SODAQ and monogoto Collaboration Enable Global LTE-M Connectivity With PSM and eDRX Support

By AIT News Desk On Jul 7, 2020

After several months of field testing, SODAQ and monogoto successfully enabled LTE-M technology with eDRX and PSM features remotely controlled for the SARA SFF and AFF R412M/R410M developer boards

The two companies’ collaboration goes further than just creating a product; Together they are enabling small businesses and large corporations alike to create entire online architectures and ecosystems, using small Arduino based boards over nothing more than a simple low-powered internet connection anywhere on the planet.

Over the top IoT connectivity provider monogoto says it is an important stage in its connectivity growth strategy, as according to market research by Ericsson, the amount of cellular IoT connected devices will cross the 5 billion mark by 2025 when cellular LPWAN technologies are expected to account for over 50 percent of these.

Enabling the eDRX and PSM features can dramatically save the IoT device energy and as a result, provide a cost-effective solution in the long run. One big advantage of monogoto’s IoT SIM is the ability to access the SIM remotely via API and configure eDRX and PSM settings (e.g. eDRX cycles) according to the project requirements.

“We are excited to announce this cooperation with SODAQ,” says Itamar Kunik, CEO at monogoto. “Nowadays, IoT solutions are built by developers rather than telecom engineers. As a global IoT connectivity leader, we must continue our efforts to simplify, innovate and lower the barrier to our clients, enabling the access to advanced cellular network features via simple APIs.”

Dutch IoT development company SODAQ has made strides in developing a low-cost, Arduino compatible, low-powered (to the point where it can be solar-powered) development board that can be used in a multitude of IoT applications. What makes SODAQ’s SFF and AFF boards unique aside from their ability to run on solar, is their built-in location telemetry and good modularity, allowing the user to interface a plethora of different sensors to it, fully customizing the board for any specific use-case.

“It’s developments like these that help shape the standards of IoT applications of tomorrow,” said Ollie Smeenk, COO of SODAQ. “By creating a solar-powered solution that allows the user to fully customize their boards to their liking, we are making IoT a more logical choice for businesses. I’d like to imagine a world where sustainable devices become the norm, and our board is an example of what the future can look like.”

It is in bold collaborations like these where the benefits go beyond the initial projects; SODAQ will continue to develop a wider range of optimized boards that ultimately increase the quality of IoT tracking and data acquisition in logistics. One of these developments is using Nordic Semiconductors’ new NRF9160 module to allow for even lower power positioning and communications. Agricultural and environmental endeavors also reap the benefits, while reducing the costs and waste for all parties. monogoto gets to increase its global footprint and enable cheap reliable cellular IoT connectivity for large scale projects. One of the improvements has been the development of boards that enable eDRX and PSM as mentioned above. Here is a brief description of these technologies:

eDRX (extended Discontinuous Receive) is a technology provided in cellular communications that allows a modem connected to the network to only listen for incoming messages rather than transmit data. This means that the device can be in deep sleep for the majority of the time, listen at a set interval, and be reached/activated to transmit data to the network within a matter of minutes while only requiring an active transmission daily.
PSM (Power Save Mode) is a feature that reduces power consumption even further as it allows for extended periods of device deep sleep (multiple days between transmissions) without requiring the device to re-register to the network each time it wakes up.
Both technologies require the device to agree on a communication interval with the network, which can be set using monogoto’s API.

For both technologies SODAQ has created libraries and software examples, implementing them for multiple clients.