Fibocom has launched a 5G smart module powered by the Qualcomm QCM4490 processor for AIoT applications.

The SC151 module provides elevated 5G cellular and Wifi 6E connectivity for AIoT terminals, boosting the commercialisation of 5G AIoT applications.

It can be used in a wide range of 5G AIoT scenarios, and is suitable for terminals such as industrial handhelds, point-of-sale devices, body-worn cameras and PoC (push to talk over cellular).

Compliant with 3GPP release 16, it has an octa-core processor that allows applications to run smoothly, and integrates a graphics engine to allow smooth video playing and multi-channel camera input. In addition to select AI capabilities, it extends 5G connectivity by supporting DL 4×4 MIMO as well as UL 2×2 MIMO, and roaming under both 5G SA and NSA network architectures, allowing backwards compatibility with 4G and 3G bands.

The module supports 2.4G+5G WLAN and Wifi 6E, plus DBS (dual band simultaneous) to increase the overall capacity and performance. Benefitting from the QCM4490 processor and its 3GPP release 16 capabilities that enable international carrier support, there are five variants of the module to support regional frequency bands in Emea, Americas, Apac and so on.

“AI is an extremely important part of the IoT landscape,” said Dev Singh, vice president at Qualcomm. “With the SC151 powered by the Qualcomm QCM4490 processor, technology will become even more advanced for enterprises across the globe. Qualcomm is proud to collaborate with Fibocom to enable them to create such an innovative product for a diverse range of applications, especially as the AIoT landscape continues to evolve.”

The module also supports multi-constellation GNSS (GPS L1+L5 dual frequency bands, Glonass and Beidou), which improves position accuracy in mobile scenarios while simplifying product design.

It is equipped with the Android 13 operating system in preparation for future OS upgrades. Interfaces include Mipi, USB, uart, SPI and I²C, enabling flexibility and ease of integration to meet various application demands of the AIoT industry.

“The convergence of AI and 5G technology has impacted many aspects of the IoT industry,” said Eden Chen, general manager at Fibocom. “The use of AI compute for decision-making in IoT and data analytics will be crucial for efficient and effective industrial use.”

He said the module was ideal for users to develop and extend high performance applications with premium 5G and Wifi 6E connectivity and AI capability.

“With the long lifespan of SC151, we are looking forward to achieving great success across the global AIoT market,” said Chen.

Engineering samples of the SC151 will be available from this quarter.