Positioning rugged RedCap routers below 1W idle power directly targets the gap between sunsetting LTE and over-specified 5G for remote assets. For operators and utilities, this lowers lifecycle costs enough to justify active migration plans away from 4G, rather than deferring upgrades. It also strengthens the business case for private 5G in hard-to-reach infrastructure, where radio performance historically conflicted with energy budgets. Overall, this move accelerates 5G SA and Release 17-derived IoT designs tailored to constrained, long-life industrial deployments.
New AirLink® RX400 and EX400 deliver future-proof 5G connectivity with sub-1W power consumption, enabling solar- and battery-powered IoT deployments
Semtech Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance semiconductor, Internet of Things (IoT) systems and cloud connectivity service solutions, today announced two new AirLink® 5G RedCap routers that address a critical gap in industrial and commercial IoT: the need for future-proof and energy-efficient 5G connectivity scaled to real-world IoT application needs.
“5G RedCap adoption is accelerating, with connections projected to surpass 656 million globally by 2030 (including eRedCap),” said Shobhit Srivastava, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. “The technology delivers the right combination of attributes for industrial applications: 5G network longevity, power efficiency, and 5G performance that matches real-world industrial requirements—without the cost premium of traditional 5G.”
“As LTE networks phase out through the 2030s, 5G RedCap will provide organizations with a deployment path that makes both technical and economic sense.”
The new AirLink RX400 and AirLink EX400 routers deliver 5G RedCap performance while consuming less than 1 watt of power when idle, enabling deployments in remote, off-grid locations previously served by existing LTE networks or expensive, high-power traditional 5G solutions. Both routers deliver the throughput and low latency necessary for IoT applications and have a 2×2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna configuration—to simplify integration into existing and new deployments.
Based on 3GPP Release 17 and 5G Standalone (SA) architecture, 5G RedCap technology delivers enhanced network performance and future-proof longevity as carriers continue to modernize their infrastructure. The RX400 and EX400 support 5G RedCap but also LTE Cat-4 for flexible connectivity and immediate deployments.
Industrial IoT Caught Between Existing 4G and Traditional 5G
“Industrial IoT has been caught between traditional 5G that’s too power-hungry and expensive for off-grid applications, and 4G LTE networks that have limited long-term viability,” said Kinana Hussain, vice president of AirLink networking solutions at Semtech. “AirLink 5G RedCap routers change the game. With sub-1W power consumption and ruggedized designs built for extreme conditions, these RedCap routers deliver 5G at IoT economics. This enables customers to upgrade their networks today to match the long lifespan industrial operations require, finally providing a sustainable path for connecting remote critical infrastructure.”
Key Applications and Use Cases
The sub-1W power efficiency of both routers enables entirely new 5G deployment scenarios:
- Remote Infrastructure Monitoring: Off-grid supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) backhaul in energy and utilities
- Critical Infrastructure Monitoring: Remote system monitoring in oil and gas
- Distributed Commercial IoT: Retail, manufacturing and agricultural operations
- Temporary Installations: Mobile deployments where grid power is unavailable or cost-prohibitive
AirLink RX400: Rugged 5G RedCap Router for Outdoor Environments
The AirLink RX400 is the industry’s most power efficient 5G RedCap router* with a rugged IP64 and MIL-STD-810H design for challenging outdoor environments and applications requiring maximum reliability. The combination of rugged design and low power consumption optimizes it for critical infrastructure applications where grid power is unavailable, enabling solar-powered operation in remote locations.
The router supports global private LTE and 5G bands, including Anterix Band 106 (900 MHz spectrum standardized under 3GPP Release 18), delivering the versatility and future-proofing that is essential for mission-critical deployments across energy, utilities and industrial sectors. The router also features a single/dual serial port, a single Gigabit Ethernet port, edge computing capabilities, and optional Wi-Fi 6.
AirLink EX400: Semi-Rugged Design for Commercial IoT
The AirLink EX400 features a semi-rugged design for use in IoT applications in retail, manufacturing and agricultural operations. The router features dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, edge computing capabilities and optional Wi-Fi 6.
Comprehensive Network Management
The RX400 and EX400 include one year of AirLink Complete with hardware warranty, 24/7 support and remote management through the cloud-based AirLink Management Service (ALMS) platform. This allows organizations to securely monitor, manage and automatically update router deployments at scale without overwhelming IT support teams.
Semtech is also expanding management options for its AirLink OS-based routers—including the AirLink RX400 and AirLink EX400—through optional management via AirLink Manager (AM) and AirLink Mobility Manager (AMM) platforms. These management solutions can be deployed hosted or on-premises, providing AirLink customers with flexibility to choose the management solution that best fits their operational and organizational requirements—leveraging the same field-tested management infrastructure trusted by leading energy and industrial organizations worldwide.
Availability
The AirLink RX400 and EX400 routers can be ordered now through qualified Semtech authorized AirLink channel partners.
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