B524/B523 datasheet

Functional description

Overview

The B-Series System-on-a-Module (SoM) is a LTE Cat 1 cellular device with support for BLE (Bluetooth LE). It is based on the Nordic nRF52840 microcontroller.

The B-Series is designed to be integrated into your circuit board design, plugging into a M.2 NGFF connector on your board, allowing the module to be changed or upgraded easily.

Features

Features - B524

  • Quectel EG91-E modem
  • LTE category 1 module for EMEAA region
  • 3GPP E-UTRA Release 13
  • Cat 1 bands supported: 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28A
  • 2G and 3G fallback (900, 1800, and 2100 MHz)
  • Embedded Particle EtherSIM (B524)
  • Support for selected countries in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, including Australia and New Zealand. See the cellular carrier list for more information.

Features - B523

  • Quectel EG91-E modem
  • LTE category 1 module for EMEAA region
  • 3GPP E-UTRA Release 13
  • Cat 1 bands supported: 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28A
  • 2G and 3G fallback (900, 1800, and 2100 MHz)
  • Embedded Particle SIM (B523)
  • Support for Europe only

Features - all models

  • Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 SoC
    • ARM Cortex-M4F 32-bit processor @ 64MHz
    • 1MB flash, 256KB RAM
    • Bluetooth 5: 2 Mbps, 1 Mbps, 500 Kbps, 125 Kbps
    • Supports DSP instructions, HW accelerated Floating Point Unit (FPU) and encryption functions
    • Up to +8 dBm TX power (down to -20 dBm in 4 dB steps)
    • NFC-A tag
  • On-module additional 8MB SPI flash
  • 24 mixed signal GPIO (8 x Analog, 8 x PWM), UART, I2C, SPI
  • USB 2.0 full speed (12 Mbps)
  • JTAG (SWD) pins
  • Pins for RGB LED used for connection status
  • Pins for reset and mode buttons
  • On-module MFF2 Particle SIM
  • Two on-module U.FL connectors for external antennas
  • M.2 interface
  • CE certified
  • RoHS compliant (lead-free)

Model comparison

B404X B404 B402 B524 B523 B504
Region NorAm NorAm NorAm EMEAA Europe Americas
EtherSIM    
Supply Secure      
Lowest power (LTE Cat M1)      
Fastest speed (LTE Cat 1)      
Cellular fallback       3G, 2G 3G, 2G 3G
Lifecycle GA NRND Deprecated GA Deprecated In development
  • EtherSIM devices generally have a larger number of carriers and more may be added in the future
  • NorAm: North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico)
  • Americas: North America, Central, and South America (not all countries supported)
  • LTE Cat M1: Low-power cellular intended for IoT devices
  • LTE Cat 1: Available in more countries and has higher data rates
  • EMEAA: Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia (not all countries supported)
  • NRND: Not recommended for new designs
  • See the Carrier list for specific carrier and country compatibility
  • See the Supply secure FAQ for more information
  • See Lifestyle stages for more information

Device OS support

It is recommended that you use the latest version in the 4.x LTS release line with the B524 and B523.

The B524 and B523 are compatible with Device OS 2.x LTS, however the 2.x LTS release line is in the Extended Support and Maintenance (ESM) window and will stop being supported in 2024.

For information on upgrading Device OS, see Version information. For the latest version shipped from the factory, see Manufacturing firmware versions page. See also Long Term Support (LTS) releases.

Interfaces

Block diagram

Block Diagram

Power

VCC

VCC is used to supply power to the Quectel EG91-E cellular module. The recommended input voltage range on this pin is between 3.6V to 4.2V DC. This can be connected directly to a 3.7V LiPo battery. Make sure that the supply can handle currents of at least 2 A.

If you are not using a battery, or using a battery of a different voltage, you should use a regulator to supply 3.7V to 4.2V at 2A. You may want to add additional bulk capacitors to handle the short, high current peak usage when the cellular modem is transmitting.

3V3

3V3 is used to supply power to nRF52840, logic ICs, memory, etc.. The 3V3 input voltage range is between 3V to 3.6V DC, but 3.3V is recommended. Make sure that the supply can handle a minimum of 150 mA, however we recommend a minimum of 500 mA supplied from your base board to allow for compatibility with future modules.

These limits do not include any 3.3V peripherals on your base board, so that may increase the current requirements.

Power supply requirements:

  • 3.3V output
  • Maximum 5% voltage drop
  • 100 mV peak-to-peak ripple maximum
  • 500 mA minimum output current at 3.3V recommended for future compatibility
  • Maintain these values at no-load as well as maximum load

We do not recommend using a single 3.6V supply for both VCC and 3V3 as the cellular modem performance may be lower below 3.7V. Use two separate regulators for best results.


VBus

VBus is connected to the USB detect pin of nRF52840 to enables the USB interface. The recommended input voltage range is between 4.35V to 5.5V DC.


Antenna

There are two radios on the B523 module. A BLE radio (nRF52840) and a cellular radio (Quectel). We have provided two u.FL connectors to plug in the cellular and BLE antenna. These are required if you wish to use the cellular and BLE. If you do not need BLE, you do not need to connect the BLE antenna.

B524 connectors

Number Label Purpose
1 BT Bluetooth antenna (optional)
2 CELL Quectel cellular modem antenna
3 ANT_DIV LTE cellular receive diversity antenna

The third connector is the LTE cellular receive diversity antenna. A second cellular antenna can be connected to this connector to improve performance when the device will be moving at high speeds. It is only used for LTE Cat 1 connections and is not supported when in 2G or 3G mode. This antenna is not necessary in most cases and is not included in evaluation kits. (The B402 does not have this connector as receive diversity is not supported in LTE Cat M1 mode.)

