Dev kit speeds LTE connectivity for IoT apps

Avnet introduced the Monarch Go Pi HAT, a new development kit to help product engineers and network developers enable simple, cost-effective LTE connectivity for IoT solutions. Utilizing the Monarch Go LTE-M modem component from Sequans, the new solution is ideal for use in business-critical applications, including asset tracking and remote monitoring.

With capabilities beyond a traditional cellular module, Monarch Go includes the LTE antenna and is pre-certified for end-customer use on the Verizon network, allowing engineers to significantly reduce lab testing and development time. Monarch Go is based on the Sequans Monarch GM01Q module that supports LTE-M and NB-IoT and is certified by leading operators in North America, Europe and Asia, giving it worldwide deployment and roaming capability. By combining Raspberry Pi HAT-capable single-board computers with Monarch Go, Avnet’s new Pi HAT offers lower cost of ownership and improved speed to market to develop a cellular IoT-connected device.

The Monarch Go Pi HAT can operate in two modes for added development flexibility, either in conjunction with a single-board computer or in stand-alone mode, leveraging a micro USB interface. In addition, the Pi HAT includes a shuttle click expansion connector to enable 3.3V I/O I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO-based click modules from MikroElektronika. This expansion connector provides engineers with access to a large array of click module offerings, which can be used to prototype various LTE-based applications such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, and embedded kiosks.

The Monarch Go Pi HAT kit includes a production-ready Monarch Go LTE modem with pre-installed ThingSpace IoT SIM, the MikroElektronika shuttle click site, voltage I/O translator and micro USB. Pi HAT supports both Monarch Go and Monarch Go-GPS modems.

The Monarch Go Pi HAT kit is available in the Americas for USD $72.95.  Raspberry Pi products and accessories, including the new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer with 8GB of onboard memory, are available from Newark, an Avnet Company.