The new module is compatible with Quectel 4G module EG2x series modules with smaller sizes

Global IoT company Quectel Wireless Solutions announced the commercial availability of its new 5G RedCap Sub-6 GHz LGA module, which will deliver 5G and 4G coverage.

Based on Qualcomm Technologies’s Snapdragon X35 baseband chipset, the RG255C-GL module offers feature support including 5G LAN, ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) and network slicing, the company said.

Quectel said that the RG255C-GL module, which conform to 3GPP Release 17 standards, features a compact LGA form factor measuring 32mm x 29mm x 2.4mm. With data rates of 223 Mbps downlink and 123 Mbps uplink, it is tailored for applications such as CPEs, MiFi, routers, gateways or industrial PDA, the company said. It added that the module supports LTE Cat 4 and 5G Sub-6 GHz SA mode, ensuring compatibility with Rel-15 and Rel-16 networks.

Furthermore, the new module is compatible with Quectel 4G module EG2x series modules with smaller sizes, which can meet customers’ different application demands for medium speed, large capacity, low latency and high reliability.

“Having the RG255C-GL 5G RedCap module commercially available offers our customers access to the benefits of 5G without the accompanying expense and power consumption,” said Norbert Muhrer, president and CSO at Quectel Wireless Solutions. “This technology paves the way for diverse IoT applications requiring worldwide 4G and 5G coverage with ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) and network slicing,” the executive added.

The new module is designed for the global market and covers nearly all the mainstream carriers worldwide, the company added.  The module features Qualcomm IZa location technology, offering GPS, GLONASS, BDS and Galileo positioning functionalities.

Quectel also highlighted that a wide range of interfaces including USB 2.0, PCle 2.0, PCM, UART, SGMII and SPI alongside a large number of drivers means that this new module is ideal for a wide range of RedCap applications.

The RG255C-GL RedCap module will be available alongside a series of antennas, providing developers with the ability to purchase module and antennas at the same time, thus reducing cost and time to market.

RedCap, sometimes referred to as NR Light, is a reduced set of 5G capabilities intended for devices like wearables and low-cost hotspots that have low battery consumption, lower costs and lower bandwidth requirements. Introduced with 3GPP Release 17, 5G RedCap is designed for devices currently served by LTE CAT-4 but provides equivalent or better in performance with up to 150 Mbps theoretical maximum downlink throughput. This technology helps reduce the complexity, cost and size of 5G devices.