Certified cellular antenna

SKU Description
ANTCW2EA Particle Cellular Flex Antenna 2G/3G/LTE [x1]
ANTCW2TY Particle Cellular Flex Antenna 2G/3G/LTE Tray of 50 [x50]
  • Type: LTE Ultra Wide Band Flex Antenna
  • Frequency/band: 698 MHz-2690 MHz
  • RoHS Compliant
  • Mechanical Specs:
    • Dimensions: 97 x 21 x 0.2 mm
    • Mounting: 3M adhesive backed for application on non-metallic surfaces
    • Connector type: FPC + IPEX connector
    • Cable length: 210 mm
    • Gain: 4.71 dBi

Particle devices are certified for use only with the designated antenna specified above. The use of alternative antennas with our modules could necessitate a recertification process. To fully understand the potential consequences of using a non-certified antenna, Particle strongly advises seeking consultation with a qualified RF expert.

General antenna guidance

  • The antenna placement needs to follow some basic rules, as any antenna is sensitive to its environment. Mount the antenna at least 10mm from metal components or surfaces, ideally 20mm for best radiation efficiency, and try to maintain a minimum of three directions free from obstructions to be able to operate effectively.
  • Needs tuning with actual product enclosure and all components.
  • For the BLE antenna, it is recommended to use a 2.4 GHz single-frequency antenna and not a 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz antenna, so as to avoid large gain at the frequency twice of 2.4 GHz which can cause the second harmonic radiation of 2.4 GHz to exceed standards.

Peripherals and GPIO

Peripheral Type Qty Input(I) / Output(O)
Digital 24 (max) I/O
Analog (ADC) 8 (max) I
UART 1 I/O
SPI 2 I/O
I2C 2 I/O
USB 1 I/O
PWM 8 (max) O
NFC 1 O

There are some optional B523 module specific I/O:

  • Quectel USB and VBUS (for modem firmware upgrades)
  • Quectel Ring Indicator (RI) output

Note: All GPIOs are only rated at 3.3VDC max.

JTAG and SWD

The B523 module has 4 pads at the bottom exposing the SWD interface of the nRF52840. This interface can be used to debug your code or reprogram your B523 bootloader, device OS, or the user firmware. We use 4 pogo-pins connecting to these pads during production for firmware flashing.

Pogo Pins

Memory map

nRF52840 flash layout overview

  • Bootloader (48KB, @0xF4000)
  • User Application
    • 256KB @ 0xB4000 (Device OS 3.1 and later)
    • 128KB @ 0xD4000 (Device OS 3.0 and earlier)
  • System (656KB, @0x30000)
  • SoftDevice (192KB)

External SPI flash layout overview (dfu offset: 0x80000000)

  • Reserved (4MB, @0x0040000)
  • OTA (1500KB, @0x00289000)
  • Reserved (420KB, @0x00220000)
  • FAC (128KB, @0x00200000)
  • LittleFS (2M, @0x00000000)

Pins and button definitions

Pinout diagram

Pinout

Common SoM pins

RESERVED and SOM pins may vary across different SoM models. If you are designing for this specific module, or similar modules, you can use the indicated functions even if the pin is marked RESERVED. Most nRF52840-based modules will have the same pin functions on the RESERVED pins

Future modules with a different MCU may have different pin functions. An effort will be made to assign all of the listed functions for ADC, PWM, SPI, etc. from the set of common SoM pin functions in future modules, but the functions on RESERVED and SOM pins will likely vary.

Pin description

# Pin Common Function nRF52 Description
1 GND GND POWER System ground.
2 VCC VCC5 POWER System power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.3v power.
3 GND GND POWER System ground.
4 VCC VCC POWER System power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.3v power.
5 GND GND POWER System ground.
6 VCC VCC POWER System power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.3v power.
7 GND GND POWER System ground.
8 VCC VCC POWER System power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.3v power.
9 GND GND POWER System ground.
10 3V3 3V3 POWER System power in, supply a fixed 3.0-3.6v power.
11 USB D+ USB D+ IO Data+ pin of the NRF52840 USB port.
12 3V3 3V3 POWER System power in, supply a fixed 3.0-3.6v power.
13 USB D- USB D- IO Data- pin of the NRF52840 USB port.
14 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
15 GND GND POWER System ground.
16 VUSB VUSB POWER System power in, USB detect pin for nRF52840. 5V on this pin enables the USB interface.
17 NFC1 SOM33 NFC input P0.09 NFC antenna connection.
18 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
19 NFC2 SOM43 NFC input P0.10 NFC antenna connection.
20 D1 SCL IO P0.27 I2C SCL, and digital only GPIO.
21 GND GND POWER System ground.
22 D0 SDA IO P0.26 I2C SDA, and digital only GPIO.
23 A0 ADC0 IO P0.03 Analog input ADC02, and digital GPIO.
32 MODE MODE IO P0.25 Connected to the MODE button input, and digital only GPIO.
33 A1 ADC1 IO P0.04 Analog input ADC12, and digital GPIO.
34 RESET RESET I Active-low reset input.
35 A2 ADC2 IO P0.28 Analog input ADC22, and digital GPIO.
36 D9 TX IO P0.06 Primarily used as UART TX, but can also be used as a digital GPIO.
37 A3 ADC3 IO P0.29 Analog input ADC32, and digital GPIO.
38 D10 RX IO P0.08 Primarily used as UART RX, but can also be used as a digital GPIO.
39 AGND AGND POWER System analog ground.
40 D3 RESERVED3 IO P1.10 UART flow control CTS, SCL1 (Wire1), SPI1 MOSI, digital only GPIO.
41 A4 RESERVED3 IO P0.30 Analog input ADC42, and digital GPIO.
42 D2 RESERVED3 IO P1.02 UART flow control RTS, SDA1 (Wire1), SPI1 SCK, digital only GPIO.
43 A5 RESERVED3 IO P0.31 Analog input ADC52, and digital GPIO.
44 Quectel USB D+ SOM0 IO Data+ pin of the cellular modem USB port.
45 A6 RESERVED3 IO P0.05 Analog input ADC62, and digital GPIO.
46 Quectel USB D- SOM1 IO Data- pin of the cellular modem USB port.
47 A7 RESERVED3 IO P0.02 Analog input ADC72, and digital GPIO.
48 D8 CS IO P0.07 SPI interface CS, and digital only GPIO.
49 AGND AGND POWER System analog ground.
50 D11 MISO IO P1.08 SPI interface MISO, and digital only GPIO.
51 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
52 D12 MOSI IO P1.09 SPI interface MOSI, and digital only GPIO.
53 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
54 D13 SCK IO P0.11 SPI interface SCK, and digital only GPIO.
55 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
56 GND GND POWER System analog ground.
57 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
58 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
59 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
60 NC RESERVED3 NC Leave unconnected.
61 RGBR RED IO P0.16 Red pin of the RGB LED.
62 D22 GPIO0 IO P1.01 GPIO0, digital only.
63 RGBG GREEN IO P0.15 Green pin of the RGB LED.
64 D23 GPIO1 IO P1.03 GPIO1, digital only.
65 RGBB BLUE IO P0.14 Blue pin of the RGB LED.
66 D4 PWM0 IO P0.12 SPI1 MISO, Digital only GPIO, and PWM0.
67 SIM_VCC1 SOM53 POWER Leave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Supply Output from cellular modem.
68 D5 PWM1 IO P0.24 Digital only GPIO, and PWM1.
69 SIM_RST1 SOM63 IO Leave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Reset Output from cellular modem.
70 D6 PWM2 IO P1.04 Digital only GPIO, and PWM2.
71 SIM_CLK1 SOM73 IO Leave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Clock Output from cellular modem.
72 D7 PWM3 IO P0.13 Digital only GPIO, and PWM3.
73 SIM_DATA1 SOM83 IO Leave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Data I/O of cellular modem with internal 4.7 k pull-up.
74 Quectel VBUS SOM23 IO USB detect pin for cellular modem. 5V on this pin enables the Quectel USB interface.
75 Quectel RI SOM94 IO Ring indicator

