit (RTU) for high-speed IIoT telemetry, and 2) a CBRS WAN extender for connecting existing Ethernet-based equipment to CBRS OnGo networks.

“Sequans is an expert in 3.5 GHz solutions and the Cassiopeia CB610L module has all the features and optimizations we were looking for to make our new CBRS devices robust and powerful,” said Dennis Wu, vice president, sales and business development, AMIT Wireless. “Using the CB610L module, we are able to provide our customers with simplified connectivity to LTE private networks and CBRS networks for numerous applications and markets.”

Both AMIT Wireless and Sequans are members of the CBRS Alliance.

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Deutsche Telekom certifies Sequans' LTE-M

Sequans Communications' dual-mode LTE-M/NB-IoT Monarch chip and its Monarch-based module have been certified for LTE-M by Deutsche Telekom.

“Being certified by Deutsche Telekom is very important to our customers building LTE-M devices for Europe, and we are pleased to have the stamp of approval from Deutsche Telekom for our Monarch platform,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Monarch is now certified by many carriers worldwide and our customers will benefit from this proven maturity as they build low power IoT devices for global use. Also the certification of our Monarch GM01Q module, which includes an LTE-optimized transceiver and a Single-SKU™ RF front end, further accelerates the time to market for new IoT devices.”

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Sequans opens 5G design center in Israel

Paris-based Sequans Communications S.A. announced the expansion of its research and development resources in Israel with the opening of a new design center for the purpose of accelerating Sequans’ 5G new product development.

Sequans' new team is mainly focused on the development of 5G broadband and critical IoT products that will complement its existing massive IoT products, including the company’s flagship Monarch and Calliope platforms. The 5G products Sequans is readying for production include its 5G-compliant Monarch 2 LTE-M/NB-IoT chip announced in 2019 that will address the massive IoT market, and the coming new Taurus 5G chip that will address the broadband and critical IoT markets.

“Our new R&D center in Israel has been established to accelerate our ongoing 5G development and is a reflection of our commitment to keep our IoT products at the leading edge with best-in-class performance and lowest cost,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Our 5G knowledge will be leveraged and augmented by this new team of experts who will ensure that we get across the goal line and get our new 5G products to market according to plan.”

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Cambium adopts Sequans’ LTE-Advanced chipset for CPE

Cambium Networks has adopted Sequans’ LTE-Advanced chipset platform, Cassiopeia, for two Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) designs for global markets. Both are high-performance integrated access devices with which Cambium Networks aims to meet the integrated data, voice, and internet access needs of its residential, business, and enterprise customers.

• cnRanger 2 GHz Tyndall 101. An LTE Category 4 Subscriber Module with 14 dBi integrated panel antenna supporting TD-LTE Bands 38, 40 and 41. Available now.
• cnRanger 3 GHz Tyndall 201. An LTE Category 6 Subscriber Module with 19 dBi integrated dish antenna supporting TD-LTE Bands 42, 43 and 48. Available mid-2020.

The LTE-Advanced chip inside the new Cambium Networks CPE devices is Sequans’ Cassiopeia LTE-Advanced chip platform, a member of Sequans’ StreamrichLTE family of products for broadband high-performance devices. Cassiopeia is compliant with 3GPP Release 10 specifications and supports highly flexible dual-carrier aggregation that allows the combination of any two carriers of any size up to 20 MHz each, contiguous or non-contiguous, inter-band or intra-band. Cassiopeia also supports other Release 10 enhancements such as new MIMO schemes, enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC) schemes for heterogeneous networks (HetNets), and improvements to eMBMS (evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service) or LTE broadcast. Cassiopeia features Sequans’ advanced receiver technology for improved performance.

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Sequans intros NB-IoT module

Sequans Communications introduced the first module based on its second-generation Monarch N chip that is optimized for low-cost/low-power NB-IoT operation.

The Monarch NB02S is a highly integrated, low-cost NB-IoT module that features an EAL5+ Secure Element that enables the integration of the SIM inside the module, thereby introducing Module-as-a-SIM capability.

