Sony Ericsson introduces new M2M GSM/GPRS modules

Sony Ericsson introduced a range of new GSM/GPRS modules for the growing machine-to-machine communication market. The GM28 is an instant, cost effective, self contained solution targeting point of sales, vending and other applications. The GM42 is Sony Ericsson's third dual band 850MHz/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS module for the US market. It is specifically designed for safety critical applications in harsh environments such as industrial, automotive and fleet solutions.

“These new products strengthen our current GSM, TDMA and CDMA portfolio by providing new solutions for the GSM market in the US as well as for global applications in wireless M2M communication”, says Anders Franzén, Corporate Vice President, Head of Sony Ericsson M2M Com.
The GM28 dual band (850MHz/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS Serial Modem provides the ability to send and receive data by GPRS, HSCSD, CSD, SMS as well as handle voice calls. It has a rugged and compact design and plugs directly into an application or computer via its serial connector and is instantly ready to start sending data and voice. It is ideal for customers who need a fast route to market with a minimum of integration and value the flexibility offered by a plug and play wireless device. It is suitable for a variety of fixed and mobile business application areas, including vending, monitoring & control, security/alarms and fleet management.

The GM28 will be available starting Q4 2002 and is currently under extensive trial by several customers in the US focusing on point of sales and vending applications.

The GM41 and GM42 GSM/GPRS modules meet extreme operating temperature and vibration/shock resistance requirements for use in harsh environments, with standard form factor for telematics and telemetry applications. Two versions are available, supporting either dual band 900MHz/1800MHz (GM41) or 850MHz/1900MHz (GM42). The standard form factor allows customers to develop global applications and easy transition from TDMA and CDMA to GSM, thereby minimizing investment risks for integrators and system developers. No hosting platform changes are needed which mitigates development risks. The product reduces HW integration cost and time, supports two SIM cards (external and internal) as well as remote SIM card mounting via SIM Bus. These modules will be available Q1 2003.

With demand for machine-to-machine solutions expected to significantly increase year-on-year over the next few years, Sony Ericsson's range of modules which cover world-wide standards (GSM, TDMA, CDMA) is well placed to serve the increasing market needs.

Source: SonyEricsson.com