Qualcomm's revenue dips 17% to $9.2B due to inventory and macroeconomics

 Citing challenges in the macroeconomic environment and elevated channel inventory, Qualcomm reported quarterly revenues of $9.275 billion, down 17% compared to the same period a year ago. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) amounted to $1.52, down 41% compared to a year ago.

“As we navigate this challenging environment, we remain focused on the critical factors we can control to emerge stronger from this downturn – our leading technology roadmap, best-in-class product portfolio, strong customer relationships and operational efficiencies,” said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. “Our top priority remains to execute our diversification strategy and invest in areas that drive long-term value.”

Regarding it outlook for the current quarter, Qualcomm said it expcts "continued impact of the macroeconomic headwinds, weaker global handset units, and channel inventory drawdown. In addition, we estimate a larger-than-normal sequential decline in QCT revenues, primarily due to the timing of purchases by a modem-only handset customer."

https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/_061d72816a5a32a6796fb8868f5b27a9/qualcomm/db/773/7286/file/FY+2023+2nd+Quarter+Earnings+Release.pdf

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Qualcomm: Digital divide remains at 37% globally

 An estimated 37% of the global population remains without access to high-speed internet and other digital technologies, according to an ITU white paper called Measuring Digital Development – Facts and Figures 2021. The three greatest obstacles are:

• 
  The lack of internet connectivity where people live, work, or learn,
• The lack of affordability, and
• The lack of digital skills to navigate the connected world.

Qualcomm argues that 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has become an alternative to fiber for fixed broadband, because it is a highly affordable solution for households and businesses due to lower deployment costs and increased market competition.

Qualcomm 5G technology has the potential to close the digital divide and create transformational change, particularly for disadvantaged and underserved populations,” said Kirti Gupta, Vice President, Technology & Economic Strategy, Qualcomm Incorporated. “As a leader in advanced 5G solutions, it is our responsibility to ensure the world understands the importance and potential of this technology. With everyone pulling in the same direction, the world will benefit greatly from the widespread implementation of 5G mobile and FWA technology.”

A 26-page presentation from Qualcomm on 5G FWA and the Digital Divide is posted here.

https://www.qualcomm.com/content/dam/qcomm-martech/dm-assets/documents/5G-and-the-Digital-Divide.pdf

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New download peak speed benchmark: 7.3Gbps

Telstra, Ericsson claimed a new 5G download peak speed benchmark of 7.3Gbps for a single user.

The result was achieved at a Telstra live mobile site located at the Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. 

This new global 5G benchmark of 7.3Gbps for a single user was demonstrated using a smartphone form factor mobile test device, powered by Snapdragon X70 5G Modem-RF System. The mobile device connected to a live commercial Telstra mobile site equipped with an Ericsson Radio System base-station supporting New Radio Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) between 800MHz of n258 (26GHz) mmWave spectrum and 100MHz of mid-band n78 (3.6GHz) Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum.

The Ericsson base station used in this milestone has two Ericsson’s Baseband 6648, AIR5322 n258 26GHz mmWave radios, AIR6488 n78 3.6GHz radios and commercial Ericsson RAN software running 5G NR DC (new radio dual connectivity) capability. The high peak speed is achieved by aggregating eight 100MHz mmWave carriers (800MHz total bandwidth) running peak modulation of 256QAM and combining with 100MHz of mid-band TDD using NR dual connectivity.

The peak speed to 7.3Gbps surpassed  the previous 5G downlink benchmark also set by Telstra in February 2022 of 5.9Gbps (peak modulation of 64QAM on mmWave).

https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/7/2022/telstra-ericsson-and-qualcomm-achieve-new-download-speed-benchmark

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Qualcomm debuts Compact Macro 5G RAN Platform

Qualcomm Technologies introduced a Compact Macro 5G RAN Platform to address macro cell infrastructure for mobility and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). Sampling is expected to start in Q1 2023.

The new platform leverages the Qualcomm FSM 5G RAN Platform for Small Cells, while featuring macro-grade antenna module support with 256 antenna elements, delivering up to 60dBm of peak EIRP and up to 1 GHz of spectrum. 

The new Qualcomm Compact Macro 5G RAN Platform offers long-range performance enhancements for compact macro products that more than double the range capabilities compared to small cells designed with the Qualcomm FSM 5G RAN Platform, significantly reducing the number of cell sites needed for wide area coverage. 

