Quectel Wireless Solutions has expanded its 5G RedCap portfolio with the launch of the RM255C-GL for global markets and the RG255C-NA for the North America market. This further strengthening its mid-tier 5G offering for worldwide deployments.

The RM255C-GL is a 5G Sub-6GHz RedCap module in the M.2 form factor, developed in accordance with 3GPP Release 17. It supports peak data rates of up to 223Mbps downlink and 123Mbps uplink, with 5G Sub-6GHz standalone (SA) operation and LTE Cat 4 fallback. Backward compatibility with Release 15 and Release 16 networks ensures smooth deployment across existing infrastructures. Designed for seamless upgrades, the RM255C-GL is pin-to-pin compatible with Quectel’s RM5x0N and RM50xQ 5G series, and both pin-to-pin and size compatible with selected LTE-A and 4G modules including the EM06, EM12 series, EM160R-GL and EM05, simplifying migration from LTE to 5G RedCap.

The module integrates Qualcomm IZat Gen 9VT location technology with optional multi-constellation GNSS support (GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo, QZSS and NavIC), enabling fast, accurate and reliable positioning. With worldwide 5G and LTE coverage, support for 5G SA mode, embedded protocol stacks and high-speed USB 2.0 and PCIe 2.0 interfaces, the RM255C-GL is well suited to a broad range of mid-tier IoT applications.

The RG255C-NA is a 5G RedCap Sub-6GHz LGA module designed in compliance with 3GPP Release 17. Supporting key 5G capabilities including URLLC and network slicing, the module delivers peak data rates of up to 223Mbps downlink and 123Mbps uplink. It operates in 5G Sub-6GHz standalone (SA) mode with LTE Cat 4 fallback and is backward compatible with Release 15 and Release 16 networks, ensuring smooth migration and broad network coverage. Compatible with Quectel’s compact EG2x 4G module series, the RG255C-NA simplifies design upgrades while meeting mid-speed application requirements for higher capacity, low latency, and enhanced reliability in industrial and commercial deployments.

Purpose-built for industrial-grade applications, the RG255C-NA integrates Qualcomm IZat Gen 9VT location technology, supporting multi-constellation GNSS including GPS, GLONASS, NavIC, BDS, QZSS and Galileo. The integrated GNSS receiver streamlines product development while enabling fast, accurate, and dependable positioning. A comprehensive suite of Internet protocols, industry-standard interfaces, including USB 2.0, PCIe 2.0, PCM, UART, SGMII and SPI, along with USB driver support for Windows 10/11, Linux and Android, ensures broad compatibility and flexibility across a range of 5G RedCap IoT applications.

“The commercialisation of 5G RedCap is a key milestone in making 5G ubiquitous. For a long time, the industry has faced difficult trade-offs between performance and cost. The launch of Quectel’s two new RedCap modules aims to solve this core pain point,” commented Leo Yao, Product Director, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “Quectel offers not just a module, but a complete solution including hardware reference designs for application scenarios, external edge computing capabilities, and global certifications, significantly lowering customers’ product development barriers and time-to-market.”

As 5G adoption accelerates beyond consumer markets into industrial applications, demand is growing for solutions that balance performance with cost and power efficiency. In mid- to high-speed use cases such as Industrial IoT, video surveillance, and wearables, traditional 5G modules can be oversized in cost, power consumption, and form factor, while 4G technologies lack the bandwidth, latency, and long-term roadmap required for future deployments, particularly as LTE sunset plans advance in markets such as the United States. Defined in the 3GPP Release 17 standard, 5G RedCap addresses this gap by streamlining device capabilities to significantly reduce complexity, cost, and energy consumption, while retaining essential 5G features. Positioned between LTE Cat 4/6 and full 5G, RedCap is set to become a key enabler of scalable, industrial-grade 5G adoption.