Qualcomm Technologies has introduced the world’s first 5G NR millimeter wave (mmWave) and sub-6 GHz RF modules for smartphones and other mobile devices.
Qualcomm believes that the latest innovation will assist the global telecom industry to launch 5G services that will be powered by 5G smartphones and 5G-capable devices. Several telecom operators are aiming to launch 5G mobile services in 2019-2020 to enhance their revenue streams.
Qualcomm said the QTM052 mmWave antenna modules work in tandem with Snapdragon X50 5G modem to overcome the challenges associated with mmWave.
Intel, the main rival of Qualcomm in the 5G chipset industry, is currently targeting makers of smartphone and other device companies to sell its chipsets.
The telecom industry is yet to use mmWave signals for mobile wireless communications due to technical and design challenges which impact device engineering, including materials, form-factor, industrial design, thermals, and regulatory requirements for radiated power.
Qualcomm QTM052 mmWave antenna module and Qualcomm QPM56xx sub-6 GHz RF module pair with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem deliver modem-to-antenna capabilities across several spectrum bands.
Qualcomm said the QTM052 mmWave antenna modules support beam forming, beam steering, and beam tracking technologies, improving the range and reliability of mmWave signals.
They feature an integrated 5G NR radio transceiver, power management IC, RF front-end components and phased antenna array. They support up to 800 MHz of bandwidth in the 26.5-29.5 GHz (n257), as well as the entire 27.5-28.35 GHz (n261) and 37-40 GHz (n260) mmWave bands.
Four of the QTM052 modules can be integrated in a smartphone because of very compact footprint. This allows OEMs to design their mobile devices, offering attractive form factors and high speeds from mmWave 5G NR – targeting to launch as early as the first half of 2019, Qualcomm said.
“Qualcomm Technologies’ early investment in 5G has allowed us to deliver to the industry a working mobile mmWave solution that was previously thought unattainable, as well as a fully-integrated sub-6 GHz RF solution,” said Cristiano Amon, president of Qualcomm.
The US-based chipset company said it is sampling both QTM052 mmWave antenna module and QPM56xx sub-6 GHz RF module to its smartphone and other device customers.