Qualcomm said its new platform will accelerate deployment of mmWave infrastructure by facilitating up to 50% base station equipment cost reduction for a given coverage area, compared to similar high-power mmWave macro solutions.

“Building on our 5G infrastructure and mmWave leadership, we are pleased to announce a new long-range outdoor platform for compact macro cells that present our customers and operators with a cost-to-performance paradigm highly differentiated from traditional macro solutions,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This innovative solution will streamline deployments and accelerate mmWave adoption by providing the range, performance, energy efficiency, and form factor our partners need at an attractive price point. We’re thrilled to extend our technology leadership and expertise to help the ecosystem fully realize the benefits of mmWave for outdoor 5G networks.”

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2022/12/qualcomm-announces-long-range-compact-macro-platform

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Qualcomm advances its 5G RAN chips

Qualcomm confirmed that its upcoming X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card and QRU100 5G RAN platform are now sampling with first customers. Commercial deployments from OEMs are now expected in 2023.

• 
  Qualcomm X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card -- can be used for offloading server CPUs from compute-intensive 5G baseband processing. It supports a range of baseband function split options which spans support of all 7.x split functions providing OEMs and operators with deployment flexibility and facilitates scalable, cost-effective 5G RAN networks spanning mmWave and Sub-6 GHz. The accelerator card is positioned as a customizable turnkey solution for O-RAN fronthaul and 5G NR layer 1 High (L1 High) processing including beamforming processing and support for simultaneous massive MIMO 64T64R sectors.
• Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform -- a Modem-RF base station chipset supporting Massive MIMO and O-RAN architectures. Advanced features include Multi-operator RAN sharing, Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), and digital beamforming as well as 64T64R, 32T32R and non-Massive MIMO solutions. Qualcomm says its solution supports all split options providing OEMs and operators with tremendous flexibility to deploy unprecedented peak speeds with available spectrum resources and facilitates scalable, cost-effective 5G RAN networks spanning mmWave and Sub-6 GHz

“Network operators understand the importance of deploying 5G network infrastructure that can support the demands of next-generation networks, enhance consumer experiences, and unlock new use cases. They require a scalable solution with high capacity and low latency,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies.

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2022/09/qualcomm-builds-momentum-for-full-scale-open-ran

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GlobalFoundries signs Qualcomm for FinFET fab in New York

by James E. Carroll

GlobalFoundries and Qualcomm Technologies announced a semiconductor manufacturing deal that extends through 2028.

Specifically, the manufacturing agreement extends QGT's U.S. based collaboration with GF in FinFET for 5G transceivers, Wi-Fi, Automotive and IoT connectivity.

The companies said their partnership secures wafer supply and commitments to support U.S.-based manufacturing through capacity expansion at GF's most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility, in Malta, New York.

"With accelerating demand for 5G, Automotive and IoT applications, a robust supply chain is critical for ensuring innovation in these areas remains uninterrupted," said Dr. Roawen Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Our continued collaboration with GF helps us to expand the next generation of wireless innovation as we move toward a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected."

"GF's global manufacturing footprint enables us to partner with our customers to meet their capacity needs, where they need it," said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF. "Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies delivers differentiation and innovation in mobile and IoT spanning three continents, and this long-term agreement extension provides Qualcomm Technologies with additional U.S. based manufacturing for a more resilient supply chain."

GF has been manufacturing Qualcomm Technologies' feature rich, high-performance chips for many years, reaching across its global footprint. In 2021, Qualcomm Global Trading Pte. Ltd (QGT), a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, was one of GF's first customers to secure their supply with a long-term agreement covering multiple geographies and technologies. That agreement secured 22FDX capacity at GF's Dresden facility and will now include capacity at GF's recently announced facility in Crolles, France, making QGT an anchor customer in GF's leading European proprietary technology. QGT has also secured capacity in GF's market leading 8SW radio-frequency silicon-on-insulator (RFSOI) technologies for Sub 6GHz 5G front-end module (FEM) which will be primarily manufactured in GF's Singapore facilities, where site expansion plans are well underway with full ramp expected in early 2023.

https://www.investors.gf.com

ST and GlobalFoundries target 300mm fab in France

Monday, July 11, 2022  France, GlobalFoundries, Silicon, ST  

STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries agreed to create a new, jointly-operated 300mm semiconductor manufacturing facility adjacent to ST’s existing 300mm facility in Crolles, France. This facility is targeted to ramp at full capacity by 2026, with up to 620,000 300mm wafer per year production at full build-out (~42% ST and ~58% GF).The new facility will support several technologies, in particular FD-SOI-based technologies, and will cover multiple...