1These pins are connected to the internal MFF2 SIM and should be left open.

2A0-A7 are 12-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) inputs (0-4095).

3SoM-specific and Reserved pins will vary depending on module. They are able to be used on the B523, but their function may be be different on future modules.

4RI is available on the B523 (Quectel) but not on the B402 (u-blox LTE M1)

5The VCC maximum is 4.3V on the B523 (Quectel) but is 4.2V on the B402 (u-blox LTE M1). For compatibility across modules, limit this to 4.2V.

By default, the Tinker application firmware enables the use of the bq24195 PMIC and MAX17043 fuel gauge. This in turn uses I2C (D0 and D1) and pin A6 (PM_INT). If you are not using the PMIC and fuel gauge and with to use these pins for other purposes, be sure to disable system power configuration. This setting is persistent, so you may want to disable it with your manufacturing firmware only.

System.setPowerConfiguration(SystemPowerConfiguration());

If you are using Ethernet with the B-Series SoM, the following pins are used by Ethernet:

Device OS Pin M.2 Pin Ethernet Pin
MISO 50 SPI MISO
MOSI 52 SPI MOSI
SCK 54 SPI SCK
A7 47 nRESET
D22 62 nINTERRUPT
D8 48 nCHIP SELECT

Cellular modem USB pins

The cellular modem USB pins are optional on custom base boards. These pins are used for low-level diagnostics and reprogramming the cellular modem firmware.

Note, however, the Particle has never done a cellular modem firmware upgrade in the field because doing so generally requires recertification, and is there is a high likelihood that the upgrade will fail, rendering the modem unusable.

Cellular modem could be reprogrammed by removing the SoM from your board and putting it in the M.2 SoM breakout board, which has the cellular modem USB connector.

# Pin Common Function nRF52 Description
44 Quectel USB D+ SOM0 IO Data+ pin of the cellular modem USB port.
46 Quectel USB D- SOM1 IO Data- pin of the cellular modem USB port.
74 Quectel VBUS SOM23 IO USB detect pin for cellular modem. 5V on this pin enables the Quectel USB interface.
75 Quectel RI SOM94 IO Ring indicator

Complete module pin details

1 GND

Details
Pin Number1
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

2 VCC

Details
Pin Number2
Pin NameVCC
DescriptionSystem power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.2v power.

3 GND

Details
Pin Number3
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

4 VCC

Details
Pin Number4
Pin NameVCC
DescriptionSystem power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.2v power.

5 GND

Details
Pin Number5
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

6 VCC

Details
Pin Number6
Pin NameVCC
DescriptionSystem power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.2v power.

7 GND

Details
Pin Number7
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

8 VCC

Details
Pin Number8
Pin NameVCC
DescriptionSystem power in, connect to the +LiPo or supply a fixed 3.6-4.2v power.

9 GND

Details
Pin Number9
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

10 3V3

Details
Pin Number10
Pin Name3V3
DescriptionSystem power in, supply a fixed 3.0-3.6v power.

11 USBDATA+

Details
Pin Number11
Pin NameUSBDATA+
DescriptionUSB Data+
Input is 5V TolerantYes

12 3V3

Details
Pin Number12
Pin Name3V3
DescriptionSystem power in, supply a fixed 3.0-3.6v power.

13 USBDATA-

Details
Pin Number13
Pin NameUSBDATA-
DescriptionUSB Data-
Input is 5V TolerantYes

14 NC

Details
Pin Number14
Pin NameNC

15 GND

Details
Pin Number15
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

16 VUSB

Details
Pin Number16
Pin NameVUSB
DescriptionUSB VUSB power pin
Input is 5V TolerantYes

17 NFC1

Details
Pin Number17
Pin NameNFC1
DescriptionNFC Antenna 1
MCU PinP0.09

18 NC

Details
Pin Number18
Pin NameNC

19 NFC2

Details
Pin Number19
Pin NameNFC2
DescriptionNFC Antenna 2
MCU PinP0.10

20 D1

Details
Pin Number20
Pin NameD1
DescriptionI2C SCL, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
I2C interfaceSCL. Use Wire object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.27

21 GND

Details
Pin Number21
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

22 D0

Details
Pin Number22
Pin NameD0
DescriptionI2C SDA, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
I2C interfaceSDA. Use Wire object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.26

23 A0

Details
Pin Number23
Pin NameA0
Pin Alternate NameD19
DescriptionA0 Analog in, GPIO, PWM
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneA0, A1, A6, and A7 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.03

32 MODE

Details
Pin Number32
Pin NameMODE
Pin Alternate NameD20
DescriptionMODE button, has internal pull-up
MCU PinP0.25

33 A1

Details
Pin Number33
Pin NameA1
Pin Alternate NameD18
DescriptionA1 Analog in, GPIO, PWM
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneA0, A1, A6, and A7 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.04

34 RST

Details
Pin Number34
Pin NameRST
DescriptionHardware reset, active low. External pull-up required.

