Freescale samples small cell processor
Targets LTE roll-outs with common architecture reaching from macro station to indoor femtocell
Published: 30 August, 2011
READ MORE: Freescale | Processor | LTE
Earlier this year, Freescale leapt into the burgeoning market for very small base stations, and it has now begun sampling SoCs (systems-on-chip) targeted at compact, low power units for LTE and WiMAX.
The chip giant joins Texas Instruments in attacking the small cell space, which spans new generation picocells as well as the extension of indoor femtocell technology into the public access network. The UK's Picochip is the leader in this sector, where Broadcom and Qualcomm are also playing.
Freescale is more specifically focused on 4G than these rivals, looking to build on the early momentum it has achieved in LTE basebands and expanding its QorIQ processor range to address all base station form factors. Operators expect to introduce small cells into their 3G and LTE networks to increase capacity at low operating cost, and at the LTE-Advanced stage, some systems will be built almost entirely using the new integrated, small cell platforms.
Scott Aylor, general manager of Freescale's wireless access division, told EETimes that cellcos were currently using small cells "sparingly" to increase capacity and QoS in 3G, but in LTE "small cell base stations won't be an afterthought. In 4G networks, small cells will become a key part of their network architecture design."
The new SoCs are called the QorIQ Qonverge PSC9130/31 and PSC9132, and are sampling two months after TI's launch of an SoC platform for small and indoor base stations. Like TI, Freescale is talking up the common architecture which it supports across all form factors from metrocells to conventional macro stations. The PSC9130/31 SoCs are for femtocells handling 8-16 simultaneous users, while the PSC9132 is for multimode picocells, supporting up to 64 simultaneous users.
Abhi Dugar, research manager at IDC, said operators' key requirements for small cell equipment are "multimode support, more integration to reduce BOM cost, lower power consumption, ability to source from multiple ODMs/OEMs, ease of installation/use at customer premise, minimal field support."
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