The new Snapdragon X55 5G modem is a 7nm chip that not only supports max speeds of up to 7Gbps on 5G, but also LTE.
Highlights:
- Qualcomm X55 5G Modem announced ahead of MWC 2019.
- The new chip features integrated 5G to 2G multi-mode support.
- It is touted to deliver peak 5G download speeds of 7Gbps and upload speeds of 3Gbps.
The latest mobile platform by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 855, can be paired with the company’s X50 modem to enable 5G. The new processor with the modem is yet to be made available commercially for consumers. However, the company has already announced the second generation of the X50 modem, the 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G modem, which is a Radio Frequency front-end (RFFE) solution for 5G multi-mode mobile devices. The new chip will enable 5G for a range of devices beyond smartphones like hotspots, Wi-Fi routers, laptops, tablets, XR devices, Always Connected PCs, and connected cars. It also supports high-power fixed wireless access (FWA) services and equipment.
The Qualcomm X55 5G Modem is a single-chip multi-mode chip that features integrated 5G to 2G multi-mode support. This means that it can virtually support any available spectrum band, mode or combination. It works for both, sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave (mmWave) bands, and features 5G/4G spectrum sharing. The new chip is touted to deliver peak 5G download speeds of 7Gbps and upload speeds of 3Gbps, while for LTE, the max download and upload speed are 2.5Gbps and 316Mbps respectively. It also adds support for additional network bands in regions like North America, Europe and Australia.
“OEMs face a range of formidable design challenges when it comes to 5G. The need to support multimode operation from 5G to 2G, along with an ever-increasing number of band combinations, brings unprecedented complexity,” says Cristiano Amon, President of Qualcomm Incorporated. “Discrete modem or RF solutions are no longer sufficient. Qualcomm Technologies is unique in the mobile industry by offering a comprehensive modem-to-antenna solution, and we are pioneering efforts in all aspects of 5G and ready to enable our customers with these capabilities to help them commercialize the first wave of 5G devices this year.”
Alongside the Snapdragon X55 modem, Qualcomm also launched the 5G 100MHz envelope tracking solution, QET6100, and a range of integrated 5G/4G power amplifier (PA) and diversity modules, and the QAT3555 5G adaptive antenna tuning solution. Qualcomm says that the chip and its other new solutions will be made available for OEMs in the first half of 2019 and we can expect them in commercial devices by late 2019.
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