35 A2

Details
Pin Number35
Pin NameA2
Pin Alternate NameD17
DescriptionA2 Analog in, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.28

36 TX

Details
Pin Number36
Pin NameTX
Pin Alternate NameD9
DescriptionSerial TX, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
UART serialTX. Use Serial1 object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.06

37 A3

Details
Pin Number37
Pin NameA3
Pin Alternate NameD16
DescriptionA3 Analog in, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.29

38 RX

Details
Pin Number38
Pin NameRX
Pin Alternate NameD10
DescriptionSerial RX, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
UART serialRX. Use Serial1 object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.08

39 AGND

Details
Pin Number39
Pin NameAGND
DescriptionAnalog Ground.

40 D3

Details
Pin Number40
Pin NameD3
DescriptionSPI1 MOSI, Serial1 CTS, GPIO, Wire1 SCL
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
UART serialCTS. Use Serial1 object.
SPI interfaceMOSI. Use SPI1 object.
I2C interfaceSCL. Use Wire1 object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.10

41 A4

Details
Pin Number41
Pin NameA4
Pin Alternate NameD15
DescriptionA4 Analog in, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.30

42 D2

Details
Pin Number42
Pin NameD2
DescriptionSPI1 SCK, Serial1 RTS, PWM, GPIO, Wire1 SDA
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
UART serialRTS. Use Serial1 object.
SPI interfaceSCK. Use SPI1 object.
I2C interfaceSDA. Use Wire1 object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.02

43 A5

Details
Pin Number43
Pin NameA5
Pin Alternate NameD14
DescriptionA5 Analog in, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.31

44 CELL USBD+

Details
Pin Number44
Pin NameCELL USBD+
DescriptionCellular Modem USB Data+
Input is 5V TolerantYes

45 A6

Details
Pin Number45
Pin NameA6
DescriptionA6 Analog in, PWM, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneA0, A1, A6, and A7 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.05

46 CELL USBD-

Details
Pin Number46
Pin NameCELL USBD-
DescriptionCellular Modem USB Data-
Input is 5V TolerantYes

47 A7

Details
Pin Number47
Pin NameA7
DescriptionA7 Analog in, GPIO, Ethernet Reset
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogReadYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneA0, A1, A6, and A7 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.02

48 D8

Details
Pin Number48
Pin NameD8
DescriptionGPIO, SPI SS, Ethernet CS
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
SPI interfaceSS. Use SPI object. This is only the default SS/CS pin, you can use any GPIO instead.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.07

49 AGND

Details
Pin Number49
Pin NameAGND
DescriptionAnalog Ground.

50 MISO

Details
Pin Number50
Pin NameMISO
Pin Alternate NameD11
DescriptionSPI MISO, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
SPI interfaceMISO. Use SPI object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.08

51 NC

Details
Pin Number51
Pin NameNC

52 MOSI

Details
Pin Number52
Pin NameMOSI
Pin Alternate NameD12
DescriptionSPI MOSI, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
SPI interfaceMOSI. Use SPI object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.09

53 NC

Details
Pin Number53
Pin NameNC

54 SCK

Details
Pin Number54
Pin NameSCK
Pin Alternate NameD13
DescriptionSPI SCK, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
SPI interfaceSCK. Use SPI object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.11

55 NC

Details
Pin Number55
Pin NameNC

56 GND

Details
Pin Number56
Pin NameGND
DescriptionGround.

57 NC

Details
Pin Number57
Pin NameNC

58 NC

Details
Pin Number58
Pin NameNC

59 NC

Details
Pin Number59
Pin NameNC

60 NC

Details
Pin Number60
Pin NameNC

61 RGBR

Details
Pin Number61
Pin NameRGBR
DescriptionRGB LED Red
MCU PinP0.16

62 D22

Details
Pin Number62
Pin NameD22
DescriptionGPIO, Ethernet INT
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.01

63 RGBG

Details
Pin Number63
Pin NameRGBG
DescriptionRGB LED Green
MCU PinP0.15

64 D23

Details
Pin Number64
Pin NameD23
DescriptionGPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.03

65 RGBB

Details
Pin Number65
Pin NameRGBB
DescriptionRGB LED Blue
MCU PinP0.14

66 D4

Details
Pin Number66
Pin NameD4
DescriptionSPI1 MISO, PWM, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneD4, D5, and D6 must have the same frequency.
SPI interfaceMISO. Use SPI1 object.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.12

67 SIM_VCC

Details
Pin Number67
Pin NameSIM_VCC
DescriptionLeave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Supply Output from R410M.

68 D5

Details
Pin Number68
Pin NameD5
DescriptionPWM, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneD4, D5, and D6 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.24

69 SIM_RST

Details
Pin Number69
Pin NameSIM_RST
DescriptionLeave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Reset Output from R410M.

70 D6

Details
Pin Number70
Pin NameD6
DescriptionPWM, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)Yes
Supports toneD4, D5, and D6 must have the same frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP1.04

71 SIM_CLK

Details
Pin Number71
Pin NameSIM_CLK
DescriptionLeave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Clock Output from R410M.

