Designed for the evolving demands of smart industrial and IoT applications, with superior quality, energy efficiency, and scope of application, reshaping the connected world, ensuring safer roads, smarter utilities, and limitless IoT possibilities.
ST Microelectronics has declared that its ST87M01 NB-IoT and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) modules have secured the certification of Vodafone Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT). This module offers cellular IoT connectivity and geolocation features, making it perfect for diverse IoT and smart industrial uses. Designed, conceptualised, and produced exclusively by ST, the module promises superior quality, security, and a sustained supply chain.
Combining geolocation with robust cellular connectivity, the module supports emerging IoT applications like Spain’s mandatory smart traffic-emergency lights by 2026. Replacing traditional emergency triangles, these lights provide real-time vehicle locations post-accidents, aligning with the European road safety charter. The module has all vital features that push towards enhanced transportation safety. It’s also fully compatible with the global NB-IoT infrastructure, making it ideal for European network connections.
It recently achieved certification from the Global Certification Forum (GCF), which champions mobile and IoT product interoperability. Meeting the standards of 3GPP Release 15, the module offers enhanced multi-regional LTE coverage. The timing of the NB-IoT certifications for the module is apt, given the upcoming global roll-outs of smart metering systems for electricity, water, and gas. This module stands out as a solution for integrating into India’s burgeoning smart metering infrastructure, projected to reach 250 million units over the next half-decade. With an in-built ST4SIM embedded SIM (eSIM) that meets the latest industry benchmarks, including the recent Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) eSA (Security Assurance) certification, the module also features a certified embedded secure element (eSE). This technology is packed into a compact 10.6mm x 12.8mm LGA package.
“Completing the test program with Vodafone provides our clients with confidence in a robust and forward-compatible data link for their IoT solutions, drawing on the unique and energy-efficient attributes of this module,” commented Domenico Arrigo, General Manager of the Industrial and Power Conversion Division at STMicroelectronics. The module’s energy-saving features extend battery life. Its integrated GNSS receiver operates efficiently, even during NB-IoT’s idle times. It easily pairs with the company’s products like MEMs, actuators, and sensors, facilitating diverse IoT applications that require accurate geolocation, from pet trackers to industrial monitoring and smart infrastructure sensors.
