u-blox AG: u-blox UBX-R5 becomes first IoT chipset certified by GCF

The u-blox UBX-R5 LTE-M/NB-IoT chipset offers unprecedented wireless technology integration with built-in end-to-end security, making it ideal for mission-critical or long life-cycle IoT applications.

THALWIL, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / March 2, 2020 / u-blox (SIX:UBXN, OTC:UBLXF), a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies, today announced certification by the Global Certification Forum (GCF) of the UBX-R5, u-blox's proprietary multi-band LTE-M/NB-IoT chipset featuring end-to-end device security, data security, and access control management. It is the first IoT chipset to be certified under GCF's IoT chipset program. Launched in January this year, the program is designed to certify IoT chipsets covering NB-IoT and LTE-M to allow the IoT ecosystem to easily integrate and embed certified chipsets into modules and devices.

"GCF's IoT chipset certification initiative was launched earlier this year and we're extremely pleased to have u-blox achieve the first certification so soon for its UBX-R5 Cat-M1 chipset," said Lars Nielsen, CEO at Global Certification Forum. "We anticipate that many more IoT chipsets will come through the programme this year, offering confidence and reliability for the IoT industry with industry-recognised compliance to 3GPP standards."

"We are delighted that GCF has recognized the quality of our UBX-R5 LTE-M/NB-IoT chipset that sets a new benchmark for IoT connectivity, while paving the way for robust secure communication from the chip all the way to the cloud," says Andreas Thiel, Head of Product Centers at u-blox.

The u-blox UBX-R5 is a 5G-ready cellular chipset for low power wide area (LPWA) mission-critical or long life-cycle IoT applications such as smart metering, telematics, tracking, security systems, building automation, as well as smart lighting solutions and connected health. With mobile network operators announcing their plans to roll out 5G networks, 5G readiness is becoming a key factor in selecting cellular communication modules. LTE-M and NB-IoT are forward-compatible with 5G networks, and, by implementing key LTE-M and NB-IoT features from 3GPP Release 14, UBX-R5 offers customers a smooth transition towards 5G via software upgrades to already deployed devices.

UBX-R5 also offers unmatched built-in end-to-end security thanks to a hardware-based root of trust (RoT) integrated in a discrete secure element compliant with EAL5+ High common criteria certification, which makes it ideally suited to protect sensitive assets and communications.

About u-blox

u-blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u-blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost-effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

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u‑blox media contact:

Natacha Seitz
Senior Manager PR and Content Marketing
Mobile +41 76 436 0788
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com

About GCF
Global Certification Forum was founded in 1999 and today has 335+ members. GCF defines the certification requirements for the mobile and IoT industry through collaboration with key global organisations and independent standardisation committees. Members from major operators, device and IoT manufacturers and the test industry work with their partners to provide device-network interoperability, reduction in testing costs and accelerated time to market. The GCF certification ecosystem evolves at pace to anticipate global market trends and deliver a range of certification programmes including 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, IoT, oneM2M, Module, C-IoT chipset, C-V2X, eSIM (RSP), industry 4.0 and MCPTT services.

Follow GCF: @GCF_certified

Editorial contact:
Andrea Barnard
Publitek
+44 (0) 208 1445870
andrea.barnard@publitek.com

SOURCE: u-blox AG

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