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Motorola Solutions signs GlobalFoundries to secure radio chip supply

Thursday, May 19, 2022  GlobalFoundries, Motorola Solutions  

Motorola Solutions, which supplies two-way radios for public safety, critical infrastructure and enterprise organizations, signed a long-term agreement with GlobalFoundries to supply chip solutions.The companies point out that several critical chips the company designs for its public safety, professional and commercial radios are manufactured by GF in Vermont. GF's SiGe process technology enables the highly reliable, long-range, secure and clear...

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Qualcomm signs with Manchester United

Qualcomm has entered into a multi-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United. Financial terms were not disclosed.

In addition to promotions for Manchester United fans at Old Trafford and around the world, Qualcomm Technologies will advise Manchester United on planned improvements to mobile connectivity.

Victoria Timpson, CEO Alliances and Partnerships at Manchester United, said: "Snapdragon platforms will enable ground-breaking experiences for fans across the globe, deepening their engagement with the football club they love."

"Manchester United has always pushed boundaries of what's possible and we are excited to be partnering with a company at the forefront of innovation."

Don McGuire, SVP of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and CMO of Qualcomm said: "We are proud to bring the power of Snapdragon together with one of the most iconic names in world sport."

http://www.qualcomm.com

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Testing planned for 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks

Ericsson, Thales, and Qualcomm Technologies will conduct smartphone-use-case-focused testing and validation of 5G non-terrestrial networks (5G NTN). The goal of the testing will be to validate various technology components needed to enable 5G non-terrestrial networks, including a 5G smartphone, satellite payload and 5G network pieces on the ground.

The benefits of 5G connectivity via low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are expected to include coverage in extreme geographies or remote areas across seas, oceans and other locations where terrestrial coverage is absent.

Ericsson plans to verify a 5G virtual RAN (vRAN) stack, modified to handle radio signals propagating (what happens to 5G radio waves travelling through the vacuum of space and the Earth’s atmosphere) via the fast-moving LEO satellites.

The testing follows the March 2022 go-ahead by 3GPP to support non-terrestrial networks for the first time.

Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson, says: “This testing and validation cooperation between Ericsson, Thales and Qualcomm Technologies will be a major milestone in the history of communications as the ultimate result could effectively mean that no matter where you are on Earth – in the middle of an ocean or the remotest forest – high-end, secure and cost-effective connectivity will be available through collaborative 5G satellite and terrestrial connectivity.”

https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/2022/7/ericsson-qualcomm-and-thales-to-take-5g-into-space

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Ericsson, OPPO and Qualcomm test 5G enterprise slicing

Ericsson, OPPO and Qualcomm have tested 5G enterprise network slicing solution 

The pre-commercial trial used Ericsson’s Dynamic Network Slicing Selection, a recent addition to the company’s dual-mode 5G Core portfolio, and Ericsson 5G RAN slicing, which together deliver the required new network capabilities for this new solution. The trial was completed using an OPPO Find X5 Pro powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform with Snapdragon X65 Modem-RF System.

"5G network slicing enables enterprises to meet their network security, reliability and flexibility needs,“ says Monica Zethzon, Head of Solution Area Packet Core at Business Area Cloud Software and Services, Ericsson. “This solution, created in partnership with OPPO and Qualcomm and underpinned by Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core and 5G RAN Slicing technologies, provides a foundation for CSPs to deliver more tailored 5G services for enterprises.”

https://www.ericsson.com/en/news/2022/6/ericsson-oppo-qualcomm-successfully-test-5g-enterprise-network-slicing-on-commercial-android-12-device

Taiwan's Far EasTone joins Ericsson's Startup 5G program

Monday, March 21, 2022  Ericsson, Taiwan  

Far EasTone (FET), a leading operator from Taiwan, has joined the Ericsson Startup 5G program, which is designed to help communication service providers (CSPs) capture the consumer potential of 5G. FET is the first CSP in Northeast Asia to enroll in the program, joining a lineup of word-leading operators such as AT&T, Telstra, and Rogers, to name a few.  With the ambition to maximize value for 5G users, FET has invested heavily in developing...

