Quectel RedCap Rx255C module series

Quectel Wireless Solutions has launched its 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability, also known as NR-Light) modules, the Rx255C series. Based on the Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System from Qualcomm Technologies, the modules are designed to provide enhanced wireless performance and low-latency communication with 5G while providing optimisation in size and energy savings. These characteristics make the series suitable for supporting the large-scale deployment of 5G into sectors where high bandwidth is not needed but low cost and power consumption are crucial, such as entry-level broadband, compute, industrial automation, smart city, smart energy and smart wearables.

Meeting the 3GPP Release 17 standards, the series supports 5G standalone (SA) mode and a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz on the sub-6 GHz frequency band. Targeting all markets worldwide, the 5G modules are backward compatible with LTE networks and cover nearly all the mainstream carriers worldwide. They provide a theoretical peak downlink data rate of around 220 Mbps and uplink data rate of around 100 Mbps, sufficient to meet the demand for data speeds in IoT applications such as robotics, DTU, drones, smart ports, smart grid, AR/VR wearables and educational laptops as well as other entry-level mobile broadband devices.

RedCap technology allows the modules to optimise the number of antennas, reduce the transmitting and receiving bandwidth, and provide 64QAM/256QAM (optional) modulation to optimise the cost and size. The high level of integration and architecture of the Snapdragon X35 provides low power consumption for the modules, which drives 5G adoption in a new category of devices. The modules support L1+L5 dual frequency GNSS for precise positioning services and provide a wide range of interfaces such as PCIe 2.0, USB 2.0 and supplementary functions including VoLTE and DFOTA.

To help customers to facilitate their designs, Quectel offers a variety of high-performance 5G antennas that boost wireless connectivity. IoT developers can bundle the modules with Quectel’s antennas and pre-certification services, reducing time to market for their 5G devices.