NimbeLink Skywire™ Cellular Development Kit Enables A Simple Way to Design for the IoT

Whether you are designing a circuit board from scratch, adding cellular connectivity to an existing product, or building onto one of today’s sophisticated microprocessors or microcontrollers, NimbeLink Skywire development kits simplify cellular modem connectivity and product prototyping. Skywire modem kits allow direct modem connection to your circuit board with everything you need for successful prototyping . Skywire shields and capes plug into boards from Renasas, Texas Instruments, STMicro, NXP and more, offering not just easy addition of a Skywire modem but advanced capabilities to complement those of the microprocessor board.

The Skywire™ Development Kit includes one baseboard, antenna, power supply, SIM cards, and debug cables. Skywire modems must be purchased separately. The kit enables you to develop your application directly on the Skywire™ modem with three different ways to connect:

1. Connect your PC to the xE910 modem UART port via onboard USB-to-UART converter and send AT commands directly to the modem through PC terminal applications. You can also connect over USB for access to multiple COM ports.

2. The kit is an Arduino shield, so you can plug the kit directly onto an Arduino microcontroller. Please see Section 3: Common Next Steps for links to example documentation.

3. To connect the kit to a different processor or development kit, a 14-pin header breaks out the necessary signals for easy connection to any device. The modem supports I/O levels from 1.65-5.5V, simplifying connection to other systems.

They are ideal for incorporation into new products in IoT, and in addition to providing robust access to cellular networks, are designed to shorten the path from concept to market ready product. A wide range of development kits, adapters, and capes help developers design and test cellular-enabled products. And the end-device-certification of all Skywire™ modems eliminates the months of delay and tens of thousands of dollars of cost to achieve this FCC-required certification.

Platform:
Generic + Arduino Shield

Networking:
Cellular

Processor:
None – External PC or External Arduino

The Skywire™ family of modems is designed for embedded applications in which the modems are integrated into a product’s circuit board. Skywire™ cellular modems cover the full range of cellular services including 2G, 3G, 4G LTE CAT 3, and LTE CAT 1 and LTE CAT 4 . They are the smallest plug-compatible cellular modems on the market and all share the same Digi’s Xbee® Standard footprint.

For additional product information or technical support, contact Symmetry Electronics, an authorized distributor of industry leading wireless, audio/video and embedded chips, modules and dev/eval tools.  or call (877) 466-9722.