Semtech Unveils the LR1121 LoRa Transceiver with Sub-GHz, 2.4GHz, and S-Band Satellite Connectivity
Latest low-power transceiver offers truly global coverage — and with support for direct satellite communication, even beyond global.
Communications specialist Semtech has announced a new LoRa transceiver which, it says, offers its best performance to date — in a single, low-power chip boasting worldwide compatibility and integrated satellite connectivity.
"Semtech’s LoRa Connect is targeting the connectivity challenges faced by the industry today enabling widespread adoption and reinforcing LoRa's position as the de-facto platform for IoT [Internet of Things]," claims Semtech's Robert Comanescu of the launch. "We continue to invest in improving LoRa technology and enriching our product portfolio with multi-band LoRa support and LoRa Cloud services that will provide best in class, sustainable, ubiquitous and global IoT connectivity."
The LoRa Connect LR1121 transceiver, to give Semtech's part its full name, is designed to offer LoRaWAN connectivity on the 470MHz, 868MHz, and 915MHz bands, depending on regional spectrum licensing restrictions, but that's not its only connectivity. The part also includes 2.4GHz LoRa support for higher-bandwidth shorter-range projects, as well as the 2.1GHz S-Band for direct communication with orbiting satellites.
An integrated cryptographic engine includes support for AES-128 encryption and decryption, simplifies handling of LoRa Alliance-defined device parameters like DevEUI and JoinEUI, and provides a secure element for key handling. The hardware itself, meanwhile, is packaged in the compact QFN32 surface-mount format — and, the company says, is fully compatible with its SX1261/2/8 device family.
Semtech has already signed a design win for the new part, too: Murata has confirmed that its Type 2GT module is now available as an option for pre-certified LR1121 deployment. "By collaborating with Semtech on this offering, we are leveraging both companies' leadership and expertise to create the most needed solution in the IoT market which provides multi-band LoRa and long range frequency hopping spread spectrum (LR-FHSS) communication over sub-GHz and 2.4GHz ISM [Industrial, Scientific, and Medical] bands as well as licensed S-Band for satellites," says Murata's Sasaki Akira. "The new multi-band module allows designers to develop products with a faster time to market by minimizing BOM size, cost and complexity."
More details on the LR1121, including its datasheet, are available on the Semtech website.