Commercial Zigbee 3.0 product implementation now possible
Simultaneous support for Bluetooth 5 and Bluetooth LE
Nordic Semiconductor announced that its nRF52840 multi-protocol SoC and Nordic Zigbee software solutions have been officially certified as Zigbee-compatible platforms for the Zigbee Alliance’s current Zigbee PRO (R21) and GP (Green Power) proxy specifications.

This enables Nordic customers to implement and launch commercial Zigbee 3.0 products using the nRF52840 and the Thread and Zigbee nRF5 SDKs. In addition, like other mesh solutions from Nordic, it simultaneously supports Zigbee, Bluetooth 5, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

While proceeding with the Zigbee compatibility certification process using the latest thread and Zigbee nRF5 SDK and the built-in S140 v6.1 SoftDevice or stack, the nRF52840 also succeeded in simultaneous connection with Bluetooth 5/Bluetooth LE networks.

Pär Håkansson, Product Marketing Manager at Nordic Semiconductor, stated, “We announced last April our plan to supply a certified Zigbee-compatible platform in the second half of 2018, and we are very pleased that this has become a reality.”

"The advantage of this solution is that by simultaneously supporting Zigbee and Bluetooth 5/Bluetooth LE operation, it allows you to utilize all the functions of a Bluetooth network, including smartphone connectivity, within a Zigbee network. For example, you can perform firmware upgrades or directly control the Zigbee network via a smartphone or remotely," explained Hakansson.