Qatar Plans National Fiber Network

Qatar National Broadband Network Company (Q.NBN), which was established last year by the government of Qatar, has received a 25 year license to provide fiber optic broadband throughout the country.

The license will see Q.NBN offering wholesale broadband fiber optics infrastructure services to licensed network service providers and operators. As such, Q,NBN serve as the fiber optic broadband infrastructure provider for Qatar.

"We are delighted to receive our official license to operate from ictQATAR which will mark the start of a new era of high speed communication in Qatar. Receiving this license is an acknowledgement of Q.NBN’s vision aligned with 2030 to provide Qatar with the very latest technology platform to help achieve a knowledge-based sustainable economy." stated Mohamad Al-Mannai, Q.NBN Chief Executive Officer. http://www.qnbn.qa

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ARM and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Target 20nm Mobile Chips

GLOBALFOUNDRIES and ARM announced a multi-year agreement to jointly deliver optimized system-on-chip (SoC) solutions using GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 20-nanometer (nm) and FinFET process technologies. The new agreement also extends the long-standing collaboration to include graphics processors in mobile devices.



ARM plans to develop a full platform of ARM Artisan Physical IP, including standard cell libraries, memory compilers and POP IP solutions for a range of mobile applications, from smartphones to tablets to ultra-thin notebooks. Timelines were not disclosed.

The companies have been collaborating for several years to jointly optimize ARM Cortex-A series processors, including multiple demonstrations of performance and power-efficiency benefits on 28nm as well as a 20nm test-chip implementation currently running through GLOBALFOUNDRIES fab in Malta, N.Y.


"This early engagement promotes the rapid adoption of ARM and GLOBALFOUNDRIES technologies in future SoCs for several important markets," said Simon Segars, executive vice president and general manager, Processor and Physical IP Divisions at ARM. “Customers designing for mobile, tablet and computing applications will benefit extensively from the energy-efficient ARM processor and graphics processor included in this collaboration. By proactively working together to enable next-generation 20nm-LPM and FinFET process technologies, our mutual customers can be assured a range of implementation options that will enable two more generations of advanced semiconductor devices."
http://www.arm.com

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Huawei Employs Spreadtrum's Chip for Flagship TD-SCDMA Smartphone

Huawei is using Spreadtrum's baseband modem for its flagship TD-SCDMA smartphone, the Huawei Ascend P1 TD-SCDMA on China Mobile's network.


Huawei Ascend P1 is an Android 4.0 ICS device with a dual core 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, 4GB of built-in storage and an 8 megapixel BSI camera with AF.



Spreadtrum's SC8803G is a high performance and, highly integrated baseband modem implemented in 40nm CMOS and supporting TD-SCDMA, EDGE, GPRS and GSM operation . It supports TD-HSDPA at 2.8Mbps and TD-HSUPA at 2.2Mbps. http://www.spreadtrum.com
 http://www.huawei.com

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Elektrobit Demos LTE Band 14 Functionality

Elektrobit Corp. will be demonstrating LTE Band 14 functionality and other updates on the EB Specialized Device Platform, which is the company's Android-based mobile device platform that enables vertical markets such as public safety to test customized mobile devices that meet specific industry functional or performance requirements.


Other updates to the EB Specialized Device Platform include the OMAP 4460 dual-core chipset application processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich integration and more robust support for 2G, 3G and up to five LTE frequency bands, including the public safety-specific Band 14.


"Over the past several years we have seen an increasing change in the direction from which technology innovations previously occurred, and now more than ever, consumer technology has a significant influence on the way government and public safety officials use and consume this technology in the field," said Jani Lyrintzis, vice president and general manager, EB. "With the EB Specialized Device Platform, EB provides specialized markets with a unique solution that already has most of the features necessary to build a multipurpose product that meets their needs and also complies with government and public safety requirements."
http://www.elektrobit.com

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