New qastle Smart Alarm Controller for Home Security is Connected by Sequans Monarch Go Cellular IoT Solution

PARIS, France --- October 21, 2021 –-Sequans Communications S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) and startup qastle have LTE-enabled qastle’s new Smart Alarm™ Controller, which allows a DIY homeowner to upgrade their wired alarm system to a smart wired alarm system---using all their existing wired sensors and devices---by simply replacing the existing alarm system control panel with the qastle Smart Alarm Controller. For the cellular connection, the qastle Smart Alarm Controller uses the Sequans' Monarch Go LTE-M/NB-IoT modem component that provides an instant connection to cellular IoT networks. Monarch Go is an all-in-one connectivity solution, including the modem, optimized antenna, and Verizon SIM, and it comes pre-certified by Verizon.

"Cellular connectivity was a requirement for our Smart Alarm from the beginning but our engineering backgrounds did not include cellular hardware, software or certification expertise, so we weren't sure exactly how we'd deliver this when we started," said Sean Maddox, co-founder, qastle. "We were thrilled when we discovered Sequans' Monarch Go. We brought it into the lab and quickly confirmed it as a complete, all-in-one solution that enabled us to instantly connect our Smart Alarm to the cellular data network by simply connecting Monarch Go to our controller.”

Kelly Duerr, co-founder at qastle added: “Monarch Go comes complete with everything needed for connectivity including an already tuned and optimized antenna and a Verizon SIM. Monarch Go lives up to its promises and made connecting our Smart Alarm to the cellular network entirely simple and fast, saving us from months of design and certification effort and enabling us to focus our efforts on other areas of product development.”

“The qastle Smart Alarm provides real value to homeowners and is an ideal residential security solution,” said Didier Dutronc, EVP of Sequans’ massive IoT business unit. “With the Smart Alarm, homeowners don’t have to replace their existing wired alarm system with an expensive wireless system but instead can quickly upgrade to a full-featured system that seamlessly integrates with the rest of their smart home ecosystem. qastle is exactly who we built Monarch Go to serve, and we are pleased that it enabled them to get their Smart Alarm Controller to market fast.”

qastle Smart Alarm Controller Product Description

The qastle Smart Alarm Controller supports all low voltage wired sensors and devices and, together with the qastle app for iOS and Android, provides full user control and visibility from anywhere in the world, smart home integration, automation and robust security system features, including:

• Patent pending plug-and-play technology that learns your wired sensor zone types and sensors and configures the Smart Alarm to support them, which significantly simplifies DIY user installation and setup
• Support for wired alarm system zone types, including normally open, normally closed, zone doubling, double balanced, series circuit zones, parallel circuit zones, combined series and parallel circuit zones, and zones with resistors in series and in parallel including “End-of-Line” and “Double End-of-Line” resistors
• qastle’s virtual zone technology, which can separate sensors on a physical zone into virtual zones increasing visibility into the status of the property
• 23 physical zones supporting tamper detection and up to 256 virtual zones
• NFPA compliant support for 2-wire and 4-wire smoke detectors and tamper detection
• 12VDC, 2A NFPA compliant alarm output supporting sounders, bells, sirens, and tamper detection
• 12VDC, 5A auxiliary power for keypads, devices, and 4-wire sensors including motion, glass break, liquid detecting and others
• Communications bus supporting select keypads and expansion devices
• LTE-M connectivity with Sequans’ Monarch Go
• Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity including qastle’s multi-WLAN technology
• Advanced power management with support for 12V lead acid battery backup, seamless switching between AC power and battery power and intelligent battery management and charging features

Monarch Go is based on Sequans Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT chip that provides full support for power saving mode (PSM) and extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) to enable long battery life. Monarch provides enhanced coverage modes, including a +23 dBm power amplifier, that extend coverage for deep-indoor and remote deployments. For LTE positioning, in addition to the optional GNSS, Monarch Go incorporates the positioning technology of Polte for low power, indoor and outdoor positioning capability using the LTE radio alone. Monarch delivers programmable RF filtering for global band support in a Single-SKU™, and proprietary dynamic power management technology, enabling rock bottom power consumption of 1 micro amp. Monarch is certified by operators around the world. www.sequans.com.

Monarch Go Product Description

Monarch Go is a comprehensive modem component certified by Verizon as an end-device and offered with a Verizon data plan. Highlights:

• Pre-installed Verizon IoT SIM and pre-certified as a device by Verizon
• Global deployment and roaming capability
• Simple mechanical integration into IoT devices with embedded LTE-optimized antenna
• Easy connection to cloud services
• Ultra-low power consumption
• Optional embedded GPS (Monarch Go-GPS)
• Based on Sequans’ industry-leading Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT technology

The new qastle Smart Alarm Controller will be on display at Sequans booth, #1736, at Mobile World Congress Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Convention Center, October 26-28. Monarch Go is available through world-leading solutions provider, Avnet.