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Qualcomm acquires Cellwize for multi-vendor RAN automation

Qualcomm Technologies has acquired Cellwize Wireless Technologies Pte. Ltd.  Financial terms were not disclosed.

Cellwize, which is headquartered in Singapore with R&D in Israel, offers mobile network automation and orchestration solution. Cellwize offers a RAN automation and orchestration platform for 5G rollouts. Cellwize CHIME enables operators to accelerate their 5G deployment by automating key business processes in the RAN domain. The company leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning for zero-touch 5G deployments, for automating 2G/3G/4G/5G network optimization, and for delivering mobile network assurance. Cellwize supports multiple RAN architectures, including Open RAN, virtualized RAN, and traditional RAN.

Previous investors in the company have included Intel Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Verizon Ventures, Samsung Next, and others.

Qualcomm said Cellwize’s 5G network deployment, automation, and management software platform capabilities further strengthens Qualcomm;s 5G infrastructure solutions to fuel the digital transformation of industries, power the connected intelligent edge, and support the growth of the cloud economy.

“Global mobile operators and private enterprises are deploying 5G networks at an unprecedented pace across industries with the goal of connecting everyone and everything to the cloud,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The addition of Cellwize’s best-in-class RAN automation technologies strengthens Qualcomm Technologies’ ability to drive the development of the modern 5G network – accelerating Open RAN global adoption, cloud-based cellular infrastructure innovation and 5G private network deployments.”  

“We are excited to join Qualcomm Technologies as we are both committed to accelerate the mission to modernize Radio Access Networks and enable mobile network operators and enterprises to fully realize and monetize their digital transformation,” said Ofir Zemer, former chief executive officer, Cellwize, who now is vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2022/06/qualcomm-acquires-cellwize-to-accelerate-5g-adoption-and-spur

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AMD and Qualcomm optimize Wi-Fi 6 and 6E on laptops

AMD and Qualcomm Technologies are working to optimize the Qualcomm FastConnect connectivity system for AMD Ryzen processor-based computing platforms, starting with AMD Ryzen PRO 6000 Series processors and the Qualcomm FastConnect 6900. This will enable optimized Wi-Fi 6 and 6E connectivity on business laptops powered by AMD Ryzen processors.

In collaboration with Microsoft, next-generation Windows 11 PCs, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Z Series and HP EliteBook 805 Series, can harness the full potential of Windows 11 Wi-Fi Dual Station through Qualcomm 4-Stream Dual Band Simultaneous. Multiple Wi-Fi bands outperform traditional single band connections for improved video conferencing experiences, reduced latency, and enhanced connection robustness. Leveraging the 6 GHz band, next-gen laptop users can take full advantage of its bandwidth and speed improvements without competing with any non-6E devices.

Out-of-band Wi-Fi remote management is an important tool for enterprise IT managers to diagnose and fix issues, even when the operating system is not running,” said Jason Banta, CVP and General Manager, OEM Client Computing, AMD.  “AMD Ryzen™ PRO 6000 Series processors with Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 enable next generation business laptops to have the processing and connectivity tools needed to perform in modern environments, offering professional-strength remote manageability for users in the new, hybrid workplace.”

“Our collaboration with AMD reflects Qualcomm Technologies’ commitment to the mobile computing space. By optimizing FastConnect 6900 for platforms powered by AMD Ryzen 6000 Series processors, we’re bringing secure Wi-Fi remote management to AMD enterprise customers,” said Dino Bekis, vice president and general manager, Mobile Compute and Connectivity, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This represents the first step in our relationship to bring superior wireless connectivity to the AMD mobile computing roadmap.” 

https://www.amd.com/en/press-releases/2022-05-17-amd-and-qualcomm-collaborate-to-optimize-fastconnect-connectivity

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Vietnam's Viettel builds with Qualcomm 5G RAN Accelerator Card

Viettel High Technology, which is the R&D arm of Viettel and in charge of design, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of telecommunications solutions, is using the Qualcomm X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card and Massive MIMO Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform to accelerate the development and commercialization of high-performance Open RAN massive MIMO solutions.

Viettel's 4G infrastructure coverd 97% of Vietnam population and the operator's 5G services are available in 16 cities and provinces in Vietnam to date. 

