Silicon Labs announces Z-Wave LR support for Z-Wave 700 Series

AUSTIN, Texas – Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB) today announced Z-Wave Long Range (LR) support for existing Z-Wave 700 Series products. With ten-year coin cell battery operation, backward compatibility and the addition of Z-Wave LR features, Silicon Labs Z-Wave 700 Series SoCs and modules extend seamless wireless connectivity beyond the smart home. The unique benefits of Z-Wave LR make it a perfect fit for Internet of Things (IoT) applications in commercial, multi-dwelling unit (MDU), and hospitality markets.

Z-Wave LR is a new specification by the Z-Wave Alliance offering point-to-point wireless connectivity at ranges up to several miles and support for thousands of nodes. Z-Wave LR eliminates the need for mesh repeaters, saving time and money for developers and end customers.

“The addition of Z-Wave Long Range support is a significant expansion of our Z-Wave 700 Series product offering, bringing Z-Wave beyond the home into IoT markets requiring substantially greater range and penetration,” said Jake Alamat, vice president and general manager of IoT home and consumer products at Silicon Labs.

Field testing of Z-Wave LR on Silicon Labs Z-Wave 700 Series products demonstrated one-mile point-to-point range (line-of-sight) at +14dBm output power, and new Z-Wave 700 products will be launched in 2021, further extending range with an increased +20dBm output. Several mile range can be achieved with an external power amplifier to meet the maximum Z-Wave LR specification limit of +30dBm. Additionally, the 700 Series supports dynamic output control to optimize power settings and enables up to ten years operation on a coin cell battery.

“Silicon Labs’ Z-Wave 700 solutions with Z-Wave Long Range will allow us to provide energy-efficient, scalable IoT connectivity to our smart apartment communities,” said Felicite Moorman, Co-Founder of STRATIS, a leading IoT platform for connected buildings. “With ease of installation and extended range capabilities, these Z-Wave solutions enable connected products that deliver an excellent experience for installers, staff and residents.”

New development kits supporting Z-Wave LR are available for purchase. Software support for Z-Wave Long Range on Z-Wave 700 devices is available via Simplicity Studio 5, Silicon Labs’ free IoT developer environment. Z-Wave Alliance certification for Z-Wave LR devices will be added by end of Q1 2021, with customer products to follow. For more information about Z-Wave 700 modules and SoCs, visit silabs.com/wireless/z-wave.