Qualcomm Technologies unveiled a new chip that uses the 3GPP NR-Light standard to target less data and resource-intensive 5G use cases.

The Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System is built toward 3GPP’s NR-Light specification that slots in as an alternative between high-speed modems for enhanced mobile broadband and low-speed IoT communications.

Gautam Sheoran, VP of product management at Qualcomm, noted in a press briefing that the chip will support peak downlink speeds of 220 Mb/s and uplink speeds of 100 Mb/s. That’s significantly slower than the multi-gigabit speeds promised and shown by full-powered 5G connections.

The NR-Light specification was initially dubbed “reduced capability” or “redcap.” It was basically designed as the 5G version of the narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) or LTE-M specifications used in 4G LTE.

The specification itself limits spectrum use to 20 megahertz for sub-6 GHz bands and 100 megahertz for millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum, which is how it can curb power usage. Qualcomm’s X35 is currently limited to sub-6 GHz bands.

“On the lower bandwidth perspective, smaller devices – let's say industrial routers or other connectivity – it’s not every device that needs 200 Mb/s,” Sheoran said. “But many of the devices that we see have power requirements, have has size requirements, and in some cases a cost point that can fit their particular use case.”

He added that initial testing has shown power consumption at less than half of current integrated 4G modems from Qualcomm.

Despite the clipped speed potential, the X35 chip does continue to support other significant 5G advantages like low-latency, precise positioning, and voice over 4G and 5G (VoLTE/VoNR). It also sports a “significantly” smaller form factor compared to full-powered chips that furthers its use inside of unique end-user devices.

However, Sheoran did think those speeds would be enough to support supposedly high throughput use cases like artificial reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

“There are features that we are developing on this chipset, whether it's for low latency or whether it’s for specific industrial use cases – that we're not getting into today – but it's a feature-rich platform that's going to have those software and hardware features that enable specific use cases," Sheoran said.

The X35 is limited to standalone (SA) 5G and does not support non-standalone (NSA) 5G, though it does support legacy 4G LTE connections tied to ongoing network migration plans. It also supports dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) software.

Qualcomm said it has begun sampling the chip, though did not state specific customers or use cases. It expects commercial products to hit the market by the first half of 2024.

CCS Insight’s Wayne Lam noted in a recent blog post that the NR-Light standard could be tied to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in edge environments, specifically citing surveillance cameras.

“Using machine learning data sets and inferencing, the AI-connected camera can perform localized surveillance services as opposed to simply sending video to the network, freeing up network resources and data costs,” Lam wrote. “AI running on the camera can be tuned to detect activity, and once triggered it can send recorded images to the network.”

That use case notwithstanding, Lam also stated that the broader market will have to see a value in such deployments to support the NR-Light market.

“Enterprise investment in digital transformation will need to remain robust to bolster demand for NR-Light devices and services – something that remains a question mark in difficult macroeconomic conditions,” Lam wrote. “NR-Light will have to overcome the pitfalls of the much-hyped IoT promises made in the 4G days and demonstrate real market value.”

Research firm IoT Analystics predicts 5G-enabled IoT module shipments will account for 16% of the market in 2026, with the NR-Light specification “expected to play a key part in the market’s growth beyond 2026.”

Lam echoed that notion, adding that it will also be vital to ongoing connected edge use cases.

“NR-Light represents a vital technology that helps right-size 5G connectivity for intelligent edge applications, clearing the way for innovative devices and services that take advantage of the network,” Lam stated. “Fundamentally, it’s the underlying technology in establishing the connected edge and imbuing it with intelligence.”