72 D7

Details
Pin Number72
Pin NameD7
DescriptionPWM, GPIO
Supports digitalReadYes
Supports digitalWriteYes
Supports analogWrite (PWM)PWM is shared with the RGB LED, you can specify a different duty cycle but should not change the frequency.
Supports attachInterruptYes. You can only have 8 active interrupt pins.
Internal pull resistance13K
MCU PinP0.13

73 SIM_DATA

Details
Pin Number73
Pin NameSIM_DATA
DescriptionLeave unconnected, 1.8V/3V SIM Data I/O of R410m with internal 4.7 k pull-up.

74 CELL VBUS

Details
Pin Number74
Pin NameCELL VBUS
DescriptionUSB detect pin for R410M. 5V on this pin enables the Cellular Modem USB interface.
Input is 5V TolerantYes

75 RI

Details
Pin Number75
Pin NameRI
DescriptionRing Indicator for cellular modem

LED status

System RGB LED

Unlike the Boron, the B523 module does not have an on-module RGB system status LED. We have provided its individual control pins for you to connect an LED of your liking. This will allow greater flexibility in the end design of your products.

A detailed explanation of different color codes of the RGB system LED can be found here.

PMIC Notes

When using the B-Series SoM with a bq24195 PMIC, note the following:

By default, the bq24195 sets the input current limit, which affects powering by VIN and VUSB, to 100 mA. This affects the VSYS output of the PMIC, which powers both the cellular modem and 3V3 supply, and is not enough to power the B-Series SoM in normal operation.

If your device has the default firmware (Tinker), it will attempt to connect to the cloud, brown out due to insufficient current, then the device will reset. This may result in what appears to be the status LED blinking white, but is actually rolling reboot caused by brownout.

A factory new B-Series SoM does not enable the PMIC setup. To enable the use of the bq21415, you must enable the system power feature PMIC_DETECTION in your code. This defaults to off because the B-Series SoM can be used without a PMIC, or with a different PMIC, and also requires I2C on D0/D1, and some base boards may use those pins as GPIO.

Because the input current limit does not affect the battery input (Li+), for troubleshooting purposes it can be helpful to attach a battery to help rule out input current limit issues. It's also possible to supply 3.7V via a bench power supply to the battery input, instead of VIN.

The input current limit can result in a situation where you can't bring up a B-Series SoM because it browns out continuously, but also cannot flash code to it to stop if from browning out. There are two general solutions:

  • Attach a battery or supply by Li+ when bringing up a board.
  • Use SWD/JTAG and reset halt the MCU. This will prevent it from connecting to the cloud, so you can flash Device OS and firmware to it by SWD.

The input current limit is actually controlled by three factors:

  • The power source max current setting in the PMIC. The default is 900 mA. It can be set to 100, 150, 500, 900, 1200, 1500, 2000, or 3000 mA.
  • It is also limited by the hardware ILIM resistor. On Particle devices with a built-in PMIC, this is set to 1590 mA, but if you are implementing your own PMIC hardware, you can adjust this higher.
  • When connected by USB, it will use DPDM, current negotiation via the USB DP (D+) and DM (D-) lines.

Note that some 2A tablet chargers and multi-port USB power supplies supply 2A but do not implement DPDM; these will be treated as if VIN was used, and you must set the power source current, otherwise the input current will be limited to 900 mA, which is not enough to power a 2G/3G cellular modem without an attached battery.

Technical specifications

Absolute maximum ratings [1]

Supply voltages

Parameter Symbol Min Typ Max Unit
Supply voltages
Supply Input Voltage VCC -0.3 +4.7 V
Supply Input Voltage 3V3 -0.3 +3.9 V
VBUS USB supply voltage VUSB -0.3 +5.8 V
I/O pin voltage
VI/O, VDD ≤ 3.6 V IO -0.3 VDD + 0.3 V
VI/O, VDD > 3.6 V IO -0.3 +3.9 V
NFC antenna pin current
INFC1/2 NFC1/NFC2 80 mA
Radio
BT RF input level (52840) 10 dBm
Environmental
Storage temperature -40 +85 °C

[1] Stresses beyond those listed under absolute maximum ratings may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only, and functional operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated under recommended operating conditions is not implied. Exposure to absolute-maximum-rated conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.

Parameter Symbol Min Typ Max Unit
Supply voltages
Supply Input Voltage VCC +3.6 +3.8 +4.3 V
Supply Input Voltage 3V3 +3.0 +3.3 +3.6 V
VBUS USB supply voltage VUSB +4.35 +5.0 +5.5 V
Environmental
Normal operating temperature1 -20 +25 +753 °C
Extended operating temperature2 -40 +85 °C
Humidity Range Non condensing, relative humidity 95 %

Notes:

1 Normal operating temperature range (fully functional and meet 3GPP specifications).

2 Extended operating temperature range (RF performance may be affected outside normal operating range, though module is fully functional)

3 The maximum operating temperature is 75°C on the B523 (Quectel) but is 65°C on the B402 (u-blox LTE M1). For compatibility across modules, limit this to 65°C.


