U-blox presents ALEX-R5 miniature cellular module in SiP form factor

Photo: u-blox

U-blox has debuted the ALEX-R5, a miniature cellular module that integrates low power wide area connectivity and GNSS technology into an ultra-small system-in-package (SiP) form factor.

According to u-blox, ALEX-R5 is based on the secure UBX-R5 LTE-M/NB-IoT chipset platform with out-of-the-box Secure Cloud functionality and the u‑blox M8 GNSS chip for world-class location accuracy.

The ALEX-R5 features a 14 x 14-mm footprint, achieved as a result of its SiP design. Its 23-dBm cellular transmission power guarantees end devices operate effectively in all signal conditions and a dedicated GNSS antenna interface that enables fully independent, simultaneous operation of the u‑blox M8 GNSS chip.

The ALEX-R5 is optimized for power-sensitive and battery-dependent applications, as well as size-constrained applications such as wearables and connected medical devices. It achieves this by leveraging the lower power modes of the u‑blox UBX-R5 and UBX-M8 chipsets and giving users options to further balance power consumption and performance using GNSS Super-E mode, u-blox said.

Its rugged SiP construction makes it a perfect fit for harsh environments, where moisture or vibration would be a concern for conventional modules. ALEX-R5 is rated at moisture sensitivity level 3, offering reduced handling and device production complexity, u-blox added.

Finally, the ALEX-R5 future-proofs IoT devices and solutions by enabling customers to software upgrade deployed devices for compatibility with 5G networks, u-blox said. This will offer a seamless transition to the next generation of cellular technology as 5G networks are rolled out by mobile operators.

Engineering samples of the ALEX-R5 SiP will be available by the first quarter of 2021.