To speed up the switch to 5G-NR for consumer, business, and industrial IoT applications, MediaTek introduces the RedCap modem technology and chipset family.
MediaTek’s RedCap
The low-power wide-area (LPWA) technologies designed for Internet of Things applications have become more mature and widespread in the last several years. For apps that need a high data rate, 5G-based technology will probably be the most appropriate choice, depending on the extent of IoT installations.
MediaTek stated that it is adding more modems and chipsets to its lineup to enable 5G RedCap, leveraging its industry experience in 5G connections. MediaTek will be able to more easily ease the transition to 5G-NR for a wide range of applications that require long-lasting and efficient battery life, such as wearables, lightweight AR devices, IoT modules, and devices built with edge AI in mind, thanks to the new solutions—the M60 modem IP and the MediaTek T300 chipset series.
The consumer and business industries will witness a revolution in connected devices thanks to 5G RedCap. Due to the size and power constraints of many wearables and Internet of Things devices, very small platforms with straightforward antenna designs are needed without sacrificing communication dependability. By incorporating modems and RF within the SoC, MediaTek 5G RedCap may save PCB size and provide good connection performance.
“Reduced capability,” or “RedCap,” is a term used to describe how 5G would benefit NR consumers, businesses, and industrial devices. RedCap claims to guarantee stability for devices with minimal bandwidth requirements, taking full advantage of the movement of 5G networks to the standalone (SA) network architecture. This allows RedCap to offer many of the benefits of 5G without the expense and complexity of standard 5G solutions.
JC Hsu, the Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek, stated that “Our RedCap solutions are a significant part of our mission to democratize 5G, providing our customers the ability to optimize components and deliver 5G-enabled devices from a range of applications and a range of price points.”
He also added that “the migration to 5G RedCap will replace legacy 4G/LTE solutions, offering significantly better power efficiency and more reliable user experiences compared to leading edge 5G eMMB modem solutions and legacy 4G LTE Cat 4 and Cat 6 devices.”
The MediaTek T300 series is revolutionizing the RedCap field as the first 6nm Radio Frequency System-On-Chip (RFSOC) single die solution worldwide. With this RFSOC, companies will be able to take advantage of the growing RedCap industry and produce creative designs for data-card, consumer, corporate, and industrial applications, as well as augmented reality. The MediaTek T300 series, which is based on the incredibly effective TSMC 6nm technology, incorporates an Arm Cortex-A35 single-core processor into a much smaller PCB space. The MediaTek T300 series has data speeds of up to 227 Mbps downlink and 122 Mbps uplink.
In addition to combining MediaTek’s industry-leading power efficiency with coverage improvements and exceptionally low latency, the T300 series and the M60 5G modem IP support the 3GPP R17 standard. The M60 delivers up to a 70% decrease in power consumption compared to comparable 5G eMBB solutions and up to a 75% reduction in power savings compared to 4G LTE solutions, thanks to MediaTek’s UltraSave 4.0 technology and the avoidance of needless paging receptions.
In order to fulfill constantly changing connection requirements and expectations, MediaTek’s RedCap solutions are enabling a new wave of efficiency, dependability, and cost-savings for 5G-enabled devices across the consumer, corporate, and industrial sectors. In 2024, the first half will see the sampling of MediaTek T300 series devices, while the second half will see the release of commercial samples. Please visit https://www.mediatek.com/technology/5g/5g-redcap-modem to find out more about MediaTek’s RedCap activities.