Power consumption

Parameter Symbol Min Typ Peak Unit
Operating Current (uC on, peripherals and radio disabled) Iidle 4.47 4.48 4.51 mA
Operating Current (uC on, cellular on but not connected) Icell_idle 17.5 34.2 744 mA
Operating Current (uC on, cellular connecting to tower) Icell_conn_twr 17.9 72.3 711 mA
Operating Current (uC on, cellular connecting to cloud) Icell_conn_cloud 23.0 93.6 669 mA
Operating Current (uC on, cellular connected but idle) Icell_cloud_idle 22.9 26.8 149 mA
Operating Current (uC on, cellular connected and transmitting) Icell_cloud_tx 113 139 519 mA
STOP mode sleep, GPIO wake-up Istop_gpio 323 538 916 uA
STOP mode sleep, analog wake-up Istop_analog 272 537 948 uA
STOP mode sleep, RTC wake-up Istop_intrtc 264 537 947 uA
STOP mode sleep, BLE wake-up, advertising Istop_ble_adv 604 2260 uA
STOP mode sleep, BLE wake-up, connected Istop_ble_conn 619 1700 uA
STOP mode sleep, serial wake-up Istop_usart 327 537 912 uA
STOP mode sleep, cellular wake-up Istop_cell 18.7 23.1 140 mA
ULP mode sleep, GPIO wake-up Iulp_gpio 53.6 446 uA
ULP mode sleep, analog wake-up Iulp_analog 55.8 420 uA
ULP mode sleep, RTC wake-up Iulp_intrtc 54.8 444 uA
ULP mode sleep, BLE wake-up, advertising Iulp_ble_adv 139 2430 uA
ULP mode sleep, BLE wake-up, connected Iulp_ble_conn 162 1090 uA
ULP mode sleep, serial wake-up Iulp_usart 317 537 938 uA
ULP mode sleep, cellular wake-up Iulp_cell 18.4 22.8 149 mA
HIBERNATE mode sleep, GPIO wake-up Ihib_gpio 29.7 430 uA
HIBERNATE mode sleep, analog wake-up Ihib_analog 30.8 441 uA

1The min, and particularly peak, values may consist of very short transients. The typical (typ) values are the best indicator of overall power consumption over time. The peak values indicate the absolute minimum capacity of the power supply necessary, not overall consumption.


Radio specifications

Boron has two radio modules.

nRF52840

  • Bluetooth® 5, 2.4 GHz
    • 95 dBm sensitivity in 1 Mbps Bluetooth® low energy mode
    • 103 dBm sensitivity in 125 kbps Bluetooth® low energy mode (long range)
    • 20 to +8 dBm TX power, configurable in 4 dB steps

4G LTE cellular characteristics for EG91-E

Parameter Value
Protocol stack 3GPP Release 13
RAT LTE Cat 1
LTE FDD Bands Band 28A (700 MHz)
Band 20 (800 MHz)
Band 8 (900 MHz)
Band 3 (1800 MHz)
Band 1 (2100 MHz)
Band 7 (2600 MHz)
WCDMA Bands Band 8 (900 MHz)
Band 1 (2100)
GSM Bands EGSM900 (900 MHz)
DCS1800 (1800 MHz)
Power class Class 4 (33dBm ± 2dB) for EGSM900
Class 1 (30dBm ± 2dB) for DCS1800
Class E2 (27dBm ± 3dB) for EGSM900 8-PSK
Class E2 (26dBm ± 3dB) for DCS1800 8-PSK
Class 3 (24dBm ± 3dB) for WCDMA bands
Class 3 (23dBm ± 2dB) for LTE FDD bands

I/O characteristics

These specifications are based on the nRF52840 datasheet.

Symbol Parameter Min Typ Max Unit
VIH Input high voltage 0.7 xVDD VDD V
VIL Input low voltage VSS 0.3 xVDD V
VOH,SD Output high voltage, standard drive, 0.5 mA, VDD ≥1.7 VDD - 0.4 VDD V
VOH,HDH Output high voltage, high drive, 5 mA, VDD >= 2.7 V VDD - 0.4 VDD V
VOH,HDL Output high voltage, high drive, 3 mA, VDD >= 1.7 V VDD - 0.4 VDD V
VOL,SD Output low voltage, standard drive, 0.5 mA, VDD ≥1.7 VSS VSS + 0.4 V
VOL,HDH Output low voltage, high drive, 5 mA, VDD >= 2.7 V VSS VSS + 0.4 V
VOL,HDL Output low voltage, high drive,3 mA, VDD >= 1.7 V VSS VSS + 0.4 V
IOL,SD Current at VSS+0.4 V, output set low, standard drive, VDD≥1.7 1 2 4 mA
IOL,HDH Current at VSS+0.4 V, output set low, high drive, VDD >= 2.7V 6 10 15 mA
IOL,HDL Current at VSS+0.4 V, output set low, high drive, VDD >= 1.7V 3 mA
IOH,SD Current at VDD-0.4 V, output set high, standard drive, VDD≥1.7 1 2 4 mA
IOH,HDH Current at VDD-0.4 V, output set high, high drive, VDD >= 2.7V 6 9 14 mA
IOH,HDL Current at VDD-0.4 V, output set high, high drive, VDD >= 1.7V 3 mA
tRF,15pF Rise/fall time, standard drivemode, 10-90%, 15 pF load1 9 ns
tRF,25pF Rise/fall time, standard drive mode, 10-90%, 25 pF load1 13 ns
tRF,50pF Rise/fall time, standard drive mode, 10-90%, 50 pF load1 25 ns
tHRF,15pF Rise/Fall time, high drive mode, 10-90%, 15 pF load1 4 ns
tHRF,25pF Rise/Fall time, high drive mode, 10-90%, 25 pF load1 5 ns
tHRF,50pF Rise/Fall time, high drive mode, 10-90%, 50 pF load1 8 ns
RPU Pull-up resistance 11 13 16
RPD Pull-down resistance 11 13 16
CPAD Pad capacitance 3 pF
CPAD_NFC Pad capacitance on NFC pads 4 pF
INFC_LEAK Leakage current between NFC pads when driven to different states 1 10 μA
  • Rise and fall times based on simulations

  • GPIO default to standard drive (2mA) but can be reconfigured to high drive (9mA) in Device OS 2.0.0 and later using the pinSetDriveStrength() function.

Mechanical specifications

Dimensions and weight

Parameters Value Unit
Width 30 mm
Height 42 mm
Thickness 5.5 mm
Weight 6.2 grams

Mechanical drawing

Mechanical Drawing

Dimensions are in millimeters.

3D models

3D models of the B-Series SoM module are available in the hardware-libraries Github in formats including step, iges, stl, and f3d.

The 3D models are the same for the B524 and B523, as the only changes are the SIM card, which is not visible.


Mating connector and land pattern

The mating connector is a an M.2 (NGFF) type 4. Note that there are several different key configurations for the M.2, and type 4 is different than is commonly used on SSDs.

