Qualcomm is acquiring 4G IoT technology from Sequans Communications, a French-based fabless semiconductor company. This deal includes several employees, assets, and licenses. Sequans’ specialization in creating cellular semiconductor solutions for massive and critical IoT markets makes this acquisition significant for Qualcomm. With 4G IoT technologies now under its control, Qualcomm plans to integrate them into its end-to-end solutions, enhancing its current industrial IoT portfolio.
Nakul Duggal, group general manager of automotive, industrial and embedded IoT, and cloud computing at Qualcomm, stated, “This acquisition of Sequans’ 4G IoT technology adds to Qualcomm’s broad portfolio, further strengthening our offerings across enterprise customers of low-power solutions for reliable, optimized cellular connectivity for Industrial IoT applications.”
This acquisition aligns with market trends. An ABI Research forecast from April predicts 108 million IoT connections on private LTE (4G) and 5G networks in the manufacturing sector by 2030. Similarly, the transportation industry anticipates 71 million IoT connections on private LTE and 5G networks within the same timeframe.
Financial terms of the transaction haven’t been disclosed. Interestingly, Sequans will retain full commercial usage rights of the technology via a perpetual license agreement. Georges Karam, Sequans’ CEO, commented, “We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation and providing cutting-edge 4G/5G semiconductor solutions that meet the advancing needs of AI-powered Internet of Things applications. This transaction is expected to provide us the resources and flexibility to enhance our product offerings and expand our market presence.”
