AT&T Labs establishes industry’s first 5G RedCap data connection in the U.S., paving the way for next-generation 5G IoT devices
The Internet of Things has been the buzzword of the last decade. But what was once just a concept is now part of our daily lives.
Think about smart security cameras and alarms in your home, voice-activated sound systems, and other connected appliances, or the smartwatch you use at the gym. There are also parking lots equipped with sensors that alert you when a parking space becomes available, and smart ambulances that allow doctors to remotely monitor and treat patients until they reach the hospital.
AT&T is leading the way in enabling the IoT. In 2022, we will become the first U.S. provider to reach 100 million IoT connected devices. As of Q2 2023, approximately 117 million devices were connected.
But as we know, technology is only as good as the connectivity that underpins it. Two weeks ago, AT&T was the first to hit another industry in the United States. First 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) data call We operate on a live 5G standalone network both in our lab and in the field. This is important for the continued growth of IoT.
IoT devices have evolved with the development of mobile communication technology. Each generation has increased speed, capacity, and functionality, enabling new IoT applications and use cases. 4G is the first wireless mobile phone generation to introduce mobile network technology specifically designed for the Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) IoT with LTE-M.
The IoT market is very broad, from the simplest sensors to high-end routers, and each requires different technologies to meet its demands. LTE-M will continue to support LPWA use cases, and 5G will support more complex use cases. In between these is 5G RedCap, which supports his IoT use cases in the middle tier. For low-cost, low-complexity IoT devices that do not require standard 5G NR and can benefit from higher bandwidth and lower latency capabilities than what LTE-M currently offers, RedCap It’s perfect.
red hat: New 5G flavors for wearables and small form factor IoT devices
RedCap (also known as NR Light) is a reduced set of 5G features targeted at devices with low battery consumption, low cost, and low bandwidth requirements, such as wearables and low-cost hotspots.
Introduced in 3GPP Release 17, 5G RedCap is designed for devices currently served by LTE CAT-4, but offers similar or better performance with a theoretical maximum downlink throughput of up to 150Mbps. Helps reduce complexity, cost, and size of 5G devices. It also introduces options that allow devices to operate at lower power levels.
These upgrades bring 5G to your products and applications. Full-featured 5G technology cannot function like wearable devices such as smartwatches and AR glasses, or IoT devices such as healthcare, asset tracking, smart home systems, and fleet management.
Many IoT and consumer wearable devices are space-constrained, leaving little room for complex antenna designs. The 5G RedCap core design eliminates the need to integrate multiple carriers and features up to 20MHz of bandwidth on a single carrier. This allows for a simpler antenna design with one transmitter (1TX) and one or two receivers (1RX or 2RX), unlike the more complex MIMO antenna designs required for full-featured 5G NR devices such as smartphones. This allows for smaller antenna designs.
AT&T worked closely with Nokia and MediaTek to successfully test 5G RedCap on MediaTek’s RedCap platform connected to a 5G SA network built on Nokia AirScale. AT&T made its first data call on our live network on July 19th. This industry first in the US paves the way for 5G RedCap devices expected in the coming years.
Bringing energy efficiency to 5G IoT devices. 5G RedCap also introduces power-saving features similar to those previously available on LPWA LTE-M devices. eDRX allows device manufacturers to control interaction with the network, allowing devices to “sleep” for extended periods of time. This is especially beneficial for his IoT devices, which can wait a long time for an event to occur before needing to communicate with the network.
Looking ahead, AT&T is collaborating with the ecosystem to develop additional advanced 3GPP power-saving features for 5G RedCap, including wake-up signal (WUS), early paging indication (PEI), PDCCH monitoring adaptation, and more. I am.
Although referred to as reduced functionality, 5G RedCap continues to leverage 5G network capabilities to enhance the functionality and user experience of IoT devices, all at lower cost and energy efficiency.
RedCap is another pivotal step in the continued evolution of 5G. More importantly, it will expand and revolutionize the 5G device ecosystem.
Get ready for the next stage of IoT.
