Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has introduced a family of 28 nanometer (nm) solutions, the Qualcomm FSM99xx, that enable pico, metro and enterprise small cells that are designed to enhance operators’ 3G and LTE networks. The Qualcomm FSM99xx solutions integrate the company’s 3G and 4G technologies and support advanced 802.11ac/n Wi-Fi to enable full-featured small cells that are designed to provide superior performance with greater power efficiency.
The mobile industry is preparing for an increase in mobile data traffic, which Qualcomm calls the 1000x data challenge. To address this increase in data traffic, operators around the globe are using small cell technologies as a cost-effective way to improve cellular network capacity and coverage. By bringing the network closer to mobile users, small cells enable operators to target capital expenditures where they are needed most to improve the user experience.
Qualcomm Technologies is providing an integrated 3G / 4G LTE small cell solution to facilitate the rollout of 4G services. With the introduction of these small cell devices, the company is helping operators mitigate the cost and complexity of supporting increased capacity on their networks. The FSM99xx utilizes Qualcomm Technologies’ industry-leading mobile processor technology, which has been proven in hundreds of flagship devices currently available, as well as its commercial grade 3G and 4G modems. The Qualcomm FSM99xx solutions are designed to support concurrent 3G and 4G operation or dual carrier 4G with carrier aggregation, and also host advanced Wi-Fi capabilities to make the best use of all available spectrum and seamless connectivity for mobile users.
The Qualcomm FSM99xx solutions are designed for maximum power efficiency to reduce operating expenses and enable compliance with power-over-Ethernet requirements for enterprise deployments. These solutions are produced in 28nm process technology and utilize Qualcomm Technologies’ industry-leading quad core Krait mobile processors, which are designed to consume half the power of other processors. The FSM99xx family of solutions also features RF linearization techniques designed to reduce power amplifier power consumption by up to half, a critical benefit given amplifiers can consume more than half of a small cell’s power budget. The Qualcomm FSM99xx is a platform for advanced HetNet and SON (self-organizing networks) techniques, such as the Qualcomm UltraSON™ suite.
“Our new small cell solutions draw upon our immense mobile, Wi-Fi and networking strengths to enhance the consumer’s mobile experiences,” said Dan Rabinovitsj, senior vice president and general manager for Qualcomm Atheros. “We are at the forefront of the industry with this ground-breaking small cell solution in our quest to address the 1000x data challenge.”
