Designing a MiFi is increasingly a balancing act.
Beyond data speed, factors such as size, battery life, thermal performance, cost, and multi-device connectivity all shape the final product. As the MiFi market becomes more segmented, LTE Cat.4, full-featured 5G, and 5G RedCap are serving different product needs.
Fibocom has introduced the MRU3A0-CN 5G RedCap MiFi PCBA, powered by the UNISOC V527 RedCap platform. Featuring a highly integrated COB design, the PCBA measures just 61.9 × 31.8 × 5.0 mm. Its compact footprint creates more room for battery capacity and mechanical design while helping optimize power consumption, thermal performance, and operating time.
RedCap Brings a New Choice for MiFi
Different MiFi products require different connectivity approaches.
LTE Cat.4 benefits from a mature network and device ecosystem. Full-featured 5G delivers higher data performance. 5G RedCap offers a lighter form of 5G connectivity, balancing performance, power consumption, cost, and device complexity.
MRU3A0-CN supports both 5G RedCap (NR-Light) and LTE and is compliant with 3GPP Release 17. It provides another option for portable connectivity products used in mobile working, business travel, and multi-device Internet sharing.
For product developers, RedCap is not simply a network upgrade. It also creates greater flexibility when balancing device size, battery life, and cost.
Ultra-Compact Design Creates More Space
For portable devices such as MiFi products, every millimeter of PCB space matters.
Based on the V527 platform, MRU3A0-CN adopts a COB hardware design that integrates the chipset and core MiFi functions into a compact PCBA measuring 61.9 × 31.8 × 5.0 mm.
The smaller board footprint leaves more space for batteries, mechanical components, and overall device layout. This gives device manufacturers greater flexibility when developing smaller and lighter products.
Lower Power Consumption for Longer Mobile Use
MRU3A0-CN combines low-power component selection with optimized PCB layout and thermal design. Software-based thermal management further helps improve overall power and temperature performance.
While supporting multi-device connectivity, the solution reduces power consumption and heat buildup during operation. This helps extend device operating time and supports more stable use in mobile scenarios.
Core MiFi Functions Integrated on One PCBA
MRU3A0-CN integrates 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6 with theoretical speeds of up to 287 Mbps. It supports simultaneous connectivity for up to 10 devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
The PCBA also integrates reverse charging, USB tethering, and Web UI capabilities. A USB Type-C 2.0 interface gives device manufacturers additional flexibility for different product designs.
MRU3A0-CN supports both uSIM and eSIM, providing greater flexibility for customer and operator deployments. Fibocom also provides reference designs and application development support to help customers accelerate device development and product introduction.
MRU3A0-CN has now entered small-batch commercial deployment and is progressing into real-world market applications.
From 5G RedCap connectivity and Wi-Fi sharing to power management, device management, and compact board-level integration, MRU3A0-CN addresses the broader set of requirements behind a complete MiFi product.
As MiFi products continue to diversify, MRU3A0-CN gives device manufacturers a new option for developing portable connectivity products with an ultra-compact design, low power consumption, lightweight 5G connectivity, and integrated MiFi capabilities.
