Its mates have designed LPWA cellular modules at AM Telecom, Fibocom, Murata, Quectel, Semtech, Telit Cinterion and Wistron NeWeb Corporation (WNC).

The modules are now ready for testing, with mass production expected sometime in the first half of 2024.

The Sony's Altair ALT1350 is the first cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT SoC to have a low-power application MCU, a sensor-hub for processing data, enhanced security, integrated SIM (iSIM) location technology and an extra sub-GHz LPWA/FAN customisable transceiver and NTN communication options in a single chip.

It claims to have cellular connected standby mode (eDRX) connectivity at a power consumption of below 3µA, and its overall power consumption performance achieves up to 10 times longer battery life compared to previous generations. The chip is supposed to be ideal for smart utility meters and single-chip asset-tracking applications.

Sony says the ALT1350 chipset promises impressive connectivity options and can support connectivity choices for all industries and markets. In smart cities and utility spaces, the ALT1350 can act as a low-power cellular modem, a low-power mesh device, and a router between cellular and mesh networks, providing multiple connectivity backup options.

The chip is supposed to be ideal for single-chip asset-tracking applications, bundling multi-tier location services optimised for battery-operated devices.

Sony Semiconductor Israel CEO Nohik Semel said commercial adaptation of the ALT1350 SoC by industry leaders shows strong demand for new generation LPWA technology solutions.

"This SoC enables applications for smart cities, logistics and asset trackers, connected health devices, and in the wearables market as it brings in an era of connected everything in which battery consumption is no longer a concern. We are pleased to work with our partners to bring this SoC to the market and help them build innovative products."

"It has been a great experience developing our connectivity module and network device based on the ALT1350 chipset, collaborating with Sony for the first time" says Jin Gyu Lee, CMO of AM Telecom. "This gives us a strong edge in LTE network coverage as well as low cost by processing sub-GHz LPWA and LTE-M on a single SoC using the ALT1350.

We reckon this is an excellent opportunity for AM Telecom using small IoT devices based on the ALT1350 chipset, which solves issues such as battery life, WPS/GPS support, etc., disrupting the spread of IoT communications."

Fibocom Director Kevin Guan said that his company was pleased to have worked on the 5G LPWA module solution and was hopeful of bringing benefits in the application fields in the short term with today's announcement on the availability of the ALT1350/

"Fibocom's 5G LPWA module MS180, integrated with the ALT1350, has a tiny size at 12.8*14.8mm and is designed to provide ultra-low power consumption and dodgy wireless connectivity for the 5G massive IoT market. Looking ahead, we can confidently empower industries such as smart metering, asset tracking, telematics, telehealth, smart city, and consumer electronics with the best-in-class module solution," he said.