Qualcomm Promises 5G Modem Chip for 2018
October 18 2016 - 1:50PM
Dow Jones News
Qualcomm Inc. announced plans to deliver its first chip for the
next generation of cellular networks, angling to be ready as some
carriers roll out versions of 5G services by 2018.
The San Diego-based company said it expects the forthcoming
Snapdragon X50 modem chip to be available in sample quantities in
the second half of 2017 and to deliver download speeds of up to 5
gigabits per second. That is roughly 100 times faster than peak
speeds claimed by most networks that use the fourth-generation
technology called LTE, for long-term evolution.
Most telecom carriers don't plan to begin offering such services
until 2020, and industry groups have yet to finalize a technical
definition for 5G. But Verizon Communications Inc. has discussed
launching a service based on the technology to compete with
fixed-line internet services by 2017.
Carriers in South Korea also are expected to launch 5G-class
service in time for the Winter Olympics, which open in February
2018.
Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of cellular modems to smartphone
makers, has a history of introducing technology early. The company,
which unveiled its 5G plans at an event Tuesday in Hong Kong,
previously had announced plans for an LTE chip that operated at up
to 1 gigabit per second. By comparison, many carriers today promote
peak speeds around 50 megabits, with typical speeds averaging
considerably lower.
The chip maker on Tuesday disclosed that Telstra Corp., the
Australian carrier, plans to be first to launch a 1-gigabit service
in coming months. Netgear Inc. plans to deliver the first
Qualcomm-equipped device to use the network—a mobile router that
can deliver Wi-Fi service to nearby devices, while using the
cellular technology to connect to the carrier's network, Qualcomm
said.
Qualcomm's announcement came as smartphone sales in many
countries have flattened. Industry executives hope that the higher
speeds offered by 5G services will prompt new demand and new
applications, particularly those that involve large video
files.
The company will have plenty of company. Besides existing
rivals, such as MediaTek Inc., Intel Corp. is planning a major push
to deliver 5G chips after failing to gain much of a foothold in
LTE-based handsets. One piece of good news for Intel's effort to
crack the mobile market came from Apple Inc., which is using its
modem chips in some models of the new iPhone 7.
Write to Don Clark at don.clark@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 18, 2016 13:35 ET (17:35 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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