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What Are Network Communication Modules, and Why are they so Popular?

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With the rise of mobile communication technologies such as 5G, NB-IoT, and RedCap, a communication term has appeared recently. This term is – communication module. Apparently, the network communication Module’s growing popularity is no longer news, and this post will attempt to dissect why this is the case.

What is a Module?

network communication Module's growing popularity

In the ICT industry, what we call modules refers to network or connectivity communication modules, that is, Communication Modules. 
The role of the communication module is, of course, to implement communication functions. It is usually installed inside the terminal device and is the core communication component with the external network.
 Without the module, the terminal is an “isolated island,” unable to report data or receive instructions.
communication module implements communication functions

Differences Between Com Chips and Com Modules

In addition, we also often hear about communication chips. Many will ask: Are communication modules and chips the same thing? If not, what is their relationship?
 Modules and chips are not the same thing.
  • The chip is a universal basic platform.
  • On the other hand, the module is a standard part that is customized and integrated based on the chip platform according to the needs and characteristics of various industries.
After having the module, industry customers can integrate it into their products to form a complete machine/equipment and deliver it to users.

Classification and Structure of Modules

  • First, it is classified according to standards, such as the 4G module, 5G module, RedCap module, etc.
  • Secondly, it is classified according to region, such as global, European, Asia-Pacific, China, etc.
  • Furthermore, they are classified according to packaging methods, such as M.2, LCC, Mini-PCIe, LGA, and LGA+LCC.
Let’s take Fibocom module packaging as an example. When we disassemble a module, we can see that the internal structure is as follows:
Classification and structure of modules
 The figure shows that the wireless communication module is a modular component that integrates the main chip, radio frequency, storage, power supply, functional interfaces, etc., on the circuit board.
 The primary task of the main chip is to complete baseband processing, which is baseband signal conversion (encoding/decoding), channel encryption, signal modulation, and other functions. The role of radio frequency is to achieve transmitted signal amplification, channel noise filtering, transmitting and receiving antenna control, etc. They are the core of the module.
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Communication Modules  Development Challenges

The module is a product with high technological content. Its research and development process is far more complicated than we imagined and is full of challenges.
 First of all, launching a module product requires multiple stages, such as demand analysis, software and hardware design, development, testing, certification, and production. This requires module manufacturers to have a complete R&D and manufacturing system and strong R&D project management capabilities.
 Secondly, from a professional perspective, modules involve professional fields such as signal processing, electronic technology, and communication technology, requiring R&D personnel to have extremely high professional standards. They need to have an in-depth understanding of multiple communication technology standards and underlying protocols and fully master the knowledge of micro-operating systems, embedded software and hardware, and application platform software.
 Take radio frequency design as an example. Platform chips usually only perform baseband functions. Other RF circuits, especially power amplification, filtering, electromagnetic compatibility, RF switching, antenna tuning, etc., must be developed by module manufacturers. The technical difficulty is very high.
 Thirdly, Compatibility testing is also a technical difficulty. Automated compatibility testing for multiple frequency bands is necessary to ensure compatibility with global network operators. Professional module manufacturers can detect some interference problems in advance and solve them in time.
 Fourthly, when developing modules, one must fully understand industry scenarios.
 Modules are used in thousands of industries, and the application scenarios are very complex. Module manufacturers must have a complete understanding of different industries, master the needs of industry customers and the characteristics of business scenarios, and be familiar with industry-standard requirements to develop suitable module products.
 If module manufacturers provide no modules, equipment manufacturers will directly conduct research and development based on chips. This means:
  1. They must recruit more communications professionals to understand and learn the protocols deeply.
  2. They must purchase expensive equipment and build a professional experimental environment.
  3. They must spend a lot of time and energy on testing and certification of communication technology.
This will bring more costs and longer development cycles, affecting the product’s market competitiveness.
 For chip manufacturers, it is not appropriate to directly provide modules. They also need to learn based on the scenario requirements of various industries and invest more resources in adaptation, which will greatly increase costs and work complexity.
 With mods provided by mod manufacturers, this is all simplified. Equipment manufacturers can launch products faster, more conveniently, and at lower costs, and chip manufacturers do not need to divert more energy to research the industry. This is very beneficial to the development of the entire industry.