One compatible connector is the TE 2199230-4. It is widely available including at suppliers such as DigiKey.

M.2 Connector

Screw assembly

Screw Assembly

We recommend this screw assembly to securely affix the B series SoM to your circuit board. From top to bottom:

  • M3 screw, 3mm long
  • M3 washer
  • M3 standoff, 2.45mm

Standoff

  • Mounting hole, 2.6 mm metal hole, 3.1mm metal ring diameter (picture is of the bottom side of the circuit board)

Bottom

  • An alternative design uses a JAE SM3ZS067U410-NUT1-R1200 standoff. It's reflow soldered to your base board and has a threaded hole for a M2*3 screw to hold down the SoM. This may be easier to obtain.

  • Note that a hold-down screw is required because the M.2 connector does not have integrated locks and the SoM will pop up if not attached to the base board.

  • The screw should be connected to the ground plane on your base board.

Design considerations

We strongly recommend against placing components under the SOM board because there is not enough height.

Keep-Out Area

Product handling

ESD precautions

The B series contains highly sensitive electronic circuitry and is an Electrostatic Sensitive Device (ESD). Handling an B series without proper ESD protection may destroy or damage it permanently. Proper ESD handling and packaging procedures must be applied throughout the processing, handling and operation of any application that incorporates the B series module. ESD precautions should be implemented on the application board where the B series is mounted. Failure to observe these precautions can result in severe damage to the B series!

Connectors

The U.FL antenna connector is not designed to be constantly plugged and unplugged. The antenna pin is static sensitive and you can destroy the radio with improper handling. A tiny dab of glue (epoxy, rubber cement, liquid tape or hot glue) on the connector can be used securely hold the plug in place.

The M.2 edge connector is static sensitive and should be handled carefully. The M.2 connector is not designed for repeated removal and insertion of the module.

Schematics

Microcontroller

Microcontroller

Quectel cellular modem

Cellular Modem

M.2 connector

M.2 connector

SIM and Flash

SIM
Flash

Buffers

Buffers
Buffers

Assembly

Conformal coatings

B-Series SoM modules should not use a conformal coating to protect the module from water. Some components on the SoM cannot be coated and would need to be masked off during coating. This will make the coating process difficult to implement and test.

Furthermore, you cannot safely protect the the connection between the M.2 SoM and the M.2 NGFF connector by using a coating. Using an enclosure that protects both your base board and the B-Series SoM as a single waterproof assembly is recommended instead.

Default settings

The B series comes pre-programmed with a bootloader and a user application called Tinker. This application works with an iOS and Android app also named Tinker that allows you to very easily toggle digital pins, take analog and digital readings and drive variable PWM outputs.

The bootloader allows you to easily update the user application via several different methods, USB, OTA, Serial Y-Modem, and also internally via the Factory Reset procedure. All of these methods have multiple tools associated with them as well.


Certification

EU declaration of conformity

We, Particle Industries, Inc., declare under our sole responsibility that the product, B524 and B523, to which this declaration relates, is in conformity with RED Directive 2014/53/EU and (EU) 2015/863 RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU (Recast).

The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at the following Internet address https://www.particle.io/.

Radiation Exposure Statement: This equipment complies with radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment.

The operating frequency bands and the maximum transmitted power limit are listed below:

  • BLE 2402-2480MHz, 10dBm
  • LTE (CAT-1 bands B1 B3 B7 B8 B20 B28), Frequency Ranges: 703-960MHz, 1710-2170MHz, 2550-2690MHz, Max TX Power: 25dBm
  • 3G (WCDMA sits on LTE B1, B8), Frequency Ranges: 880-960MHz, 1920-2170 MHz, Max TX Power: 25dBm
  • 2G (EGSM900 sits on LTE B8), Frequency Ranges: 880-915MHz, 925-960 MHz, Max TX Power: 35dBm
  • 2G (DCS1800 sits on LTE B3), Frequency Ranges: 1710.2-1784.8MHz, 1805.2-1879.8MHz, Max TX Power: 32dBm

United Kingdom

UKCA Conformity:

Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206)


Certification documents

CE (Europe) - B523 B524 B-Series SoM

FCC (United States) - B523 B524 B-Series SoM

The B523 and B524 are not FCC certified as it does not support any cellular bands used in the United States. The B404X should be used instead.

ISED (Canada) - B523 B524 B-Series SoM

The B523 and B524 are not ISED certified as it does not support any cellular bands used in the Canada. The B404X should be used instead.

