Quectel Wireless, a Chinese supplier of IoT modules and antennas, has launched its LTE-A category-six EM060K-GL module which has Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) capability for private mobile networks.

With more than 300 private mobile networks deployed in the world, industries such as communications and IT, manufacturing, automotive, transport, utilities, public safety, mining and others are using CBRS as a private network service. CBRS can help build high capacity, low latency, robust wireless networks with improved quality of service guarantees.

Quectel developed the EM060K-GL to address the needs those that use these networks.

Powered by the Snapdragon X12 LTE modem from Qualcomm, the module provides data rates up to 300Mbit/s downlink and 50Mbit/s uplink. The module has the M.2 form factor of 30.0 by 42.0 by 2.3mm.

In addition to supporting private CBRS networks, the module has a range of global bands and can be used to support carrier network capacity boost scenarios by aggregating a public coverage band and a CBRS band. With dual SIM and embedded eSIM, the modules can help users swap data service easily between a public carrier and a private network.

Standard interfaces include USB 3.0 and 2.0, PCIe 2.0, PCM, SPI, and Mipi, and it offers functionalities including USB drivers for Windows, Linux and Android, and a multi-constellation GNSS receiver for GPS, Glonass, Beidou and Galileo.

The module is pin-to-pin compatible with Quectel’s EM06 series of M.2 modules and the EM12-G and EM120R-GL, which facilitates design migrations on applications such as industrial routers, home gateways, set-top boxes, consumer laptops, rugged tablets and PCs, and PDA devices.

“We see a wide range of market participants are actively engaged in developing and delivering services for private mobile networks,” said Neset Yalcinkaya, vice president of product management at Quectel. “With so much opportunity and so many regulators planning initiatives to make spectrum available for private LTE usage, we expect significant market evolution in the next couple of years. Quectel’s CBRS-capable modules, including the EM060K-GL, EG12-GT, EM120R, EM160R and our 5G modules, can help our customers to provide multiple and diversified services in this market to boost their business.”

Engineering samples of the EM060K-GL are available now for product testing and development to help device OEMs and systems designers.