Technical  Trends of Modules And The Reasons For Network Communication Module’s Growing Popularity

In recent years, with the continuous popularization of 5G, society has accelerated its development towards the “Internet of Everything.”In various vertical industries such as industrial manufacturing, transportation and logistics, ports and mines, energy and power, medical education, smart home, etc., we can see that many traditional wired terminals use 5G, NB-IoT, LTE Cat.1, Wi-Fi 6 and other communication technologies, realizing wirelessization.
 A variety of new digital application scenarios were born. The empowerment of traditional industries by digital technology has also been greatly accelerated.
 It can be said that small modules have contributed a lot to the digitalization of the industry and the digital economy.
 Facing the future, what are the new technological trends in the development of modules?
 Technical experts from Fibocom, the industry’s leading module manufacturer, believe the entire module industry has shown two significant development trends.

The first trend is the accelerated empowerment of scenes by technology.

New communications technologies are still emerging. Some scenes that are not new show greater vitality with the empowerment of new technologies.
 The most typical example is FWA (Fixed Wireless Access).
 Based on CPE equipment, FWA obtains signals through mobile communication base stations, converts them into Wi-Fi and wired signals, and provides users with broadband access services.
 It avoids cumbersome groundline construction, shortens the construction period, and saves costs. It is a way to help users quickly obtain network connections.
 The FWA business has been around for a long time, but its development has been tepid. After the emergence of 5G, with its high bandwidth, low latency, high reliability, and other characteristics, it was quickly applied to FWA services and achieved excellent results.
 Fibocom took the lead in discerning the market opportunities of “5G+FWA” and made a precise layout.
 They explored 5G FWA cutting-edge technologies (cutting-edge cellular communication technologies such as 8Rx, 3Tx, FDD PC2, and software service platforms such as RDK-B, prplOS, OpenSync, etc.). They provided customers with cellular + Wi-Fi integrated solutions. Help customers reduce terminal R&D costs and quickly enter key markets.
 They also proposed plug-and-play FWA middleware and diverse 5G FWA product architecture to help customers meet the needs of operators flexibly in various regions around the world.
 Fibocom’s 5G FWA modules form a professional and complete product matrix and system solutions, which can be combined with Wi-Fi chips to form an overall solution to meet FWA application needs fully. 
Fibocom 5G CPE indoor unit module
In addition to traditional 5G, RedCap, which comes with the arrival of the 3GPP R17 standard, provides a new option for FWA scenarios.
RedCap is appropriately streamlined based on traditional 5G and can perfectly balance cost and performance while maintaining the basic functional characteristics of 5G.
 Based on RedCap, FWA can achieve a smaller size, lower power consumption, and significant cost reduction. For many users, this is precisely what they need.
 In 2024 the much-anticipated 3GPP R18 standard will be frozen, and we will enter the 5G-Advanced (5.5G) era. A 10 Gigabit downlink, uplink, and RedCap evolution will further enhance FWA’s scenario capabilities and promote this application for broader commercial use.

The Second Trend is the Integration of AI and Modules.

In the past year, AIGC large models represented by ChatGPT have become popular across the Internet. All industries are actively embracing AI.
 The same goes for the module industry.
 In the past, modules were considered tools for connectivity, primarily for achieving network connectivity.
 With the changes in the intelligent Internet of Things industry, the migration of computing power from the cloud to the edge has become a trend. Now, many IoT chips are equipped with more powerful AI computing power, which makes it possible to transition AI computing power from the cloud to the edge, providing hardware equipment providers with more choices.
 Local computing of data can not only greatly save bandwidth but also significantly shorten latency. Regarding data security, local computing also has advantages over cloud computing.
 Based on this background, Fibocom has invested a lot of resources in the research and development of AI intelligent modules and launched products including SC126, SC138, and SC171.
 These modules can be used in smart medical care, smart retail, smart conferences, smart logistics, and other fields, giving terminals machine vision and other AI capabilities to improve the work efficiency of the entire industry.
Fibocom AI smart module

Conclusion 

According to IoT Analytics forecasts, global IoT connections will grow from 11.7 billion units in 2020 to 30.9 billion in 2025.
 The market space is huge, but the competition is equally fierce. How can we win in the fierce competition?
 As we said before, modules are an industry-oriented business. There are so many industries and so many application scenarios.
If module manufacturers cannot focus on business, they may not be able to build core advantages and eventually get lost in the price war.
 There is a need for industry focus. Like Fibocom, it focuses on a few promising directions, deeply cultivates technology, understands needs, and carries out targeted development. In this way, it can help customers launch products better and gain value.
 Based on focus, standardization must be achieved as soon as possible. The module serves the industry and is customizable. The more customized a segment is, the more critical it is to become a standard in advance.
 Once it becomes an industry standard, its market position will be solid, leading the industry to follow and become a leader.
 The wave of digital intelligence is becoming more and more intense, and the development of the module industry will also enter a new stage. Will any new technology trends be emerging? Will the module industry structure change?

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