u-blox SARA-R52 and LEXI-R52 LTE-M cellular module series

u-blox has announced two LTE-M cellular module series, the SARA-R52 and LEXI-R52. These modules, designed for industrial applications, are powered by the u-blox UBX-R52 cellular chip and are tailored for integrated and concurrent positioning and wireless communication needs. Typical IoT use cases include fixed and mobile applications such as metering and utility, asset tracking and monitoring, as well as health care.

Features embedded within the chip will allow users to dispense with additional components to design their products. SpotNow is a positioning feature that provides position data with a 10 m accuracy within a couple of seconds. It is meant for occasional tracking applications such as recycling waste dumpsters, elderly trackers or cleaning machines. The uCPU feature allows users to run their own software within the chip without using an external MCU. The uSCM (Smart Connection Manager), on the other hand, is designed for automatic connectivity management to achieve either best performance or lowest power consumption, eg, when a connection is lost and needs to be re-established.

The R52 series also introduces a combo module designed to offer simultaneous GNSS and cellular connectivity — an important attribute for applications requiring continuous or cyclic tracking. The SARA-R520M10 combo module comes equipped with an integrated u-blox M10 GNSS receiver and enables concurrent tracking with low power consumption, good TTFF and high RF sensitivity. It is tailored for users who seek the simplicity of a pre-integrated cellular and GNSS solution.

Many LTE-M modules only offer an RF output power of 20–21 dBm, whereas the R52 series offers 23 dBm, for stable connectivity in challenging coverage conditions. The LEXI-R52 provides the same features as the SARA-R52, but in a smaller form factor (16 x 16 x 2 mm), suitable for ultra-small applications like wearables.