Qualcomm Technologies plans to commence the first eMTC/NB-IoT/GSM (LTE Cat M1/NB1 and E-GPRS) multimode field trials in China, with China Mobile Research Institute (CMRI) and China's smart bike sharing company, Mobike.

The field trials' plans contemplate making use of China Mobile's 2G/4G multimode network and Mobike's smart lock, supported by the Qualcomm Technologies' MDM9206 global multimode LTE modem for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The LTE connectivity and integrated GNSS position-location capability in the MDM9206 LTE modem is designed to help Mobike customers identify an available bike, accelerate the unlock process of the smart lock and assist with real-time management - all while providing Mobike with continuous monitoring of the bike's status.

In addition, the MDM9206 global multimode LTE modem together with Qualcomm Technologies' low-power Bluetooth solution is planned to be used in the smart Mobike Preferred Location (sMPL) platform to support sub-meter level positioning, helping Mobike monitor the real-time location and overall status of its bikes including quantity, position, and traffic information from different regions. This platform is also designed to provide operations personnel with smart instructions for the delivery, scheduling, operation and maintenance of the bikes.

The MDM9206 LTE modem is designed to support global Category M1 and NB1/GSM multimode. The IoT-optimized narrowband LTE technologies help the MDM9206 modem to support low-power, low-bandwidth, multi-year battery life and greater coverage for the next-generation of IoT products and services as compared to previous LTE generations. The MDM9206 LTE modem also provides location performance, including an integrated A-GNSS solution, support for cellular and Wi-Fi positioning.