RoHS - B523 B524 B-Series SoM

UKCA (United Kingdom) - B523 B524 B-Series SoM

Japan - B524 B-Series SoM

Country compatibility

Country Model Technologies Carriers
Albania B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 ALBtelecom, Telekom, Vodafone
Algeria B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Mobilis, Ooredoo
Aruba B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Setar
Australia B524 Cat1 Optus, Telstra, Vodafone
Austria B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 3 (Drei), A1, T-Mobile
Bahrain B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Zain
Bangladesh B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Bangalink, GrameenPhone
Belarus B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 A1
Belgium B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Base, Orange, Proximus
Bosnia and Herzegovina B524 2G, 3G BH Telecom, HT Eronet
Botswana B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 BeMobile
Brunei B524 3G, Cat1 DST
Bulgaria B524 2G, 3G A1, Telenor, Vivacom
Burkina Faso B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange
Cabo Verde B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 CVMóvel, Unitel T+
Cambodia B524 2G, 3G Metfone
Chad B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Chile B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Claro, Entel, Movistar
Congo (Brazzaville) B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Congo (Kinshasa) B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Côte d'Ivoire B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MTN
Croatia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Hrvatski Telekom, Tele2
Cyprus B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Cytamobile-Vodafone, MTN, PrimeTel
Czechia B524 2G, Cat1 O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone
Denmark B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 3 (Tre), TDC, Telenor, Telia
Egypt B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Etisalat, Orange
Estonia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Elisa, Tele2, Telia
eSwatini B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MTN
Ethiopia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Ethio Telecom
Faroe Islands B524 2G, 3G Faroese Telecom, Vodafone
Finland B524 2G, Cat1 DNA, Elisa, Telia
France B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Bouygues, Free Mobile, Orange, SFR
French Guiana B524 2G, 3G Digicel
Gabon B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Germany B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 O2, Telekom, Vodafone
Ghana B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 AirtelTigo, MTN, Vodafone
Gibraltar B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Gibtel
Greece B524 2G, Cat1 Cosmote, Vodafone, Wind
Guadeloupe B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange
Guinea B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MTN
Guinea-Bissau B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MTN
Guyana B524 2G Digicel
Haiti B524 2G, 3G Digicel
Hong Kong B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 CMHK, CSL, SmarTone
Hungary B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Magyar Telekom, Telenor, Vodafone
Iceland B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Nova, Siminn, Vodafone
Indonesia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Indosat, Telkomsel, XL Axiata
Ireland B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 3 (Tre), Meteor, O2, Vodafone
Israel B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Hot Mobile, Orange, Pelephone
Italy B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 TIM, Vodafone, Wind
Jordan B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Zain
Kazakhstan B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Beeline, K-Cell
Kenya B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Kuwait B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Viva, Zain
Latvia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Bite, LMT, Tele2
Liechtenstein B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Mobilkom, Orange
Lithuania B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Bite, Omnitel, Tele2
Luxembourg B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange, POST, Tango
Macao B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 CTM
Madagascar B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Malawi B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Malaysia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Celcom, DiGi, Maxis
Malta B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Go Mobile, Vodafone
Moldova B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Moldcell, Orange
Mongolia B524 2G, 3G Mobicom, Unitel
Montenegro B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Mtel, T-Mobile, Telenor
Morocco B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Inwi, Medi Telecom
Mozambique B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Vodacom
Myanmar B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MPT, Telenor
Namibia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Telecom Namibia
Netherlands B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 KPN, T-Mobile, Vodafone
New Zealand B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 2degrees, Spark, Vodafone
Nigeria B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 9mobile, Airtel, Glo, MTN
Norway B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 TDC, Telenor, Telia
Pakistan B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone, Warid
Palestine B524 2G, 3G Jawwal
Papua New Guinea B524 2G, 3G bmobile
Poland B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange, Play, Plus, T-Mobile
Portugal B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 NOS, TMN, Vodafone
Qatar B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Ooredoo, Vodafone
Romania B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange, Telekom Romania, Vodafone
Rwanda B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel, MTN
Serbia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Telenor, VIP
Seychelles B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Sint Maarten B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 TelCell
Slovakia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 O2, Orange, Telekom
Slovenia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 A1, Mobitel
South Africa B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Cell C, MTN, Vodacom
South Korea B524 3G, Cat1 KT, LG U+, SK Telecom
South Sudan B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MTN
Spain B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, Yoigo
Sri Lanka B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Dialog, Mobitel
Suriname B524 2G, 3G Telesur
Sweden B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 3 (Tre), Tele2, Telenor, Telia
Switzerland B524 3G, Cat1 Salt, Sunrise, Swisscom
Taiwan B524 3G, Cat1 Chunghwa, FarEasTone, T Star, Taiwan Mobile
Tanzania B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel
Thailand B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 AIS, DTAC, True Move
Tunisia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Orange Tunisie, Tunisie Telecom
Uganda B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Africell, Airtel, MTN
United Kingdom B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 3, EE, Manx, O2, Sure, Vodafone
Vietnam B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 MobiFone, Viettel, Vinaphone
Zambia B524 2G, 3G, Cat1 Airtel

Ordering information

SKU Description Region Modem EtherSIM Lifecycle Replacement
B524MEA B-Series LTE CAT-1/3G/2G (Europe, EtherSIM) [x1] EMEAA EG91-E GA
B524MTY B-Series LTE CAT-1/3G/2G (Europe, EtherSIM), Tray [x50] EMEAA EG91-E GA
B523MTY B-Series LTE CAT-1/3G/2G (Europe), Tray [x50] EMEAA EG91-E NRND B524MTY
B523MEA B-Series LTE CAT-1/3G/2G (Europe) [x1] EMEAA EG91-E Deprecated B524MEA
  • EMEAA: Selected countries in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, including Australia and New Zealand. See the cellular carrier list for more information.

Revision history

Revision Date Author Comments
001 27 Apr 2020 RK First Release
002 30 Jul 2020 RK Added explanation of DIV connector
003 16-Sep-2020 RK Added power consumption information
004 04-Jan-2021 RK Fix incorrect pin number on pogo pin diagram
005 15-Mar-2021 RK Updated model, carrier, ordering information
006 23-Mar-2021 RK Pins 40 and 42 functions were reversed
007 26-Apr-2021 RK Added B524 model number
008 14-May-2021 RK Pins 40 and 42 were not actually reversed
009 19-May-2021 RK List Ethernet reserved pins
010 28-Jun-2021 RK Added Device OS 3.1 memory map information
011 10-Sep-2021 RK Changed wording of peak vs. max current
012 05-May-2022 RK Corrected number of PWM outputs (8)
013 11-Aug-2022 RK Correct typo in 3V3 explanation
014 29-Aug-2022 RK Added EU declaration of conformity
015 16-Sep-2022 RK Added UKCA conformity
016 31-Oct-2022 RK Updated EU operating frequencies
017 10-Dec-2022 RK Added PMIC notes
018 06-Jan-2022 RK Clarify power supply notes for VCC and 3V3
019 31-Jan-2023 RK Add Device OS versions
020 28-Apr-2023 RK Add conformal coating warning
021 13-Nov-2023 RK Add full pin details
022 20-Dec-2023 RK Clarified band power information table
023 20-Feb-2024 RK M.2 screw assembly should be connected to ground
024 23-Apr-2024 RK Added links to certification documents
025 2024-09-03 RK Added clarification of cellular modem USB pins