Qualcomm Samples Dual-carrier HSPA+ and Multi-Mode 3G/LTE Chips

Qualcomm is sampling the industry's first chipsets for dual-carrier HSPA+ and multi-mode 3G/LTE.


Qualcomm's MDM8220 dual-carrier HSPA+ solution, based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard, provides peak downlink data rates of up to 42 Mbps and 11 Mbps on the uplink, allowing carriers to upgrade their existing infrastructure equipment to achieve significantly higher bandwidths. Its dual-carrier technology doubles networks' bandwidth from 5 MHz to 10 MHz by aggregating two HSPA carriers in parallel. The Mobile Data Modem (MDM) MDM8220 chipset supports Dual-carrier High-Speed Packet Access Plus (DC-HSPA+); and the MDM9200 and the MDM9600 chipsets offer multi-mode 3G/Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity.


Qualcomm said its MDM9200 and the MDM9600 chipsets allow UMTS and CDMA2000 operators to upgrade seamlessly to future LTE services while preserving backward compatibility to their existing 3G networks. MDM9200 supports UMTS, HSPA+ and LTE, while the MDM9600 supports CDMA2000 1X, EV-DO Rev. B, SV-DO, SV-LTE, UMTS, HSPA+ and LTE. All of the new chipsets support FDD LTE and TDD LTE modes and different carrier bandwidths, and are capable of using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) and multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology to support peak data rates of up to 100 Mbps on the downlink and 50 Mbps on the uplink.


Qualcomm also noted that it is working with numerous network operators, infrastructure vendors and device manufacturers with its dual-carrier HSPA+ and/or LTE solutions. Among multiple network operators evaluating the new technologies are Japan's EMOBILE and Telstra Wireless. Qualcomm is also working with multiple infrastructure vendors, such as Huawei Technologies and Nokia Siemens Networks, to perform interoperability tests for dual-carrier HSPA+ and LTE. Among the many device manufacturers currently evaluating the new chipsets are Huawei, LG Electronics, Novatel Wireless, Sierra Wireless and ZTE.


"HSPA's faster data speeds and added capacity offers an attractive upgrade path for our growing network," said Eric Gan, representative director, president and COO at Japan EMOBILE Ltd. "We see Qualcomm's new dual-carrier HSPA+ and LTE technology as a real potential benefit for our customers."


"Telstra is on track to start deploying the next evolution of Dual-carrier HSPA+ technology in the Next G network by the end of 2009," said Mike Wright, executive director at Telstra Wireless. "Following our successful collaboration in developing the world's first HSPA+ commercial network and device, we are working with Qualcomm and looking forward to their MDM8220 chipsets to support the evolution of our network."http://www.qualcomm.com