picoChip launches eight-user HSPA femtocell reference design

The PC8219 is a complete eight-user femtocell baseband implementation, that is compliant with 3GPP Release 6 HSUPA and can support the new femto-specific features from Release 8. Building on picoChip’s field-proven software tested over a number of years of femtocell development, the new solution will allow customers to use their existing hardware platforms to rapidly produce robust, carrier-class products suitable for the enterprise femtocell market.

“Eight-user femtocell deployment is emerging as a top priority for many network operators, who see the potential to offer enhanced services to business customers,” said Nigel Toon, president and CEO at picoChip. “By combining larger capacity with the low cost and ease of installation of the femtocell, we believe we can assist OEMs in addressing this substantial and growing market.”

The new design extends picoChip’s field-proven range of software reference designs based on its programmable picoArrayTM. This flexible approach allows OEMs to get a head start in designing their products, creating solutions that can be optimized and field proven. Subsequent “hardening” into a system-on-chip platform can be undertaken as required by cost and volume demands. The company offers solutions for all of the major 3G standards, WiMAX, and recently demonstrated the industry’s first LTE reference designs.

The PC8219 enables high-speed data, voice and multimedia services, effectively complementing the functions of an eight-line PBX for small enterprise use. It runs on a single PC202-10 picoArray device that includes an integrated ARM9 core, providing a cost-effective, fully programmable product that allows rapid customization, optimization and upgrades. The solution is suitable for all backhaul architectures, most importantly the new Iuh from 3GPP Release 8.

picoChip is the only semiconductor company focused solely on wireless infrastructure currently shipping silicon. It provides baseband solutions to address the key challenges of cost, development time and flexibility for the next generation of wireless systems. The company’s multi-core processors deliver a world-beating price/performance combination. picoChip is the industry standard architecture for WiMAX basestations, and is the leading supplier for the new wave of femtocells, with support for TD-SCDMA, HSPA, LTE, cdma2000/EvDO and GSM/GPRS/EDGE. The company’s products scale from femtocell access points to picocells and sophisticated multi-sector carrier macrocells.