Intel 5G Modems

Intel has announced that it will have a commercial, multimode 5G NR modem available in mid-2019.

16:01 16 January 2018

Intel has shed light on its 5G NR modem lineup, which is set to become available by 2019. The new multi-modal XMM series will be the firm’s first standards-compliant ASIC-based modem that will support NSA and SA configurations of the 3GPP 5G protocol, sub-6 GHz bands and mmWave along with existing legacy networks.

 

Intel’s 5G lead Asha Keddy said that the 5G Test Platform (Gold Ridge) had also supported pre-standards 5G NR connections. Also known as 5G Test Platform, Gold Ridge combines an FPGA-based baseband with a protocol stack on i7 processors. It has been used to carry out both NGTF and 5G NR-based calls and data sessions.

 

Keddy added: “We have two trial platforms – the NGTF and the 5G NR radio – and we are testing and developing 5G NR now,”

 

Rival vendor, Qualcomm has already previously announced an ASIC-based 5G modem design, its X50. Cristiano Amon, President of the chipset business at Qualcomm, said, “Many of the aspects of hardware are consistent now and allow us to go forward. We will continue to see changes as the standard goes forward but at this point we are confident the X50 design will be R15-compliant to support Sub 6GHz and mmWave.