Qualcomm moves Gobi into LTE market

Qualcomm announced the availability of Gobi 4000, its latest addition to the Gobi family of embedded data connectivity platforms that allows vendors to offer both LTE/HSPA+ and LTE/EV-DO designs.

Gobi 4000-based modules are now available from Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless, which could signal an acceleration of embedded LTE devices.

"To make Gobi 4000 available to as many consumers as possible, Qualcomm has worked hard to ensure that OEMs can use the platform on many commonly used personal computing, tablet and e-reader operating systems, including Windows and Android, and hardware architectures, such as our powerful Snapdragondual-core and quad-core processors," Cristiano Amon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies, said in a release.

This latest Gobi-enabled 4G platform features the Gobi Application Programming Interface (API) with LTE extensions and is compatible with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A and B, HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE with integrated backwards compatibility to HSPA and EV-DO.

"By executing on its roadmap to support LTE/HSPA+ and LTE/EV-DO designs, Qualcomm gains a time-to-market advantage in capitalizing on the burgeoning embedded 3G/4G connectivity silicon market and strengthens its channel relations with wireless module and mobile device OEMs which require LTE connectivity to capitalize on aggressive operator deployment of LTE services," said Ron Westfall, research director with Current Analysis in a recent research report. "This includes supporting multimode access capabilities in laptops and tablets that allow enterprises and consumers to use operator 3G/4G data services flexibly, without having to rely on locating Wi-Fi hotspots and avoiding SIM swap-outs when crossing operator footprints."

However, Westfall cautioned that "embedded LTE module price points and ongoing flux in LTE interoperability efforts due to the proliferation of devices requiring operator approval may dilute the near-term market demand for Gobi 4000-enabled products."

For more:
- see this release

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