u-blox, wireless and positioning modules and chips, has announces TOBY-L280, the LTE Category 4 rugged module in an LGA package that supports FDD-LTE in frequency band 28. Band 28 is now in commercial use in Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, with further rollouts planned throughout the Asia Pacific region, Brazil and Argentina. Capable of download speeds up to 150Mb/s, the TOBY-L280 is the fastest and smallest modem of its kind. In addition to FDD-LTE, the module supports HSPA+ and GSM/GPRS fall-back for truly global operation.
TOBY-L280 is available in Professional Grade with an operating temperature range of -40 °C to +85 °C, ideal for applications ranging from automotive infotainment and navigation systems to rugged handsets. The platform is also offered in Standard Grade (-20 … +65°C) in the mPCI format, ideal for notebooks, tablets and set top boxes. The products are equally suited to provide reliable cellular communications in video surveillance, medical, digital signage and transit systems. TOBY-L280 is layout-compatible with u-blox’ HSPA/HSPA+ and GSM/GPRS modules, making system upgrades easy to implement and reducing development time.
“Building on our philosophy of customer-driven innovation, u-blox is once again delivering competitive advantage to its customers by being first to market with a Band 28, LTE Category 4 solder-down modem,” said Ezra Stein, u-blox’ product manager, Cellular Modules.
Andreas Thiel, u-blox’ executive vice president (Cellular Product Development), commented, “Our customers are looking for fast, reliable ways to implement the highest possible performance in their new products and they also want a simple upgrade path from 2G/3G to 4G LTE networks. Our product development is focused on helping them achieve these goals.TOBY-L280 extends the capability into thriving Asia-Pacific and South American markets. The support of Band 28 enables the design of products that can roam across many countries in Asia. The low carrier frequency of Band 28 provides superior coverage, particularly in rural areas. The common footprint for TOBY cellular radio modules, and tight integration with u-blox GNSS offerings, means that customers can spend less time worrying about cellular performance and more differentiating their products from competition.”
TOBY-L280 modules are manufactured in ISO/TS 16949 automotive-certified production sites, ensuring the highest quality and reliability.
