WiMAX chip has an eye for mobile services: News from Telecis Wireless

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Telecis Wireless is claiming a WiMAX industry breakthrough with the introduction of its TCW 1620 chip, which enables both low-cost, indoor 'self-installed' customer premises equipment (CPE) for fixed WiMAX services and a 'portable' services market with vast potential and room for growth years before the advent of standardised 'mobile' services. The TCW 1620 is based on the standard (IEEE802.16-2004) for 'fixed' WiMAX services that are being rolled out now. The chip offers numerous design and performance advantages, described below, that would enable consumers to buy and install their own fixed indoor equipment - which makes the residential market more viable for carriers - and to also enjoy portable connectivity via PC cards and small USB devices while travelling away from their home or office.

The portable capability, in particular, is attractive to network operators because a WiMAX system or network supporting classic last mile access applications can also support portable operation and hence addresses a much larger market need than does a strictly fixed WiMAX implementation that must be plugged in or bolted to walls.

Consumers, particularly the millions around the world accustomed to Wi-Fi-like roaming and portability, also stand to benefit sooner from the higher connection speeds, QoS enabled applications and larger coverage area afforded by WiMAX service.

'The superior design and performance of the TCW 1620 will propel this chip into PC Cards and portable USB-based devices, as well as indoor CPE, in the second half of this year, and it provides a market opportunity no other fixed chip vendor can target', said Sam Endy, CEO of Telecis Wireless.

'Service providers, knowing now that appropriate WiMAX portable consumer products are coming soon, will have a very attractive business case, particularly in urban areas, for the deployment of WiMAX services'.

Telecis Wireless makes all of this possible via performance enhancements such as MIMO-based techniques including diversity combining space-time coding on a 'one chip' design to boost signal gain while keeping power consumption low.

Benefiting from the company's experience developing OFDM-based Wi-Fi solutions, the TCW 1620 provides more than just the WiMAX mandatory compliance features and even more than the WiMAX optional features.

By incorporating the company's portfolio of range extension techniques, Rx Technologies, Telecis Wireless solutions provide exceptional performance, up to 15dB over competing solutions, while achieving exceptionally low power consumption.

In addition, the tightly integrated ASIC has the built in ability to support a two-antenna (Rx and Tx) MIMO consumer device with a single chip, delivering high performance in a non line-of-sight environment in a very small form factor and the lowest bill-of-materials cost for fixed and portable equipment vendors.

'Beyond the technical achievement, which is impressive in and of itself, this is a significant development for WiMAX as portable broadband access is far more compelling from a consumer's perspective than a purely fixed solution', said Caroline Gabriel, Research Director for Rethink Research Associates in London.

'Given the size of the laptop market and that of other portable devices, such as PDAs, the portable application could very well be the largest service supported by WiMAX 802.16-2004 standard networks'.

Evolving to full mobility, Telecis will continue to lead the market with its second chip, the TCW 2720, delivering WiMAX (802.16e) Mobile/WiBro, Wi-Fi, MIMO and smart antenna functionality in a single chip designed for handheld devices.

This chip will allow end users to seamlessly connect to the most appropriate network anytime and anywhere - and provide a compelling solution for WiMAX operators and user terminal device manufacturers as well.

The TCW 1620 will be available to customers in May, and Telecis will be promoting the introduction later this week at the Broadband Wireless World Conference and Exhibition at the Caesar's Palace convention centre in Las Vegas, 26th to 28th April 2006, where Telecis will be exhibiting on Booth 517.

In addition, Dave Sumi, VP of Product Management and Marketing for Telecis Wireless, will give the presentation 'Nomadic WiMAX and mobile WiMAX - distinct markets and operational considerations', on 28th April at 0830 local time.

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WiMAX chip has an eye for mobile services

A WiMAX device enables both fixed services and a 'portable' services market with vast potential and room for growth years before the advent of standardised 'mobile' services.