MediaTek Inc. unveiled this week its first narrow band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) System-on-Chip (SoC), the MT2625 to support a range of global network connectivity standards to further the advancement of NB-IoT commercial applications. It also announced a collaboration with China Mobile to build small NB-IoT module (16mm X 18mm) around the chipset. MediaTek’s new ultra-low-power MT2625 SoC supports a full frequency band (from 450MHz to 2.1GHz) of 3GPP R13 (NB1) and R14 (NB2) standards for a range of IoT applications including smart home control, logistics tracking and smart meters.
MT2625 is built to meet the requirements of cost-sensitive and small IoT devices. The highly integrated MT2625 combines an ARM Cortex-M microcontroller (MCU), pseudo-static RAM (PSRAM), flash memory and power management unit (PMU) into a small package to lower the cost of production while also speeding up time-to-market. The chip leverages MediaTek’s advanced power consumption technology to enable IoT devices to work with chargeable batteries for years.
Extensive peripheral I/O extensions include SDIO, UART, I2C, I2S, SPI and PCM. Despite its high functionality, its tiny package size and low pin-count yields cost and size effective designs for many applications, while its highly integrated platform simplifies the product design process for partners.
With a real-time operation system (RTOS) base, its customizable for applications such as home automation, cloud beacons, smart metering and many other static or mobile IoT implementations. Its wideband front-end module is designed to support all ultra-low/low/mid bands defined by the 3GPP Rel-14, including up to Quad-band operation, allowing a single design to address global markets, reducing cost and development time.
Committed to taking advantage of the huge growth opportunity in China, MediaTek and China Mobile have collaborated to build the industry’s smallest NB-IoT module based on MediaTek’s MT2625 SoC. The module integrates with China Mobile’s eSIM card and supports OneNET, China Mobile’s IoT open platform, which makes it easy for device makers to develop and bring to market NB-IoT devices.
As existing cellular networks like 2G, 3G and 4G do not have the capacity to meet the needs of billions of IoT devices, Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) networking was developed to accommodate the increased connectivity needs across the globe. MediaTek has been a key player driving the formulation and implementation of the 3GPP LPWA specification for NB-IoT, which is designed to support large-scale connectivity, reduce equipment complexity and minimize power consumption to prolong battery life for years.
“LPWA has the power to truly unleash the potential of the IoT, representing a huge market opportunity,” said Jerry Yu, MediaTek Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Home Entertainment Business Group. “MediaTek was the first in the industry to support the full frequency band of 3GPP NB-IoT standards, and we are committed to continuing to invest in NB-IoT technology to meet the global market demand. By providing highly integrated, low power and robust connectivity technologies over the years, along with full-featured IoT software and hardware development platforms, MediaTek aims to enable developers and device makers of all sizes to quickly bring to market innovative NB-IoT devices.”