Viettel develops full network elements including Devices, Radio Access Network (RAN), Transmission Network, and Core Network which are forming a strong foundation for digital society.

“Viettel has been a pioneer in adopting new telecommunications technologies including 5G. We are delighted to have Qualcomm Technologies as a key technology provider in our 5G gNodeB project,” said Nguyen Vu Ha, general director, Viettel High Technology. “This collaboration between Qualcomm Technologies and Viettel Group will be the cornerstone of Vietnam’s national strategy for Made in Vietnam 5G infrastructure.”

“As the need for reliable, robust, and powerful mobile experiences increases across Vietnam, we anticipate a new wave of demand for 5G services from both end users and enterprises. Joining forces with Viettel will allow us to innovate through and launch technology that will advance the cellular ecosystem and accelerate the enablement and deployment of modern networks at scale,” said ST Liew, vice president, QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. and president, Qualcomm Taiwan and South East Asia. “We look forward to working closely with Viettel for the rollout of advanced 5G infrastructure and services for Vietnam and globally.”

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/media-center

HPE offers 5G RAN virtualized DU powered by Qualcomm accelerator

Thursday, February 17, 2022  HPE, Qualcomm  

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will deliver 5G distributed units powered by Qualcomm Technologies X100 5G RAN inline accelerator card and its HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen10 Plus Telco Server.The Qualcomm X100 5G RAN accelerator card, which leverages a combination of DSPs and ARM CPUs, offloads Layer 1 and Layer 2 MAC functionality, including compute-intensive 5G baseband processing. HPE's 5G RAN virtualized distributed unit (vDU) solution is designed...

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Rakuten Symphony and Qualcomm target Massive MIMO RU and DU

Sunday, February 27, 2022  #MWC22, Rakuten  

Rakuten Mobile and Qualcomm Technologies agreed to collaborate to develop a next-generation 5G Radio Unit (RU) with Massive MIMO capabilities and distributed units (DUs).The new products, which will leverage the Qualcomm X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card and high-performance Massive MIMO Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform, are designed to enhance Rakuten Symphony’s Symware product portfolio of Open RAN solutions.Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Symphony and Qualcomm...

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Qualcomm intros 5G DU accelerator card

Monday, June 28, 2021  Qualcomm  

Qualcomm introduced its 5G DU X100 PCIe inline accelerator card with concurrent Sub-6 GHz and mmWave baseband support.The accelerator card is designed to ease of deployment with O-RAN fronthaul and 5G NR layer 1 High (L1 High) processing. It plugs into standard Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) servers to offload CPUs from latency-sensitive and compute-intensive 5G baseband functions such as demodulation, beamforming, channel coding, and Massive MIMO...

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Qualcomm boosts its Snapdragon X70 Modem-RF System

 Building on its fifth-generation 5G modem-to-antenna solution announced in February and which is currently sampling, Qualcomm announced a number of new capabilities and milestones for its Snapdragon X70 5G Modem-RF System: 

• Qualcomm Smart Transmit 3.0 technology, an upgraded system-level feature licensed by Qualcomm Technologies that now extends support to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmit power management. It enables real-time averaging of transmit power across 2G-5G, mmWave, Wi-Fi (2.4GHz 6/6E/7), and Bluetooth (2.4) radios to superior radio performance.
• Smart Transmit 3.0 extends 5G coverage and improve uplink speeds, optimizing transmissions across cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas. Smart Transmit 3.0 helps devices smartly manage transmit power, allowing users to enjoy faster, more reliable connectivity.
• 5G standalone mmWave-- peak speeds of more than 8 Gbps have been achieved using Keysight’s 5G Protocol R&D Toolset with a test 5G device powered by Snapdragon X70. 5G standalone mmWave allows for the deployment of 5G mmWave networks and devices without using an anchor on sub-6 GHz spectrum. 
• AI-enhanced 5G performance
• 5G sub-6 GHz carrier aggregation across three TDD channels – delivering up to 6 Gbps peak download speeds.

Commercial mobile devices based on Snapdragon X70 are expected to launch by late 2022. 

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2022/05/10/qualcomm-unveils-new-features-snapdragon-x70-modem-rf-system

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Qualcomm's Wi-Fi 7 Pro boasts 320MHz channels and >10Gbps peaks

Qualcomm Technologies has begun sampling its Wi-Fi 7 capable Qualcomm Networking Pro Series Gen 3 family of platforms featuring  intelligent multi-channel management technologies to improve speeds, lower latency, and enhance network utilization for users of Wi-Fi 6/6E devices while offering game-changing throughput and incredibly low latency for the next generation of Wi-Fi 7 client devices.

