Nordic’s nRF93M1 Development Kit Targets LTE Cat 1 bis IoT Prototyping

nRF93M1 Development Kit

Nordic Semiconductor has introduced the nRF93M1 Development Kit, a development platform designed to simplify evaluation and prototyping of LTE Cat 1 bis cellular IoT applications. The kit combines the nRF93M1-LABA smart modem with Nordic’s low-power nRF54L15 host MCU, giving developers a practical platform for building connected devices. Nordic now offers the kit globally through its distribution partners.

The nRF93M1 Development Kit supports cellular and Wi-Fi-based location services and connects to nRF Cloud for messaging, observability, device management, location, and firmware updates. Developers can communicate with the modem through AT commands over UART or USB, while the board also supports PPP for IP networking. The kit includes an LTE antenna and a pre-loaded Onomondo SIM, allowing developers to test cellular connectivity without assembling additional hardware.

nRF93M1 Development Kit Front Side

Key Features:

• Processing:
  • Host processor: Nordic Semiconductor nRF54L15
  • Arm Cortex-M33 with TrustZone, up to 128 MHz
  • RISC-V coprocessor for software-defined peripherals
  • 256 KB SRAM and 1.5 MB non-volatile memory
• Wireless:
  • Bluetooth 6.0 with data rates up to 2 Mbps
  • 802.15.4 radio for Thread, Zigbee, and Matter
  • Nordic proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless protocol
  • 2402–2480 MHz operating range
  • Up to +8 dBm output power
• Cellular:
  • Nordic Semiconductor nRF93M1 LTE Cat 1 bis modem
  • 3GPP Release 14 compliant
  • LTE FDD/TDD support from 617 to 2690 MHz
  • Power Class 3 with up to 23 dBm output power
  • Up to 10 Mbps downlink and 5 Mbps uplink
  • Wi-Fi and cellular positioning through nRF Cloud
  • SMA antenna connector with external antenna
  • Nano-SIM socket and eSIM footprint
• Connectivity:
  • 2x USB Type-C ports
  • USB1 for power, programming, and debugging
  • USB2 for nRF93M1 trace connectivity
  • GPIO expansion headers
  • UART and AT command interface
• Debugging and Development:
  • Onboard nRF5340 interface MCU
  • SEGGER J-Link OB programmer and debugger
  • SWD programming and debugging
  • Serial port access through USB-C
  • Dedicated nRF93M1 trace interface
• Misc:
  • Reset button and 2x user buttons
  • User LED
  • Onboard nRF54L15 PCB antenna
  • Current-measurement interface for power profiling
• Power:
  • 5V power input through USB-C
  • 3.3V–4.2V battery input
  • nPM1300 PMIC
  • Dedicated buck regulator supplying the nRF93M1 modem

nRF93M1 Development Kit Bottom Side

Developers can start with nRF Connect for Desktop, nRF Util, and a serial terminal before moving into application development with the nRF Connect SDK. The nRF93M1 runs Nordic-maintained modem firmware, while application code runs on the separate nRF54L15 host MCU. Developers can also use AT commands, PPP, or USB with another embedded or rich-OS host. The modem supports IPv4/IPv6, TCP/UDP, TLS/DTLS, CoAP, and HTTP(S), while nRF Cloud provides integrated device and location services.

nRF93M1 DK Block Diagram

The nRF93M1 Development Kit is available through Nordic Semiconductor’s distribution network. At the time of writing, Mouser lists the NRF93M1-DK for $62.60, while DigiKey offers the kit for $63.72. Pricing and availability may vary depending on region and distributor. Additional information, documentation, and purchasing options are available on the Nordic Semiconductor product page.

Images used courtesy of NORDIC Semiconductors