Qualcomm Announces Broad Ecosystem Adoption of its LTE Category M1/NB-1 Modem Designed to Support Reliable, Optimized Cellular Connectivity for the Internet of Things

HONG KONG, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has secured design wins among the industry's leading module original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) based on its MDM9206 LTE modem for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. These designs are an addition to the more than 100 designs announced last June using the Company's MDM9x07 LTE IoT modems. Designed as a global connectivity solution for applications such as battery-powered sensors, the MDM9206 modem features a purpose-built design for IoT and offers lower power consumption and longer range connectivity than the Company's previous LTE generations.

The MDM9206 modem is designed to support LTE category M1 (eMTC), upgradeable to dual category M1/NB-1 mode with an anticipated upcoming software update. This allows IoT products to function in a diverse set of operator deployments worldwide, maximizing the products' global reach and scalability. The simpler narrowband LTE categories help the MDM9206 modem to support low-cost, low-power, low-bandwidth and greater coverage for the next-generation of IoT products and services, while also enhancing battery life as compared to previous LTE generations.

With the MDM9206 modem, Qualcomm is continuing to expand the capabilities of LTE to accelerate the progress in IoT. Compared to its previous LTE generations, this modem is designed to cost-effectively address cellular connectivity for low data rate IoT applications more efficiently addressed by a narrowband modem, across a wide range of new business opportunities within the IoT, including smart energy and metering, building security, infrastructure, industrial control and automation, retail point of sale, asset tracking, medical, lighting and aftermarket telematics.

The category M1 and NB-1 LTE modes designed in the MDM9206 modem bring many enhancements and optimizations to LTE that will help reduce IoT device complexity, support, multi-year battery life, and provide deeper coverage than the Company's previous LTE generations, to reach challenging locations such as deep inside buildings and remote rural areas. The new technologies also can use existing LTE infrastructure and spectrum, coexisting with today's mobile broadband services, while providing a superior solution to proprietary technologies for low-power wide area networks. 

Additionally, backed by 3GPP global standards with a rich roadmap to 5G, LTE IoT technologies will continue to evolve beyond 3GPP Release 13 with new features, such as support for multicast and positioning, establishing the foundation for Narrowband 5G IoT.

"The global IoT opportunity is rapidly expanding," said Serge Willenegger, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "IoT will be much more than about connecting people to things; they will be extending information management systems all the way to the edge, allowing machines and devices to work with one another and support increasing service opportunities and operational efficiencies across most industries. Momentum around our MDM9206 modem for Cat M1 and NB-1 demonstrates demand today for reliable, optimized LTE cellular connectivity to support the new range of IoT applications and services."

U.S. Operators:
"AT&T and Qualcomm Technologies have a successful and long-standing relationship that is deepening with the IoT," said Chris Penrose, president, Internet of Things, AT&T. "Qualcomm Technologies will join our pilot of LTE-M network and module technology that will enable a new generation of industries and applications for IoT. The Qualcomm MDM9206 modem will help deliver new, intelligent and cost-effective IoT services, and use cases to our industrial, commercial and smart cities customers." 

"Thanks to the improved building blocks for IoT solutions, every facet of our world is becoming connected," said Mike Lanman, senior vice president, IoT and enterprise products, Verizon. "By utilizing solutions including Qualcomm Technologies' MDM9206 modem, which is integrated with IoT platforms like Verizon's Thingspace, we can accelerate the delivery of connected services specifically tailored for rapidly growing markets like smart metering for utilities including electric, gas and water." 

Module OEMs
"Qualcomm Technologies has been instrumental in helping advance our IoT solutions with the development of its MDM9206 modem," said Patrick Qian, CEO, Quectel. "We are now able to design more cost-efficient modules for our customers and ultimately enable them to connect an ever increasing number of devices for faster, more reliable operations and better business results overall."

"With the rapid progression of the IoT, there is a growing need for things to operate more efficiently," said Wendy Wang, general manager, SIMCOM. "As we continue to implement connectivity solutions, the MDM9206 modem from Qualcomm Technologies makes it possible to provide more cost-efficient LTE modules and smart meters with a shorter time-to-launch."

"Qualcomm Technologies' MDM9206 modem helps assure continued success for Telit's trademark application software cross-compatibility among our IoT modules products," said Sandro Spanghero, senior vice president, global product management, Telit. "By utilizing this modem, we have been able to address operator requirements quickly, allowing our customers to easily re-use applications and launch new products into different markets."

"At u-blox, we aim to advance our portfolio of products and technologies targeted specifically to a wide range of applications for the IoT," said Dave Carey, senior vice president, cellular product strategy, u-blox. "Qualcomm Technologies' LTE for IoT modem technology is aligned with our Company's goals of delivering the best cellular connectivity technology for the IoT space."

"At WNC, we continually work to integrate a variety of cutting-edge communication technologies into our products," said Fayu Chen, senior vice president, automotive and digital media, WNC. "With Qualcomm Technologies' latest LTE IoT solution, we've been able to design products faster, and at a lower cost, while also providing our customers with intelligent, total-market solutions that offer a host of next-generation IoT solutions."

Qualcomm Technologies' scale and expertise in connectivity and compute allows its customers to commercialize their IoT products quickly and cost-effectively. With its LTE IoT modems, the Company is helping to accelerate the creation of the IoT to provide dynamic experiences, while helping to deliver connected things that work well together.

Module OEMs are expected to launch MDM9206-based Cat M1 capable modules in early 2017. A software upgrade for Cat NB-1 is expected to be available shortly thereafter. The benefits and capabilities of Qualcomm Technologies' LTE modems for IoT will be highlighted at the 4G/5G Summit taking place in Hong Kong from October 18-19.

About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including Qualcomm Technologies' ability to successfully design, update and have manufactured significant quantities of MDM9206 modems on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which the MDM9206 platform is adopted and module OEMs launch MDM9206-based modules, change in economic conditions of the various markets Qualcomm Technologies serves, the extent and speed of the progression of the Internet of Things, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in Qualcomm Incorporated's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 2015 and most recent Form 10-Q.

Qualcomm MDM is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. 

Qualcomm Contacts:
Pete Lancia, Corporate Communications
Phone:  1-858-845-5959
Email:  [email protected]

John Sinnott, Investor Relations
Phone:  1-858-658-4813
Email:  [email protected]

SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated

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