Monarch NB02S Module Feature Highlights

• 3GPP Release 14/15 LTE Cat NB1/NB2
• Ultra-small, S-series LGA module
• Module-as-a-SIM™ capability enables security and connectivity with no SIM card or SIM chip required
• Programmable RF filtering for global band support in a Single-SKU™ (617 MHz to 2.2 GHz)
• Supports LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13,14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 66, 71, 85
• Single-rail power supply: 2.2-5.5 V allows for direct connection to low-cost AA batteries
• Adaptive output power supporting +20 dBm and +14 dBm for efficient, deep indoor penetration
• Fully software compatible with first-generation Monarch NB01Q and GM01Q modules for easy migration
• Based on Sequans’ Monarch N NB-IoT chip technology

“It cannot be overstated how important the new, cost-optimized Monarch NB02S will be in accelerating mass adoption of IoT,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO, “In addition to its significant cost and power advantages, it is the first module of its kind in the industry with integrated SIM capability, enabling it to provide seamless and ubiquitous connectivity, while removing the complexity that comes with sourcing data plans and SIM cards. When linked with pre-paid connectivity, Monarch NB02S can be used like a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module, with the added benefit of not needing a gateway. This powerful capability, along with Monarch’s global band support, in a simplified, all-in-one, low-cost module, gives IoT device makers the ability to design once and deploy anywhere, quickly, easily, and---most important---cost-effectively.”

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Sequans teams with Lockheed Martin on LTE satellites

Sequans Communications is working with Lockheed Martin to develop new 4G LTE for satellite technologies for worldwide deployment. The idea is for LTE end user devices to connect directly to geostationary satellites.

“Sequans has expertise adapting LTE technology for special purposes such as this one,” said Scott Landis, a director at Lockheed Martin. “Sequans engineers modified their existing LTE chips to enable a new LTE-to-satellite communication specification developed by Lockheed Martin. LTE to satellite represents an important breakthrough in mobility and connectivity.”

“The work we are doing with Lockheed Martin to integrate LTE with satellite represents a significant evolution as we modify our LTE chips to take advantage of the huge satellite opportunity now developing for M2M and IoT applications,” Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Enabling the LTE modem to speak to satellite networks as simply and as easily as possible will have a major impact on handling the huge potential volume of broadband and IoT applications that require space-based, ubiquitous communications, such as connected cars, shipping, and navigation.”

http://www.sequans.com

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Sequans and GeoTraq partner on LTE IoT module w 10 year life

GeoTraq has adopted Sequans’ Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT Platform for a new series of GeoTraq modules targeting LTE for IoT markets.

The new GeoTraq NB-400 series of IoT modules use non-IP data delivery (NIDD), which GeoTraq believes offers the fastest, most secure, and efficient LTE connectivity.

The module measures 12 by 16 mm and includes connectors for sensor, battery, and antenna.

GeoTraq cites a price affordable enough to be disposable, battery optimization for 10+ years of battery life, and tier 1 global cellular coverage in 193+ countries. GeoTraq’s patent-pending technology allows for global non-IP data delivery over the control channel, providing the most efficient design, extremely secure data delivery, and speeds 7x faster than SMS.

For the first NB-400 module, GeoTraq is using Sequans Monarch SiP LTE-M/NB-IoT chip combined with the universal radio front end of Skyworks. Monarch provides full support for power saving mode (PSM) and extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) to enable the long battery life needed by many IoT use cases, and it provides the enhanced coverage modes that extend coverage for deep-indoor and remote deployments. For LTE positioning, Monarch incorporates the positioning technology of Polte for accurate, low power indoor and outdoor positioning capability using only the LTE radio. Monarch delivers programmable RF filtering for global band support in a Single-SKU™, and proprietary dynamic power management technology enabling rock bottom low power consumption of 1 micro amp. Monarch is certified by operators worldwide.

GeoTraq expects the modules will be available for testing in Q2 and samples of the first GeoTraq NB-400 module will be on display at CES 2019.

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Sequans to embed Polte's Cloud Location over Cellular (C-LoC)

Sequans Communications plans to embed  Polte’s C-LoC software on on its Monarch LTE platform, thereby creating a low-cost, low-power LTE for IoT location solution that does not require GPS/ GNSS or other radios for accurate indoor and outdoor positioning. Polte says its C-LoC solution provides excellent indoor location capability where GPS/ GNSS cannot.

“Polte’s cloud-based positioning technology on Monarch provides great value to our IoT customers, especially asset tracker device makers who need low-cost, low-power solutions for outdoor and indoor locations, such as inside warehouses,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Polte’s technology allows a significant cost-per-device savings, a power consumption savings of 70 percent — up to 90 percent for indoor locations — along with indoor accuracy superior to GNSS devices. With Polte technology integrated, we add real and measurable value to our Monarch platform.”

“We are excited to work with Sequans to bring Polte’s location technology to market on Monarch,” said Ed Chao, Polte CEO. “The small form factor of Monarch is well-suited for IoT use cases in which space is constrained, and   C-LoC positioning allows Sequans to maintain their advantage.”  Chao continued, “The launch of Polte’s positioning solution on Monarch will enable an entirely new category of use cases, which will help drive adoption of IoT across every vertical from asset tracking to manufacturing.”