The platform is designed to  support high speed low latency wireless backhaul for home mesh Wi-Fi and enterprise infrastructure with reliable performance even in the presence of neighboring interference. 

“Qualcomm Technologies has enabled the era of 10 Gbps Wi-Fi with our first customer deliveries of the Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro Series,” said Nick Kucharewski, senior vice president and general manager, Wireless Infrastructure and Networking, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Combining support for the latest Wi-Fi 7 innovations with our unique product architecture, the platform enables solutions ranging from whole-home mesh to connectivity networks for large public venues. With this product line, we anticipate a new class of customer systems for both today’s applications and the emerging Wi-Fi 7 ecosystem.”

Highlights of the Qualcomm Networking Pro Series

• enables systems with peak aggregate wireless capacity of 33 Gbps 
• supports point-to-point connections exceeding 10 Gbps.
• advanced features for interference detection and multilink operation
• available in tri-band, and quad-band configurations for Wi-Fi connectivity across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz spectrum.
• Support for Wi-Fi 7 320MHz channels (delivering a two-times increase in throughput over Wi-Fi 6) provides maximum throughput and ultra-low latency f
• Multi-Link technology enables customer traffic to dynamically aggregate or alternate bands to avoid wireless interference and deliver deterministic, predictable low latency in heavily congested environments. 
• When paired with leading Wi-Fi 7 client systems, like the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800, Qualcomm Networking Pro Series, Gen 3 platforms can offer support for High Band Simultaneous (HBS) Multi-Link. HBS Multi-Link leverages the high performance 5 and 6GHz bands to deliver the best throughput and latency Multi-Link performance.

The full range of platform offerings include:

• Qualcomm Networking Pro 1620: Quad-band, 16-stream, 33.1 Gbps peak wireless capacity for stadium, large enterprise, premium home mesh systems.
• Qualcomm Networking Pro 1220: Tri-band, 12-stream, 21.6 Gbps peak wireless capacity for enterprise, SMB, prosumer, and premium home mesh systems.
• Qualcomm Networking Pro 820: Quad-band, 8-stream, 13.7 Gbps peak wireless capacity for enterprise, SMB, prosumer, and premium home mesh systems.
• Qualcomm Networking Pro 620: Tri-band, 6-stream, 10.8 Gbps peak wireless capacity for enterprise, SMB, gaming, and home mesh systems.

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2022/05/04/qualcomm-debuts-wi-fi-7-networking-pro-series-worlds-most-scalable

Qualcomm debuts Wi-Fi 7

Wednesday, March 02, 2022  Qualcomm, Silicon, Wi-Fi 7  

Qualcomm unveiled its FastConnect 7800 chipset offering Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth connectivity and High Band Simultaneous Multi-link technology that leverages two Wi-Fi radios for four streams of high band connectivity in 5GHz and/or 6GHz bands. FastConnect 7800 supports all multi-link modes and with HBS Multi-Link, consumers can experience minimized latency and interference, jitter-free connections, and blazing fast speeds using 320MHz channels in increasingly...

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Mediatek demos pre-standard Wi-Fi 7

Sunday, January 30, 2022  Mediatek, WiFi-7  

MediaTek announced the world’s first live demo of pre-standard Wi-Fi 7 technology. The company is currently showcasing two Wi-Fi 7 demos to key customers and industry collaborators.Wi-Fi 7, which will utilize 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz spectrum, promises 2.4X faster speeds than Wi-Fi 6 – even with the same number of antennas – since Wi-Fi 7 can utilize 320Mhz channels and support 4K quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) technology. Other notable features...

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EE tests carrier aggregation across 7 bands

 EE, in collaboration with Qualcomm, aggregated a 5G signal using seven different spectrum carriers, including its existing 3.4GHz and new 3.6GHz 5G channels, for a total of 170 MHz of spectrum.

The companies report 2.2 Gbps downlinks in lab testing. EE expects to see real-world speeds of over 1.7 Gbps on its network. 

