Quectel KCM0A5S Wi-SUN module

The Quectel KCM0A5S is a high-performance Wi-SUN (Wireless Smart Utility Network) module designed for smart applications such as street lighting, precision agriculture, industrial IoT, smart meters and smart cities. Based on the Silicon Labs EFR32FG25 (a sub-GHz, low-power wireless system on chip) and featuring an ARM Cortex-M33 processor with a frequency of up to 97.5 MHz, the module includes built-in 256 KB RAM and 2 MB Flash memory, for efficient performance.

Wi-SUN has been gaining traction for connecting IoT devices as a low-power wide-area (LPWA) connectivity solution because of its blend of scalability, security, interoperability and performance. It offers high-speed bandwidth at up to 2.4 Mbps with OFDM modulation. The technology is easily expandable and can support thousands of nodes. Wi-SUN’s self-forming and self-healing mesh is designed to eliminate single point of failure networks and simplify deployment.

The module supports the Wi-SUN Field Area Network (FAN) 1.1 protocol and operates across the 470–928 MHz frequency range. It utilises IPv6-based wireless mesh networking technology, intrinsic to the Wi-SUN communication standard, to deliver long-range transmission, stable network connectivity and ongoing data transmission.

The product offers flexible deployment capabilities, supporting both router and leaf node configurations in standalone SoC mode, as well as acting as a border router when paired with a Linux host in RCP (Radio Co-Processor) mode. This versatility makes the module suitable for a wide range of mesh networking applications in smart city, utility and industrial IoT deployments. In addition, it features strong anti-interference capabilities and delivers good signal penetration for use cases in hard-to-reach locations.

The module’s compact dimensions of 28 x 22 x 3.15 mm enable the size and cost of end products to be optimised, allowing for maximised design options. The module is also suitable for industrial-grade use cases with an operating temperature range of -40 to +85°C. It is available in variants that support a peak transmit power of 30 dBm and offers both OFDM and FSK modulation schemes, subject to regional regulatory allowances.