Digital communication has passed through three major waves.
Wave 1 connected one billion personal computers.
Wave 2 connected more than six and a half billion smartphones.
Wave 3, which is starting now, will connect trillions of sensors, embedded devices and edge AI systems. Most of these devices still operate offline because existing wireless technologies are too power hungry, too short range, too costly or not secure enough. The lack of a suitable technology limits the digitalisation of buildings, industry, cities and critical infrastructure.
This project addresses exactly that challenge. Europe currently has no secure, long range, low power and low cost wireless solution for massive IoT deployment. Technologies such as LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or LoRa each cover parts of the problem but cannot meet all requirements at once. They either depend on infrastructure, have limited range, consume too much energy or do not offer the security level required for future IoT and edge AI systems.
Europe’s strong dependence on non-European semiconductor and connectivity technologies also creates risks for supply chains, cybersecurity and digital sovereignty. The LMS project supports the European Chips Act, the Digital Decade and the Cybersecurity Act by developing a European wireless system-on-chip (SoC) based on the NR+ standard defined by ETSI.
Project Objectives
The goal is to develop and commercialise a European non-cellular 5G NR+ SoC that combines long range communication, low energy consumption, high security and low cost. The SoC operates in the globally license-free 1.9 GHz band and brings together the robustness of cellular systems with the simplicity of short-range technologies.
Key features include:
• Long range capability up to six kilometres without network infrastructure.
• System-on-chip integration of radio, baseband, processing and security.
• RISC-V processors for flexibility and low cost.
• Quantum-proof secure element for future cybersecurity requirements.
• Channel sounding with high accuracy distance estimation.
The NR+ SoC is developed and manufactured entirely in Europe, directly supporting technological sovereignty.
Pathway to Impact
The SoC enables dense sensing networks that support energy efficient buildings, smart cities, industrial automation and critical infrastructure. It improves monitoring of heating, cooling, lighting and occupancy, supporting energy savings of ten to twenty percent. NR+ also enables large scale smart metering and sub-metering to reduce losses and optimise consumption. In healthcare and wearables it enables secure and reliable connectivity. For utilities and transport it provides robust communication without interference.
With its very low energy consumption, the SoC extends device lifetime and reduces battery waste. The global IoT hardware market is forecast to reach about 450 billion euros by 2030, allowing LMS to target significant revenue growth with a scalable European technology.
Political and Strategic Relevance
The project supports key European priorities:
• Technological sovereignty through a fully European wireless standard.
• Cybersecurity through hardware level security and quantum-safe features.
• Supply chain security by designing and manufacturing in Europe.
• Sustainability through energy efficient electronics.
NR+ offers a European alternative to non-EU wireless solutions and strengthens Europe’s position in future communication technologies.
Role of Social Sciences and Humanities
The project considers ethical and societal aspects such as privacy, transparency and trust. Work with research partners ensures responsible deployment of IoT systems. The use of open source components encourages participation and knowledge exchange within the European developer community.
