Semtech has expanded its AirLink router portfolio with two 5G RedCap models aimed squarely at industrial and commercial operators. The AirLink RX400 and AirLink EX400 target a range of industrial IoT use cases where LTE remains common.
With many field assets depending on 4G LTE, often in locations with limited power and minimal on-site support, the new models could be viable choices. Many 5G routers exceed the power budgets of off-grid and embedded environments, and Semtech is positioning 5G RedCap, as defined in 3GPP Release 17, as a solution.
Both the RX400 and EX400 operate on a 5G Standalone architecture and support 5G RedCap alongside LTE Cat 4 for immediate deployment where RedCap coverage is still limited. Where assets with lifespans are measured in years, this type of dual modality can increase the times between device refreshes.
Semtech states both routers draw less than a watt when idle, making them suitable for environments where it’s been difficult to justify 5G on the grounds of power. Remote infrastructure monitoring can be an example of this, where off-grid supervisory, data acquisition or metering backhaul are necessary.
The low idle power drawn by the RX and EX400 means they will likely find use in commercial IoT deployments in retail estate, manufacturing, and agriculture, or anywhere where cabinets are small and have limited power sources. The AirLinks could also find a niche at temporary installations running on solar or battery power but able to leverage 5G.
The two models differ slightly in size and intended environment. The AirLink RX400 is designed for outdoor and critical infrastructure use, comes with an IP64 rating, and is compliant with MIL STD 810H (resistance to dust, moisture, vibration and temperature extremes). Semtech describes it as the most power efficient 5G RedCap router currently available. It supports a range of private LTE and 5G bands, including Anterix Band 106 in the 900 MHz spectrum (as defined under 3GPP Release 18). Hardware interfaces include single or dual serial ports, single gigabit ethernet port, and optional wi-fi 6.
The less rugged AirLink EX400 is aimed at commercial and light industrial environments, and is termed suitable for indoor or ‘sheltered’ deployments in retail, manufacturing, and agriculture. It sports two gigabit ethernet ports and optional wi fi 6, but is not as well rated as its RX400 brother in terms of being able to stand the worst environments.
Both routers use a 2-by-2 MIMO antenna configuration, which Semtech states provides sufficient throughput and latency for what it describes as ‘typical IoT workloads.’ No peak data rates are disclosed, which will likely be of a lesser concern to most users.
Each model includes a year of AirLink Complete and comes with a hardware warranty and on-tap technical support. Remote management is through the cloud-based AirLink Management interface, so operators can monitor and configure fleet devices remotely. Semtech is also extending optional management through its AirLink Manager and AirLink Mobility Manager platforms, which is available as a hosted service or deployed on-premise.
The RX400 and EX400 are available at the time of writing through authorised Semtech AirLink channel partners.
(Image source: Semtech)
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