Joint development of LTE-M expansion kit with Digi International
Providing LPWAN connectivity with Digi XBee pre-certified modems and Gecko MCUs

Silicon Labs announced the release of a new LTE-M expansion kit equipped with Digi International's Digi XBee3™ pre-certified cellular modem to provide ultra-low power, long-range wireless connectivity for battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

A new LTE-M extension kit combined with Silicon Labs’ EFM32 Giant Gecko 11 starter kit simplifies and accelerates the development of gateways and end devices that require deep-sleep mode support and extended battery life. This solution is ideal for agriculture, asset tracking, smart energy, and smart city IoT applications.

Matt Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IoT Products at Silicon Labs, said, “Silicon Labs and Digi International have been committed to connecting people, networks, and ‘things’ with industry-leading IoT and M2M technologies. Through this collaboration, we are providing flexible LTE-M cellular connectivity technology, enabling customers to implement cloud-connected applications that are ready for immediate remote market entry and installation.”

"The LTE-M expansion kit jointly developed by the two companies functions as a Silicon Labs starter kit, enabling customers to rapidly implement cellular IoT connectivity and accelerate application development by avoiding costly cellular device certification processes," said Mark Tekippe, Director of Product Management at Digi International. "The Digi XBee3 cellular modem and Silicon Labs' Gecko MCU are an ideal combination that provides seamless cloud connectivity along with ultra-low power characteristics. The pre-certified Digi XBee3 cellular modem is not only easy to set up but also provides secure, flexible, and user-friendly connectivity for LTE-M and NB-IoT networks."

“LTE-M is a very attractive choice for low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) applications that require long battery life, LTE reliability, and low latency characteristics,” said Mike Krell, Head of IoT Strategy at James Brehm & Associates. “LTE-M is compatible with existing LTE networks and will coexist with future 5G technologies,” he said, adding, “Vendors that provide easy-to-use development tools to enable the rapid development of LTE-M solutions will be in a favorable position to grow in the cellular IoT market.”

Developers will be able to quickly bring optimized LTE-M products to market by utilizing the latest development tools in the new LTE-M Expansion Kit, including Digi Remote Manager®, Silicon Labs’ Energy Profiler, and pre-programmed demos. The new mobile IoT development toolkit, which combines the Digi XBee3 modem certified on AT&T and Verizon cellular networks with the low-power EFM32 microcontroller, enables developers to easily develop advanced LPWAN connectivity.

An all-in-one kit combining flexibility and convenience
- Digi XBee3 LTE-M modem with FCC certification and carrier end-device certification
- Ready to use immediately with the Silicon Labs Giant Gecko 11 MCU Starter Kit
- Easy transition to NB-IoT because the Digi XBee® product family is used commonly
- Uses Digi XBee API framework, MicroPython, and XCTU® software
- Digi TrustFence®, integrating device security, identification, and data protection functions
- Supports device setup and firmware updates via OTA (over-the-air).