Cellular IoT Discovery Kit from STMicroelectronics

The STMicroelectronics B-L462E-CELL1 Discovery kit brings together the critical hardware and software building blocks, including GSMA-certified embedded SIM (eSIM) to quickly develop power-conscious Cellular IoT devices that connect to the Internet through LTE-Cat M and NB-IoT networks. It is well suited for embedded developers and IoT evangelists, and affordable for OEM and mass-market customers.

The kit features an ultra-small size all-in-one cellular module from Murata, which embeds ST’s ultra-low-power STM32L462* microcontroller, ST4SIM-200M GSMA-certified embedded SIM (eSIM), and an LTE-M/NB-IOT chipset. The eSIM is pre-programmed with a bootstrap connectivity profile from Truphone, an ST Authorized Partner. The kit leverages out-of-the-box data connectivity and enables remote SIM provisioning and SIM Over-The-Air updates. The user can immediately start the board by connecting to a power supply using a USB cable or inserting three AAA batteries in the connector provided before activating the eSIM to let the board connect to a cellular network to begin developing the application.

The B-L462E-CELL1 kit is designed to strongly resist cellular connectivity attacks thanks to the ST4SIM-200M eSIM solution based on the proven ST33 Arm® SecurCore® SC300™ secure element, which is CC EAL5+ and GSMA SGP.02 v3.2 certified. The ST4SIM is ready to host a Root-of-Trust applet for enhanced protection against cyber-attacks.

A set of on-board sensors simplifies development of motion- and environmental-monitoring solutions. They comprise ST’s LSM303AGR accelerometer-magnetometer, HTS221 relative humidity and temperature sensor, and LPS22HH pressure sensor. There is also a 0.96-inch OLED display, indicator LEDs, and a USB connection.

The STM32Cube software expansion package, X-CUBE-CELLULAR drives the Discovery kit and supports the Berkeley (BSD) sockets application programming interface (API). BSD’s standardized function-calls for Internet communication let users connect their prototypes to the Internet without needing to develop an AT-command driver to control the modem. X-CUBE-CELLULAR includes a demonstration application and cellular framework in source code, and is easily imported and configured using the powerful, free STM32Cube software toolset.

With ST’s ultra-low-power technologies in the STM32L4, which draws about 2µA in STOP 2 mode, and a cellular chipset drawing less than 1.4µA in Power Saving Mode (PSM), the B-L462E-CELL1 Discovery kit provides a platform to develop equipment with battery life of up to 10-years for smart-city, smart-industry, smart-agriculture, smart-metering, and wearable applications. The ST4SIM-200M is manufactured and personalized at ST’s GSMA-accredited sites and, with the programmed eSIM profile, eases connection to networks** in more than 160 countries.

“Cellular connectivity will take a significant share on the IoT market and is why ST has teamed with Murata on a module powered by STM32L4 and embedded ST4SIM eSIM,” said Hakim Jaafar, Head of Wireless MCU Marketing, STMicroelectronics. “For the best out-of-the-box experience, ST has also worked closely with Truphone on a free-of-charge LTE-M connectivity data plan to allow IoT Cellular Discovery kit users to quickly develop and prototype their solutions.”

“This announcement underscores the importance of our collaboration with STMicroelectronics. By doing so, we developed a solution that addresses two of the major pain points cellular IoT device developers face – software development and cellular certification. This module also delivers class-leading optimization and flexibility in a highly integrated package to enable global connectivity,” added Yong Fang, Cellular IoT Product Manager, Murata Americas.