Qualcomm Sampling 5G NR Millimeter Wave, Sub-6-GHz Mobile Device Modules

Qualcomm is sampling what it called the first fully integrated 5G New Radio millimeter wave (mmWave) and sub-6-GHz RF modules for mobile devices. The QTM052 mmWave antenna module family and the QPM56xx sub-6-GHz RF module family pair with the company's Snapdragon X50 5G modem for modem-to-antenna capabilities across several bands, it said. To date, mmWave signals haven't been used for mobile communications due to technical and design challenges for materials, form factor, industrial design, thermals and regulatory requirements for radiated power that were seen as impractical for mobile devices and networks, said Qualcomm. The modem-to-antenna solutions, which span mmWave and sub-6 spectrum bands, make 5G smartphones ready for large-scale commercialization, said Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon, saying consumers can expect "gigabit-class Internet speeds with unprecedented responsiveness." The antenna modules support advanced beamforming, beamsteering and beamtracking technologies to improve the range and reliability of mmWave signals, and they integrate a 5G NR radio transceiver, power management chip, RF front-end components and phased antenna array, it said. Up to four QTM052 modules fit into a compact footprint designed for a smartphone, said the company. Handsets incorporating the modules could launch as early as first half 2019, Qualcomm said.