Quectel Wireless has added the industrial grade EG800Q-EU LTE Cat 1 bis wireless communication module to its LTE portfolio.

A compact module in LGA form factor, it offers flexibility in IoT designs and enables a range of IoT use cases, particularly for size sensitive applications.

Based upon the QCX216 LTE IoT modem from Qualcomm, the module is an LTE-only module for customers in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand with LTE FDD band coverage of B1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 and 28. The module delivers a maximum downlink data rate of 10Mbit/s while enhancing battery life, critical for various high-performing IoT applications including smart utility meters, asset trackers, e-mobility, parking meters and home automation.

Its support of Cat 1 bis allows it to use a single antenna, balancing cost and performance and making the module suitable for IoT terminals that are designed to be compact and cost-effective.

“We feel very excited that our EG800Q-EU is one of the industry’s first Cat 1 modules based on the Qualcomm QCX216 LTE IoT modem, a cost-optimised, power efficient global Cat 1 bis modem,” said Norbert Muhrer, president and CSO of Quectel. “The module’s unrivalled advantages make it ideal for a multitude of mid-range use cases and deployment scenarios which demand reliable and cost-effective communications.”

Form factor is 15.8 by 17.7 by 2.4mm, so integrators and developers can design size sensitive applications. Its LGA package enables automated manufacturing for high-volume applications.

The module also provides a set of internet protocols and industry-standard interfaces including USB 2.0, uart. I²C, PCM and USIM, extending the suitability of the module to various IoT applications such as asset management, remotely managed access control and smart grids. Additionally, the module supports DFOTA to enable automatic firmware upgrades and integrated wifi positioning services when there is no GPS signal indoors.

To help users with their designs, Quectel offers LTE Cat 1 antennas that are said to boost wireless connectivity significantly. IoT developers can bundle the module with Quectel’s antennas and pre-certification services, reducing cost and time to market for Cat 1 devices.

Engineering samples of the EG800Q-EU are available now.

Quectel has a growing global team of more than 4000 professionals and specialises in cellular, GNSS, wifi and Bluetooth modules, antennas and IoT connectivity. It has regional offices providing support across the globe.