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Sequans teams with Skyworks on LTE-M/NB-IoT

Skyworks Solutions, a developer of analog semiconductors, and Sequans Communications announced a jointly-developed connectivity engine for next generation LTE devices.

Specifically, the new solution combines Skyworks’ front-ends with Sequans’ Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT platform. The feature-rich product includes an integrated baseband, SRAM, RF transceiver, RF front-end, passives and power management in a single 8.8 x 10.8 x 0.95 mm package with proprietary RF shielding. It is compliant with 3GPP Release 13/14 LTE Advanced Pro specifications, including VoLTE support, is optimized for LTE UE categories M1, NB1, and NB2 and operates across broad frequency ranges (700 MHz to 2.1 GHz) to support global deployment and roaming capability. Proprietary power management techniques offer improved battery life. The solution has been pre-certified with leading operators through existing certifications of Sequans’ Monarch platform.

“Through our collaboration with Skyworks, we have created one of the most critical LTE engines for IoT available in the world today,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “Our comprehensive and powerful module incorporates every major component needed to enable the widespread deployment of LTE devices on any band, in an extremely small and thin package. This new form factor represents a truly ground-breaking architecture for a broad range of applications.”

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Sequans teams with SoftBank on LTE-M and NB-IoT in Japan

Sequans has established a technology collaboration with SoftBank to accelerate the deployment of LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies in Japan. Specifically, SoftBank is conducting interoperability testing of Sequans’ Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT platform with SoftBank’s network equipment.

 “SoftBank is a leader in promoting LTE for IoT in Japan and its efforts to make the technology ready for connecting objects of all kinds shows its commitment to growing the IoT and to accelerating the deployment of LTE for IoT devices on its network,” said Danny Kedar, VP, IoT Business Unit, Sequans. “We are pleased to collaborate with SoftBank and to enrich the ecosystem with LTE for IoT modules specifically designed for SoftBank’s network and customers.”

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Sercomm debuts LTE-M IoT button with 3-year battery life

Sercomm, which is a global manufacturer and supplier of telecom equipment and devices, introduced an LTE IoT button device,

The button connects to the cloud via LTE Cat M1 (any carrier frequency worldwide), and is designed to sustain up to two thousand clicks. It measures 65 x 65 x 25 mm.

As a "one-click button" the device could be programmed for a range of IoT applications, such as mobile ordering of products or supplies, triggering of automatic alerts, or provisioning of logistical services or maintenance tasks that occur at irregular intervals.

The button was designed and manufactured by Sercomm and based on Sequans’ Monarch LTE Cat M1/NB1 Platform, which provides support for power saving mode (PSM) and extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) to enable the long battery life needed by many IoT use cases. Battery life is estimated 3 years. Sequans’ Monarch is already certified by Verizon and AT&T and in the certification process with many other carriers.

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Sequans Demos LTE Cat M1 Chip

Sequans Communications is demonstrating its LTE Category M1/NB1 chip at this week's CTIA’s Super Mobility Week in Las Vegas.

Sequans’ Monarch chip will be shown in live communication with an LTE eNodeB (base station) emulator, the Amari OTS 100 from Amarisoft.

Monarch is an LTE Cat M1/NB1, LTE Release 13 solution. It is designed specifically for narrowband IoT applications, including sensors, wearables, and other low data, low power M2M and IoT devices. Monarch complies with the ultra-low-power and reduced complexity feature requirements of the 3GPP release 13 LTE Advanced Pro standard, defining narrowband, low data rate LTE technology for machine type communications.

“We are very proud to highlight the key capabilities of Monarch in this first-in-the-industry live demo of a Cat M1/NB1 chip,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. "In designing Monarch, we worked from day one to make sure it would be fully optimized in both cost and power consumption to fully unleash the LTE for IoT market potential. I am very excited to say that Monarch is operating as designed and we expect to have it ready for network deployments in Q4.

http://www.sequans.com/

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Sequans Delivers LTE Cat 1 for IoT for T-Mobile

Sequans Communications will deliver LTE Cat 1 technology and products to T-Mobile’s (NASDAQ: TMUS) machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) customers.

Sequans’ Calliope LTE Cat 1 chipset platform, which uniquely supports VoLTE and enables a wide range of industrial and consumer IoT applications, including asset tracking, alarm systems, telematics devices, retail applications, smart utility meters and more, is now certified and available for use on T-Mobile’s network.

