The networks supporting public safety, utilities and transportation have never been more distributed or more targeted. As deployments grow in scale and complexity, organizations need connectivity infrastructure that stays connected across diverse carrier environments, meets evolving security mandates and gives information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) teams real operational visibility to manage fleets with confidence.
AirLink OS 6.1 delivers on all three.
Multi-Profile SIM Automation Brings Enhanced Resilient Connectivity Across the Full Portfolio
With AirLink OS 6.1, multi-profile SIM automation is now available across the full AirLink OS portfolio: the RX400 and EX400 5G RedCap routers, the RX55 LTE router and the XR60, XR80 and XR90 5G routers, bringing automated carrier profile management to more deployments than ever before.
Multi-profile SIM automation simplifies multi-carrier deployments by automatically managing profile changes and associated modem updates. This reduces manual intervention and allows organizations to maintain connectivity across diverse carrier environments.
Preparing for FIPS 140-3 Compliance: What AirLink OS 6.1 Means for Regulated Industries
AirLink OS 6.1 introduces Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3 support. FIPS 140-3 is the U.S. federal standard governing how cryptographic modules are designed, tested and validated, and it will be replacing FIPS 140-2 across government and regulated industries. After September 21, 2026, the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) deadline, all FIPS 140-2 validations will move to the Historical List.
As government agencies and organizations operating in public safety, utilities, defense, and other critical infrastructure sectors prepare to transition to the updated standard, compatible AirLink OS routers can be upgraded to support the new FIPS 140-3 standard, helping them meet compliance requirements ahead of the CMVP deadline, while protecting existing investments and eliminating the need for hardware replacement in most deployments.
Strengthening Device Integrity with Secure Boot
In a connected infrastructure, security operates across every layer, from networks and applications to cloud platforms, but it starts at the edge device.
AirLink OS 6.1 introduces Secure Boot compatible firmware on AirLink XR60 R2, XR80 and XR90 Gen 2 5G routers, ensuring only trusted, Semtech-signed software can run on the device. In future factory shipments, Secure Boot will be enforced in hardware by default.
Secure Boot protects against one of the most difficult threats to detect in connected infrastructure: unauthorized firmware modifications. Even if a device is physically accessed, unapproved software cannot be installed or executed.
For organizations deploying routers in remote, unmanned or publicly accessible environments, Secure Boot adds an important layer of protection without requiring additional configuration or ongoing management.
Fleet Intelligence: Manage, Monitor and Optimize
AirLink OS 6.1 gives IT and OT teams enhanced visibility into their distributed fleets, from remote diagnostics to rich operational reporting.
Remote diagnostics through AirLink Management Service (ALMS) and bulk device configuration using templates are now available across all AirLink OS-based devices, helping organizations standardize management workflows and simplify deployment across mixed fleets.
For vehicle-based deployments, OBD-II (J1979) diagnostics connect the router directly to the vehicle’s Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, giving operations teams access to engine fault, odometer, seat belt status, vehicle health, and utilization data, reducing the need for separate telematics tools.
Built-in dashboards and reporting tools provide further operational insight:
- Link Utilization: Tracks wide area network (WAN) connectivity over time, including uptime percentage, data usage and carrier status. Ideal for identifying underperforming or misconfigured devices and spotting connectivity issues at specific times of day.
- Trips: Plots vehicle routes using GPS data, with stop locations, trip distances, durations, and network status overlaid on the route. Helps teams validate where a vehicle was and how connectivity behaved throughout the journey.
- Driver Behavior: Tracks driving incidents including hard acceleration, hard braking, cornering, and speeding, helping fleet managers reduce liability, support driver coaching programs, and build a safer, more efficient fleet over time.
- Coverage Maps: Geographic view of cellular connectivity quality across routes, with color-coded zones highlighting areas with potential quality-of-service issues.
- Coverage Trails: Offers a more granular, signal-strength-based complement to Coverage Maps, helping teams pinpoint exactly where coverage degrades along a specific route.
These advanced reports are available through AirLink Premium subscriptions and help operations teams identify issues earlier, improve performance and reduce the need for manual troubleshooting or unnecessary site visits.
Building on the AirLink OS Foundation
With AirLink OS 6.1, Semtech continues its focus on helping organizations deploy, secure and manage connected infrastructure at scale. Whether supporting public safety communications, utility infrastructure, transportation networks, or industrial operations, AirLink OS 6.1 gives organizations the tools they need to manage increasingly complex deployments with confidence.
Ready to take the next step?
- Read AirLink OS 6.1 full release notes.
- Contact Semtech to learn how AirLink OS 6.1 can support your deployment and security requirements.
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