AT&T approves Qualcomm’s new 9205 LTE modem for its IoT bands

AT&T’s LTE-M and NB-IoT are specific sub-networks dedicated to connectivity among IoT devices, as well as machines running similar applications and services, cloud included. The carrier asserts that bands such as these will do much more business and have more use-cases in the future. However, to do that, they need hardware that can use them in ways that are as power-efficient and low-cost as possible.

The Qualcomm 9205 modem is one of the latest of this category of electronics. It has been designed for edge, low-power and generally IoT-like computing that retains the reliable and durable data-streams 4G/LTE can provide. Its maker asserts that it uses up to 70% less energy compared to its predecessor (depending on how it’s used), even though it has a 50% smaller footprint. It also apparently saves up to 40% on costs compared to its last generation.

The 9205 SoC can also integrate components similar to e-SIMs for their connectivity. These modules can go directly on the modem’s chip in order to save further on device surface area. By combining it with bands such as LTE-M, AT&T believes IoT has the potential to become “massive”. Its vice president of Advanced Technical Solutions, Cameron Coursey, has said “With its low cost, high energy efficiency and capabilities for both of our low-power wide-area networks, the Qualcomm 9205 LTE modem will be important in ushering the next wave of global IoT.”