Cellular IoT chip and module maker Sequans Communications announced support for reduced capability (RedCap) 5G in forthcoming Calliope and Monarch products. The new third-generation versions of both solutions retain support for 4G/LTE-based cellular IoT technologies – in the form of Cat 1bis and dual-mode LTE-M/NB-IoT, respectively – but provide an upgrade path in silicon for incoming 5G-based RedCap low-power IoT applications, and specifically for them to take advantage of further-reduced (enhanced) eRedCap.
The Calliope 3 solution, a direct replacement of Calliope 2, adds 5G eRedCap, introduced as a feature of release 18-level 5G networks, to LTE-based Cat 1bis, which sits a rung higher in power and performance terms that the traditional cellular IoT low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) twin-set of LTE-M and NB-IoT. The Monarch 3 solution, replacing Monarch 2, also adds eRedCap, but to the French firm’s flagship dual-mode LTE-M/NB-IoT system.
Monarch 2 is designed to meet the growing demand in industries such as smart metering, healthcare, and asset tracking. Both are on display at MWC in Barcelona this week. Sequans said: “Users of Calliope and Monarch now have a clear roadmap to manage their transition to 5G NR eRedCap. Calliope 3 and Monarch 3 modules will be footprint and software compatible with Calliope 2 and Monarch 2 modules.”
Sequans plans to begin providing samples to customers in 2026, it said. Their development was helped by the French 2030 grant awarded by the French government to Sequans in 2024. Georges Karam, chief executive at Sequans, said: “With the support of 5G eRedCap and enhanced performance, these new chips demonstrate our commitment to innovation and our dedication to providing our customers with the most advanced and efficient cellular connectivity addressing their specific IoT needs.”
In a supplied quote, Dan Shey, vice president at ABI Research, commented: “As network operators plan their migration from 4G to 5G, it is critical to have 5G eRedCap semiconductors purpose-built for IoT to achieve the cost and power efficiency needed for IoT applications. Offering products that enable a seamless transition of IoT applications from 4G to 5G… is extremely important so IoT application designers can develop future-proof products.”
