Swiss firm U-Blox has announced a cellular and satellite IoT module with accurate, low-power positioning, and ubiquitous connectivity.

The Sara-S520M10L (www.u-blox.com/en/product/sara-s520m10l-module) module’s communication and tracking capability is suitable for asset tracking, fleet management, maritime transportation, mining, utilities and smart agriculture applications. It also serves market segments such as anti-theft systems, industrial monitoring and control, as well as applications that require communication in safety-critical scenarios.

Said to be the smallest multi-mode cellular and satellite IoT module on the market, it provides connectivity through terrestrial cellular networks and geostationary satellites. Measuring approximately 400mm² with LTE-M, NB-IoT, L-band satellite connectivity and embedded navigation capability, it is pin-compatible with other cellular-only modules in the Sara form factor. The module can provide location fixes using up to four satellite constellations.

This is the first U-Box module designed with the second generation of the firm’s UBX-R5 chip, the UBX-R52 and S52. The S52 variant was developed to support satellite IoT communication alongside LTE-M and NB-IoT cellular standards.

Several factors have contributed to increasing demand for satellite communication to complement standard cellular connectivity within the IoT ecosystem. The need for global, ubiquitous connectivity has been rising steadily for years and has grown significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Critical goods in the supply chain must be tracked, although only a small proportion of the Earth’s surface is served by terrestrial cellular networks. In parallel, the IoT market has expanded at a steady pace, including use cases that need connectivity support in regions where cellular coverage is unreliable or absent.

“The U-Blox Sara-S520M10L is our first IoT module that integrates both cellular and satellite connectivity,” said Alessandro Bonetti, senior product manager at U-Blox. “Comparable options on the market require two distinct subsystems, one for cellular and another for satellite connectivity. Sara-S520M10L is built around a single, highly-integrated, multi-mode modem system-on-chip [SoC], which reduces size and complexity. Combining this versatile SoC with U-Blox’s unique GNSS capability offers the perfect option for mobile and stationary IoT applications in challenging environments such as isolated places, mountains or in the middle of the ocean.”

The first samples will be available early next year.

With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, U-Blox (www.u-blox.com) has offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.