Working in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies at BT’s Borehamwood lab, the EE network can now deliver a 5G signal using seven radio carriers, including some spectrum EE acquired in Ofcom’s spectrum auction last year. Using five 4G (LTE) carriers and two 5G (New Radio), it is the first time any European network has achieved this feat. A mobile test device featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform with Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System was used to achieve the milestone.

David Salam, Director of Mobile at EE, said: “Our commitment to technology investment and innovation, coupled with our leading 5G footprint, continues to see the EE network offer and sustain the best overall 5G experience in the UK. By pooling our research expertise with Qualcomm Technologies, we have been able to further enhance the EE network and will start to deliver some of Europe’s fastest 5G speeds in our major cities.”  

Vikrant Jain, Director, Business Development at Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., said: “We’re proud to have worked with EE to achieve such a notable milestone in the evolution of 5G technology. Aggregating seven (5LTE +2NR) different spectrum bands for 5G is a significant achievement and will provide enhanced customer experience. Qualcomm Technologies would like to congratulate EE as it remains at the forefront of 5G technology innovation.”

https://newsroom.ee.co.uk/ee-collaborates-with-qualcomm-to--achieve-a-european-first-in-5g-speeds/

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Qualcomm launches $100m Snapdragon Metaverse Fund

Qualcomm launched a $100 million Snapdragon Metaverse Fund to support developers focused on Extended Reality (XR) technologies. 

The Snapdragon Metaverse Fund will invest in companies building immersive experiences with AR, mixed reality, and VR. It is anticipated that the fund will deploy capital through a combination of venture investments in leading XR companies by Qualcomm Ventures and a grant program by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. for developer ecosystem funding in XR experiences such as gaming, health and wellness, media, entertainment, education, and enterprise.

https://www.qualcomm.com/products/application/xr-vr-ar/snapdragon-metaverse-fund?cmpid=oofyus2277

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Qualcomm debuts Wi-Fi 7

Qualcomm unveiled its FastConnect 7800 chipset offering Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth connectivity and High Band Simultaneous Multi-link technology that leverages two Wi-Fi radios for four streams of high band connectivity in 5GHz and/or 6GHz bands. FastConnect 7800 supports all multi-link modes and with HBS Multi-Link, consumers can experience minimized latency and interference, jitter-free connections, and blazing fast speeds using 320MHz channels in increasingly available 6GHz spectrum, or 240MHz channels of globally available 5GHz spectrum.

"With FastConnect 7800, Qualcomm Technologies reasserts its leadership by defining the future of wireless connectivity. Introducing the first Wi-Fi 7 solution to the industry might be enough for some, but with the introduction of HBS Multi-Link we take performance to the next level, shattering expectations for speed and latency," said Dino Bekis, vice president and general manager, Mobile Compute and Connectivity, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Coupled with up to 50% lower power consumption** and Intelligent Dual Bluetooth with advanced Snapdragon Sound capabilities, FastConnect 7800 is simply the best client connectivity offering in the industry.”

Key Wi-Fi features include:

• Peak speed: 5.8Gbps (via single 320MHz or paired 160MHz channels) or 4.3Gbps where 6GHz spectrum may not be available.
• Sustained low latency: less than 2ms
• Key Wi-Fi Features:
• HBS Multi-Link
• 4-Stream DBS extended into the high bands
• Full Wi-Fi 7 feature support, expected to be the first Wi-Fi 7 solution to ship in commercial products
• Spectrum support: 5GHz, 6GHz, as well as 2.4GHz
• Battery life: system enhancements drive 30-50% power savings** for the most demanding sustained Wi-Fi use cases
• Modulation: 4K QAM
• Standards: 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7 – certification expected upon program launch), 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6), 802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g/n), 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6), 802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g/n.

Key Bluetooth features include:

• Bluetooth 5.3, LE Audio and ANT+ support
• Dual Bluetooth support
• Snapdragon Sound technology to deliver:
• 16-bit 44.1khz CD Lossless Bluetooth audio quality
• 24-bit 96kHz high resolution Bluetooth audio quality 
• 32kHz super wideband voice support for crystal clear calls
• Gaming mode, with 68ms low latency audio for lag-free gaming and a voice channel for in game chat
• Stereo recording for creators, enabling recorded content with stereo sound
• Robust connectivity even in very busy RF environments
• LE Audio for personal audio sharing and broadcast for listeners to share streams or join others

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Qualcomm intros 5G M.2 Modules for laptops

Qualcomm introduced its Snapdragon X65 and X62 5G M.2 Modules for laptops and desktop PCs. The modules were developed in collaboration with Foxconn Industrial Internet and Quectel. 

