Qualcomm expands 5G modem family to support 5G NR with integrated Gigabit LTE

Qualcomm Technologies is expanding the Snapdragon X50 5G modem family to include 5G New Radio (NR) multimode chipset solutions compliant with the 3GPP-based 5G NR global system.

The new modems, which will support sub-6 GHz and multiband millimeter-wave spectrum, are designed to provide a unified 5G design for all major spectrum types and bands while addressing a range of use cases and deployment scenarios.

The Snapdragon X50 5G modem family is engineered to provide wider bandwidths and extreme speeds for enhanced mobile broadband experiences, the company said. Initially, the millimeter-wave bands supported will be 28 GHz and 39 GHz with the potential for more to be added.

The modem solutions are also designed to support both Non-Standalone operation—where control signaling is sent over LTE—and Standalone operation, where all control signaling and user data are sent over 5G NR. The modems will enable the next generation of premium-tier mobile cellular devices while also aiding operators to execute early 5G trials and deployments.

Qualcomm is one of the companies supporting efforts to accelerate the 5G NR standardization schedule to enable large-scale trials and deployments as early as 2019. Commercial products integrating 5G NR modems from the Snapdragon X50 family are expected to be available to support the first large-scale 5G NR trials and commercial network launches starting in 2019.

Qualcomm engineers have always taken pride in truly serving all modes when they describe it as multimodal so a device can be taken anywhere in the world and it will work. That’s why the new members of the Snapdragon X50 5G modem family will support multimode 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G functionality in a single chip, according to Sherif Hanna, who handles technical marketing for advanced cellular technologies at Qualcomm Technologies.

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Qualcomm has been a big champion of Gigabit LTE over the past year or so, and this single chip solution also supports integrated Gigabit LTE capability, which will be an essential part of the 5G mobile experience, he said.

The first commercial products featuring Snapdragon X50 5G NR modems are expected to be available in 2019.