Semtech Expands LoRa Plus Line With LR2022 and LR2012 Transceivers

Semtech has moved two additions to its LoRa Plus transceiver family into production. The LR2022 and LR2012 join the previously released LR2021, giving the company a three-chip lineup built around the same fourth-generation LoRa IP core and designed to cover a wider range of Internet of Things (IoT) deployment types than any single earlier device could.

One Core, Two New RF Footprints

The LR2022 and LR2012 inherit the fourth-generation core’s RF and analog architecture, which uses a multi-region, single-SKU design to reduce external bill-of-materials costs, board area, and power consumption compared with prior LoRa transceivers. Both parts remain backward compatible with LoRaWAN, LR-FHSS, and legacy OOK devices, and claim best-in-class receive sensitivity down to -141.5 dBm at SF12/125 kHz, with data rates reaching 125 kbps for LoRa and 2 Mbps for FSK. That headroom is intended for burst transfers of images, audio, or firmware-over-the-air (FUOTA) packages, as well as for proprietary protocols that require tight latency. A wider frequency-offset tolerance is also said to eliminate the need for a TCXO or heavy thermal relief in the RF layout, and both devices ship in a QFN32 5×5 mm package.

The two parts diverge in coverage. The LR2022 extends into the 2.4 GHz ISM spectrum and the licensed S-band, adding Bluetooth LE PHY support alongside LoRa and FSK-based legacy protocols, and it targets designs that need a single hardware layout to serve both terrestrial and non-terrestrial, satellite-connected networks. The LR2012 stays entirely in the sub-GHz ISM bands, aimed instead at LoRaWAN, Wi-SUN, and wireless M-Bus implementations that don’t need multi-band flexibility.

Utility metering, including smart electric meters, is one of the design wins named for the new LR2012 transceiver. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

Rounding Out the LoRa Plus Lineup

• With the LR2022 and LR2012 now shipping, Semtech’s LoRa Plus portfolio comprises three roles:
• LR2021: multi-band, multi-protocol transceiver with FLRC up to 2.6 Mbps, aimed at edge AI use cases
• LR2022: multi-band, single-hardware-design transceiver for combined terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks
• LR2012: sub-GHz transceiver optimized for traditional low-power wireless and LPWAN

All three share fourth-generation IP and Semtech’s Unified Software Platform, which the company positions against an installed base of more than 500 million LoRa devices. Metering vendors were among the early adopters of the sub-GHz part: Zenner selected the LR2012 for its Stealth Reader Meter Interface Unit for automated meter reading and infrastructure equipment, citing its LoRaWAN performance, OOK backward compatibility, and LR-FHSS support for satellite connectivity. Engelmann Sensor GmbH selected the LR2012 for its next-generation metering hardware, citing its price point and access to current LoRa capabilities.

Across the three devices, design teams now have a single RF architecture and software stack that scales from simple sub-GHz sensor nodes to multi-band trackers with satellite backhaul. That’s a practical way to standardize a product line without re-architecting the firmware every time a design moves from a basic utility meter to one that needs to phone home from well outside cellular or Wi-Fi coverage—worth a look for anyone spec’ing LPWAN silicon for a new metering, tracking, or asset-monitoring platform.