The SoC, building on the success of the first-generation MM6108, offers improved levels of performance in all key areas of range, throughput, and power efficiency while also reducing the cost and time needed to bring the next generation of Wi-Fi HaLow enabled products to market.
The MM8108 delivers data rates of up to 43.33 Mbps using sub-GHz 256-QAM modulation – a world first - at an 8 MHz bandwidth, making it suitable for a range of applications in agricultural, mining, industrial, home, and city environments.
Its integrated 26dBm power amplifier (PA) with exceptional power efficiency, and low-noise amplifier (LNA) ensure improved performance and enables global regulatory certification without the need for external Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) filters. The device’s power efficiency significantly extends battery life enabling the uptake of solar-powered Wi-Fi HaLow connected cameras and IoT devices.
“The MM8108 enables powerful and practical solutions for the evolving demands of IoT. With features like host offloading, integrated amplifiers, and industry-leading security, the MM8108 makes developing long-range, low-power IoT applications simpler and more cost-effective than ever before,” said Andrew Terry, co-founder and CTO of Morse Micro.
Key features include:
First 256-QAM (MCS9) operation: Improved spectrum efficiency, minimizing interference in high-density environments and enabling throughputs of up to 43.33Mbps
USB, SDIO and SPI host integration: Improving ease of integration and enabling USB AP and STA dongle operation on new and existing network infrastructure
Integrated PA with unmatched transmit efficiency: High transmit output power of 26dBm with only 325mA current draw from a 3.3V voltage source
Low power operation: Optimised for battery-operated applications with significantly extended sleep times and ultra-low power consumption in sleep modes
Class-leading Rx and Tx performance: Longest reach and fastest Wi-Fi HaLow chip in the market, enabling applications including AI-enabled IoT devices and streaming multiple Ultra High Definition (HD) 4K cameras in real-time over extensive range
Enhanced security: Supports next-generation WPA3 with Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) and GCMP encryption for robust link-layer protection
Scalable design: Compact 5 x 5 mm BGA package minimizes printed circuit board (PCB) size and cost
Complementing the MM8108, Morse Micro has also unveiled the MM8108-RD09 USB dongle reference design, which demonstrates the ease of upgrading new and existing Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7 network infrastructure to support Wi-Fi HaLow.
The dongle reference design will be made available to customers as a fully compliant Wi-Fi HaLow reference design, which can be used to build commercial USB dongles or to simplify the integration of the MM8108 silicon in end products.
The MM8108-RD09 USB dongle will be bundled with Raspberry Pi 4B, power supply and antenna, and made available as a complete Wi-Fi HaLow evaluation kit (the MM8108-EKH19) targeting customers interested in testing and integrating the MM8108 within their platforms.
“The MM8108-EKH19 is more than just a Wi-Fi HaLow evaluation platform - it’s an enabler of market transformation,” explained Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro. “By simplifying the integration process, we’re making it easier for customers to adopt Wi-Fi HaLow, driving growth and opening doors to new opportunities in IoT and beyond.”