“We are very happy to support T-Mobile’s IoT network strategy as an LTE Cat 1 technology provider,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “LTE Cat 1 enables 4G solutions to rival 2G/3G in cost while providing much greater longevity. This means T-Mobile’s customers have access to a leading wireless network that is scalable and secure with broad coverage, along with affordable, long-lived connectivity solutions for successful IoT and M2M business models.”

http://www.sequans.com

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Sequans LTE for IoT Module Certified by AT&T

Sequans Communications' newest EZLinkLTE module, the US60L, has been certified to operate on AT&T’s 4G LTE network.

At the heart of the module is Sequans’ IoT-optimized, LTE Cat 4-capable chipset, Colibri, along with memory, power management and a complete RF front-end.

http://www.sequans.com

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#MWC16- Telstra Testing LTE Cat 1 for IoT with Sequans

Telstra is testing on its LTE Cat 1 on its production network in partnership with Sequans Communications.

Cat 1 (Category 1) refers to the lower throughput speed (10 Mbps) defined in the existing LTE standard now being used for low cost and low power IoT and M2M applications.

Telstra is investing in the evolution of its LTE network to support future growth in IoT,” said Mike Wright, Telstra’s Group Managing Director, Networks. “We are working with leading players, including Sequans, to bring IoT capabilities to Australia. We are preparing for the long term, beginning with LTE Cat 1 technology and continuing with the next evolution of LTE technology on the horizon, Cat M, which will increase coverage and reduce device cost for our customers.”

“As the world’s first provider of an LTE Cat 1 chipset for IoT, we are excited to work with Telstra to validate that devices based on our Calliope Cat 1 LTE platform perform well in Telstra’s network,” said Craig Miller, Sequans VP of marketing. “Operators worldwide are taking advantage of the longevity and technology advantages that LTE brings to their IoT businesses. We look forward to helping Telstra’s IoT customers in this important space.”

http://www.sequans.com/products-solutions/streamlitelte/calliope-lte-platform/
http://exchange.telstra.com.au/2016/02/19/our-network-ready-to-support-the-internet-of-things/

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Sequans Shows its Monarch LTE Cat M Chip

Sequans Communications unveiled its "Monarch" LTE Cat M chip, compliant with the 3GPP Release 13 LTE Advanced Pro standard that defines new narrowband capabilities of LTE for machine-type-communications (LTE MTC).

The Sequans Monarch chip supports the vast new range of low data use, ultra low-power, cost-sensitive, narrowband IoT applications such as smart energy meters, industrial IoT sensors, asset trackers, smart city controllers, and consumer wearables. The design integrates baseband, RF, RAM, and power management are integrated in a single, tiny 6.5 x 8 mm FC-CSP package. Monarch supports both of the narrowband categories defined in the Release 13 standard: Cat M1, 1.4 MHz bandwidth; and Cat M2, 200 kHz bandwidth.

Monarch also includes: 1) a programmable RF filtering technology that enables the simple design of a single worldwide SKU that supports nearly any LTE band and enables global roaming; and 2) Sequans’ exclusive low power technology, Dynamic Power Management (DPM), that dynamically adapts chip-level power profiles in real time based on traffic patterns and use cases, making possible 10-15 years2 of battery life in real-world IoT applications.

“Monarch is the industry’s first Cat M1/M2 chip and it is highly optimized to address the size, cost and power requirements of IoT applications,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “We’ve innovated to minimize power consumption, reduce the bill-of-materials, and simplify implementation of a global-ready device to maximize Monarch’s market reach. The release of Monarch extends Sequans’ LTE for IoT leadership–proven last year with the introduction of our Cat 1 chipset, Calliope–and highlights Sequans’ strong commitment to perfecting the use of LTE for IoT, now including an entire new class of narrowband devices.”

Monarch chip features

• Narrowband LTE UE categories M1 and M2
• Compliant with 3GPP Release 13 (LTE Advanced Pro) for machine type communications (MTC)
• Single chip 6.5 x 8 mm FC-CSP package
• Integrated baseband, RF transceiver, memory, and power management
• Supports extended DRX and PSM network features for long sleep duration use cases
• Includes Sequans’ proprietary Dynamic Power Management (DPM) technology for 10-15 years2 of battery life
• Programmable RF filtering for global band support in a single-SKU design
• Optimized for half-duplex FDD (HD-FDD) operation; also supports full-duplex FDD and TDD
• Throughput:
• LTE UE category M1 (1.4 MHz bandwidth) up to 300 kbps DL/375 kbps UL in HD-FDD
• LTE UE category M2 (200 kHz bandwidth) up to 40 kbps DL/55 kbps UL in HD-FDD
• Supports wide variety of embedded and host operating systems
• Low power serial interfaces

Sequans’ StreamliteLTE product family now includes Monarch, Calliope and Colibri LTE chipset platforms.

http://www.sequans.com

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Verizon, Sequans Collaborate on LTE CAT M Chipsets

Sequans Communications and Verizon are collaborating to accelerate development of CAT M-capable LTE chipsets.

