Today’s telecom news includes announcements on ST Engineering iDirect, QuantalRF, Silicom, 5G NR-NTN user-equipment modem, among others.
ST Engineering iDirect Advances 5G Satellite Networks With INT3000 NR-NTN Modem
ST Engineering iDirect demonstrated a pilot of its INT3000 multi-waveform 5G NR-NTN user-equipment modem, advancing convergence between satellite and terrestrial 5G networks. The device is being developed to support both 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network and DVB-S2X/MRC waveforms, allowing satellite operators to introduce native 5G services while retaining existing DVB infrastructure. The September 2 demonstration at the European Space Agency’s 5G NTN Forum used a satellite simulator and connected through iDirect’s Intuition ground system with native NR-NTN gNodeB capabilities. The company is also developing synchronization technology that reduces dependence on GNSS and satellite-position data. The roadmap targets multi-orbit networks and smoother migration of established satellite infrastructure into standards-based 5G ecosystems.
QuantalRF Wi-Fi 7/8 RF Module Delivers Up to 3 dB More Usable Power
QuantalRF has started sampling its QWX27104 RF front-end module to Tier-1 mobile-device manufacturers and chipset suppliers for next-generation Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 8 systems. Built using GlobalFoundries’ 8SW RF-SOI process, the module is designed to reduce digital pre-distortion requirements while providing up to 3 dB more mask-compliant output power. The architecture targets the increasingly demanding 160 MHz and 320 MHz channel widths used by advanced Wi-Fi networks. QuantalRF says traditional GaAs front ends require heavier digital correction as bandwidth increases, raising processing and power requirements. The QWX27104 instead incorporates greater linearity directly into the RF front end, potentially improving network range, efficiency and performance for smartphones and other high-bandwidth wireless devices.
Silicom Wins $5 Million-Plus Annual Contract for 5G Edge Networking Device
Silicom secured a design win from an unnamed Tier-1 cloud cybersecurity company for an edge-networking device incorporating integrated 5G wireless connectivity. The customer has already placed an initial order, with deployment ramp-up expected before the end of 2026. At full production, Silicom expects annual revenue from the platform to exceed $5 million. The customer is also evaluating a higher-end edge device incorporating a GPU for Edge AI workloads, potentially expanding the opportunity further. The contract represents Silicom’s eighth design win in 2026, already matching its total number of wins for all of 2025. Silicom expects company revenue growth of more than 50 percent in 2026, with 5G, edge computing, SD-WAN, SASE and AI infrastructure contributing to demand.
