New Qualcomm combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip claims faster speeds, lower power draw

Qualcomm Atheros launched the QCA9377 11ac 2.0 + Bluetooth combination chip with Qualcomm multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology for notebooks, TVs, cameras and other CE devices that connect to increasingly crowded Wi-Fi networks. The single-stream 11ac + Bluetooth 4.1 combo chip is said to provide superior Wi-Fi performance with reduced power consumption. Qualcomm VIVE networking technology using Qualcomm’s MU | EFX 802.11ac 2.0 technology (http://bit.ly/1s40EXy) is said to support more simultaneous devices while delivering connection speeds for CE equipment that are up to three times faster than current technology. At Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam this week, Qualcomm is showing an over-the-air live demonstration of the technology with a FRITZ!Box router and Qualcomm Atheros MU-MIMO chipset, it said Tuesday. Qualcomm VIVE-enabled networks with MU | EFX can multitask with devices simultaneously to make better use of wireless capacity that is wasted in Wi-Fi networks serving one device at a time, Qualcomm said. The system will enable consumers to access and enjoy 4K video, gaming and “other latency-sensitive activities by delivering reliable high-performance connectivity," said Cristiano Amon, co-president-Qualcomm Technologies. The QCA9377 is sampling now and will be available in production quantities later this year, Qualcomm said.