Re: Qualcomm Claims World’s First 2 Gbps LTE Modem
Phyllis Sterlin
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In the lead-up to Mobile World Congress, @Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon X24 LTE modem, a 7 nanometer component capable of speeds up to 2 Gbps. The company claims the modem is the first commercially announced Category 20 modem. Key features of the company's third-generation LTE modem include aggregation of up to seven carriers and a flexible set of 20 independent spatial streams. Snapdragon X24 spatial streams can be combined for a variety of carrier aggregation and MIMO configurations. As an example, a designer of user equipment striving for high spectral efficiency could blend five carriers with 4x4 MIMO.
Why spatial stream flexibility matters: For mission-critical LTE, the modem is important not just for its performance, but its ability to combine fragmented slices of spectrum held by mobile operators. This means that mobile operators with fragmented spectrum can better support high-performance data requirements. The variety of carrier/MIMO configurations enabled by 20 spatial streams helps user equipment designers accommodate a wide range of performance targets.
For the most part, mission-critical LTE features are independent of a device modem set, if we set aside proximity services. But high-performance modems open the doors for expanded access to sophisticated cloud-based applications that contribute to greater situational awareness and strengthened operational decision making.
It is not just a 5G World: While 5G is sure to be the star of Mobile World Congress 2018, continued advancements in LTE components are equally important as LTE becomes the ubiquitous bedroom of high-performance mobile broadband networking. Look for further LTE announcements from network equipment vendors, device suppliers and silicon specialists. The "evolution" in LTE continues.
Achieving more than 3 Gbps speeds(2) using sub-6 GHz spectrum, this connection is the companies' first demonstration of 5G carrier aggregation, which builds upon the history of Qualcomm Technologies' technical successes such as the first 5G data connection on a modem chipset, the first 5G mmWave over-the-air call, the first 5G data call over-the-air using spectrum sharing and a recent Voice-over-NR call. The Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System can support peak speeds up to 5 Gbps by aggregating 200 MHz across select 5G sub-6 GHz bands. 5G sub-6 GHz carrier aggregation provides operators with greater flexibility to boost 5G performance utilizing their diverse spectrum assets, allowing them to improve network capacity and performance. 5G carrier aggregation helps to improve 5G speeds and reliability in challenging wireless conditions, allowing consumers to experience smoother video streaming and faster downloads.
"This milestone with Fujitsu allows us to unlock 5G's potential for seamless and pervasive connectivity," said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 4G/5G, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "As the world's leading wireless innovator, Qualcomm Technologies continuously develops solutions that enhance the end-to-end network experiences people rely on every day, and we're proud to collaborate with Fujitsu to demonstrate the benefits carrier aggregation brings to 5G and consumers."
"Our successful completion of this 5G carrier aggregation data call exemplifies Fujitsu and Qualcomm Technologies' collaborative, long-term approach to leading the evolution of 5G," said Masaki Taniguchi, Senior Vice President, Mobile System Business Unit,Fujitsu. "We are excited to elevate the use of 5G carrier aggregation to bring benefits for both operators and customers, and look forward to future work with Qualcomm Technologies to enhance what's possible for 5G networks."
As more operators enable support for 5G carrier aggregation, they will be able to rely on the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems and Fujitsu's network infrastructure solutions to improve network capacity and performance by taking advantage of non-contiguous spectrum assets. Carrier aggregation is an important feature in the evolution of 5G networks to enhance system capacity, boost reliability in weak signal conditions, and deliver higher peak speeds - improving user experiences in existing applications and enabling new use cases in the future.
Commercial devices featuring carrier aggregation capabilities and powered by the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System are expected to be available later this year. For more information visit qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon-x55-5g-modem.
Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business.
Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 132,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (Code: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.0 trillion yen (US $36 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.