Based off the reference designs announced in May 2021, the modules are powered by the Snapdragon® X65 and X62 5G Modem-RF Systems. These turnkey modules begin with the world’s first 10-gigabit 5G and 3GPP Release 16-compliant modem, delivering high power efficiency, spectrum aggregation, and global 5G with both sub-6 and extended-range mmWave. Sampling is underway. 

“Qualcomm Technologies is making an intelligently connected world possible through our leadership in connectivity and high-performance, low-power computing. This announcement of the Snapdragon X65 and X62 5G M.2 Modules is further evidence that we are committed to enabling the ecosystem and proliferating the 5G opportunity beyond smartphones,” said Gautam Sheoran, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We’re committed to leading the proliferation of 5G beyond smartphones and remaining at the edge of innovation, providing our customers with premium speed, reliability and deployment time.”

“We believe the birth of Snapdragon X62 and X65 5G M.2 Modules comes from one of our best cooperations,” said Kevin Liu, vice president, Foxconn Industrial Internet. “The 5G-driven future will inspire opportunities far beyond our imagination. Through continuous and substantial R&D investment, we are committed to providing the most comprehensive technologies and solutions to our partner to create more opportunities that make up the connected world smarter, and more, completely changing the experience of the future.”

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HPE offers 5G RAN virtualized DU powered by Qualcomm accelerator

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will deliver 5G distributed units powered by Qualcomm Technologies X100 5G RAN inline accelerator card and its HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen10 Plus Telco Server.

The Qualcomm X100 5G RAN accelerator card, which leverages a combination of DSPs and ARM CPUs, offloads Layer 1 and Layer 2 MAC functionality, including compute-intensive 5G baseband processing. 

HPE's 5G RAN virtualized distributed unit (vDU) solution is designed to support up to four high-performance accelerator cards in a small footprint 1U server, which lowers power consumption, even while supporting dense 5G mid-band and massive MIMO use cases. 

“HPE is looking forward to collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies to help address the rigorous and ever-changing demands of 5G,” said Tom Craig, general manager and vice president, communications technology group, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. “Our industry-leading HPE carrier-grade infrastructure integrated with Qualcomm Technologies’ innovative technology will further benefit our customers as they expand the deployment of their 5G networks.”

“We are excited for the opportunity to work with HPE to further the capabilities and efficiencies of 5G virtualized networks,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 5G, mobile broadband and infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Through our collaboration with HPE, we are able to deliver enhanced, powerful and reliable 5G experiences to consumers.”

http://www.qualcomm.com/products/5g

Qualcomm intros 5G DU accelerator card

Monday, June 28, 2021  Qualcomm  

Qualcomm introduced its 5G DU X100 PCIe inline accelerator card with concurrent Sub-6 GHz and mmWave baseband support.

The accelerator card is designed to ease of deployment with O-RAN fronthaul and 5G NR layer 1 High (L1 High) processing. It plugs into standard Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) servers to offload CPUs from latency-sensitive and compute-intensive 5G baseband functions such as demodulation, beamforming, channel coding, and Massive MIMO computation needed for high-capacity deployments. For use in public or private networks, this accelerator card aims to give carriers the ability to increase overall network capacity and fully realize the transformative potential of 5G.

Qualcomm targets 5G RAN platforms

Tuesday, October 20, 2020  Qualcomm  

Qualcomm introduced a new family of chipsets targetting 5G infrastructure, ranging from macro base stations with massive MIMO to micro base stations with compact designs. There are new three new 5G RAN platform offerings: Qualcomm Radio Unit Platform, Qualcomm Distributed Unit Platform, and Qualcomm Distributed Radio Unit Platform. Qualcomm said it took a ground up approach is designing these chipsets to support leading mobile operators in the...

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Vodafone and Qualcomm collaborate on O-RAN blueprint

Tuesday, May 04, 2021  Qualcomm, Vodafone  

Vodafone and Qualcomm are collaborating on a technical blueprint for more equipment suppliers to adopt Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology. The goal is lower the entry barrier for many companies and drive diversification of network equipment vendors. The reference design will combine Vodafone’s engineering expertise at building high capacity, large-scale networks with Qualcomm Technologies’ leadership in developing high performance...

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