NXP Semiconductors and Intel have joined forces to develop a dual-mode EDGE-WiMAX reference design, which will be demonstrated at next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 11-14. The dual-mode reference design highlights the extended mobility between the two wireless standards by combining NXP’s Nexperia Cellular System Solution 5210 for EDGE networks with the forthcoming Intel WiMAX Connection 2400 solution for ultra mobile and CE devices, formerly codenamed, “Baxter Peak.” According to NXP, a fully validated reference design for the dual-mode EDGE-WiMAX solution will be available from NXP in second half of the year.

Article Tools

• 

The combination of these two standards in one platform will enable faster data throughput and wider coverage area for WiMAX. In addition, it presents a significant opportunity to bring the mobile Internet to more people and enable service providers to expand their mobile broadband services.

Taking advantage of the most widely deployed cellular network (EDGE) and a keen interest in WiMAX from operators, the dual-mode reference design will allow OEMs and ODMs to offer enhanced mobility on a wide range of consumer devices, such as laptops, smart phones, PDAs, cameras, via PCMCIA cards, PCI Express cards, USB dongles or even embedded on a circuit board for ultra-small form factor devices. For mobile operators with existing GSM/EDGE networks, the dual-mode EDGE-WiMAX solution could provide a practical way to gradually build-out a WiMAX data overlay network. Subscribers would be able to enjoy the high speeds of the WiMAX data overlay network where available, and revert to the GSM/EDGE network for coverage and circuit-switched voice.

“NXP is delighted to collaborate with Intel in developing an industry-leading dual-mode EDGE-WiMAX reference design. This joint effort to align product strengths from both companies will give manufacturers an easy choice to create ‘connected everywhere’ devices regardless of technology choice,” said Dan A. Rabinovitsj, senior vice president and general manager of the cellular business at NXP Semiconductors. “This collaboration validates the proven reliability of the Nexperia Cellular System Solution for EDGE, which has already been deployed in 100 million mobile devices around the world.”

“The dual-mode EDGE-WiMAX solution demonstrates an exciting opportunity to bring mobile Internet to more people and enable service providers to expand their mobile broadband services,” said Raviv Melamed, general manager, Mobile Wireless Group, Intel Corporation. “NXP’s solution based on Intel WiMAX Connection 2400 takes advantage of mature technology know-how to deliver a highly-integrated and compact reference design that can be deployed speedily in a variety of consumer devices.”

The demo is powered by Alvarion’s end-to-end 4Motion mobile WiMAX solution.

www.nxp.com
http://www.intel.com/technology/wimax/products.htm.