Category M is based on the coming Release 13 of the 3GPP LTE standard, which defines new features such as extended coverage, lower data rate and lower power consumption.  Cat M LTE is aimed at a new class of LTE applications for machine-type-communications (MTC) devices, such as wearables, asset trackers, smart meters and industrial sensors.

Verizon and Sequans previously collaborated on CAT 1 LTE technology, which led to Verizon becoming the first in the world to deploy CAT 1 LTE devices commercially.

“We led the industry when we introduced our Calliope CAT 1 LTE chipset platform, tested it on Verizon’s network, and introduced it to the market where it is now being deployed broadly,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “And we are excited to extend our partnership with Verizon to address the CAT M space. Having the support of Verizon will ensure the new Sequans CAT M-capable chipsets currently in development will be ready as quickly as possible.”

http://www.sequans.com

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Sequans Targets Colibri LTE Platform at Internet of Things

Sequans Communications introduced its "Colibri" LTE chipset targeted at the Internet of Things (IoT) modules and M2M devices.

The Colibri LTE Platform comprises Sequans’ latest baseband and RF chips (SQN3221 and SQN3241), an integrated network and application CPU platform running Sequans’ carrier-proven LTE protocol stack, an IMS client, and a comprehensive software package for over-the-air device management and packet routing.

Key features:

• 3GPP Release 10, software upgradable to Release 11
• FDD and TDD, up to 20 MHz channels
• Throughput up to category 4 (150 Mbps DL / 50 Mbps UL)
• Integrated enhanced network and application CPU
• Wafer-level packaging
• Embedded IMS VoLTE client and digital voice interface
• Supports Linux, Android, ChromeOS, Windows, and MAC OS
• IoT friendly interfaces, including USB 2.0, SDIO 3.0 and high-speed UART
• Includes Sequans AIR™ interference cancellation technology for superior cell-edge performance

“In developing Colibri, our goal was to pack it with great IoT features while making it so cost-effective that it would immediately solidify the business cases for adding LTE to numerous new M2M and IoT devices,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “I’m proud to say we’ve reached our goal and Colibri offers the best price/performance in the industry, enabling 4G LTE modules to approach 2G price points.”

Sequans expects modules based on the Colibri platform to be available from various module manufacturers beginning in Q3.

http://www.sequans.com

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Sequans and ALU Show Carrier Aggregation and LTE Broadcast

At Mobile World Congress, Sequans Communications and Alcatel-Lucent demonstrated carrier aggregation, using Sequans’ Cassiopeia LTE-Advanced Platform, and LTE Broadcast, using Sequans’ Mont Blanc LTE platform.

The carrier aggregation demo showed Sequans’ Cassiopeia LTE-Advanced platform, as well as of Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE Overlay solution.

In the LTE Broadcast demonstration, Sequans and Alcatel-Lucent showed tablets based on Sequans’ eMBMS-capable Mont Blanc LTE platform, receiving ideo content broadcast from Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE Overlay solution.

http://www.sequans.com

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Sequans Offers LTE Modules

Sequans Communications introduced a new line of "EZLinkLTE" LTE modules based on its own LTE baseband chip.  The modules include a complete RF front end and key interfaces in a single, compact package.

The first EZLinkLTE module, sampling now, is the VZ20Q, which is one of the first modules in the industry to support both LTE bands 4 and 13. 

The baseband chip at the heart of the new module is Sequans’ SQN3120 Mont Blanc chip that was certified by Verizon Wireless in 2012. The chip is compliant with 3GPP release 9 and it delivers category 4 throughput of up to 150 Mbps in the downlink. Starting with the SQN3120 chip, the VZ20Q integrates all other elements necessary for a complete LTE modem system. These include an LTE-optimized RF transceiver provided by Sequans’ RF partner, Fujitsu Semiconductor, a complete dual-band RF front-end for bands 4 and 13, LP-DDR SDRAM, embedded boot Flash, and VC-TCXO, all in a single, surface-mountable package with a very compact footprint, 17 x 24 x 2 mm.

“Our EZLinkLTE modules provide great value to device designers in terms of cost savings and reduction of development risk and time,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “The EZLinkLTE modules are pre-integrated, pre-tested, and pre-certified by carriers, meaning that we’ve done most of the heavy lifting in advance and can offer device makers a very quick and easy solution for adding LTE connectivity to many types of devices.”

http://www.sequans.com/

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