Semtech, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, has announced that Microchip Technology has adopted Semtech’s long-range LoRa RF technology. Microchip is developing LoRa technology-based solutions that target Internet-of-things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M), metering, security, and industrial-automation applications, among others.
Microchip, a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, is already an IoT/M2M market leader, offering end-to-end IC solutions that include certified wireless modules, sensors and eXtreme Low Power PIC microcontrollers. The agreement with Microchip expands Semtech’s already significant ecosystem, which includes partnerships with other technology companies and existing volume deployments.
Semtech’s design win activity is part of the IoT market boom. According to IMS Research, there will be more than 22 billion web-connected devices by 2020[i]. Of those 22 billion devices, more than 50% are predicted to need long-range connectivity and multi-year battery operation.
LoRa RF technology enables long range, low power connectivity that previously had been unrealisable. Competing short-range technology requires too many repeaters and too much infrastructure to achieve wide coverage, and it has limited capacity in the network to connect a high volume of nodes. This has made the return on investment (ROI) unattractive for many applications and has limited deployments. LoRa solves these limitations and is enabling simple IoT connectivity.
“Microchip provides customers with easy-to-use solutions based on superior technology,” said Hardy Schmidbauer, Wireless Products Director at Semtech. “We are excited to have them as a source for LoRa technology and a contributor to the growing LoRa ecosystem.”
Semtech is creating an ecosystem of partners and application solutions, to connect to both private networks as well as public IoT/M2M networks. Having yet another semiconductor supplier adopt the LoRa technology gives potential customers confidence that the availability of their LoRa parts will not be interrupted.
“Semtech’s LoRa technology provides a solution for the rising market need to wirelessly connect IoT and many other embedded designs,” said Steve Caldwell, vice president of the Wireless Products Division at Microchip. “We expect this technology to enable compelling new capabilities for our customers, and have already begun developing our first LoRa solutions.”
