Partnership aims for 5G-ready universal wired/wireless device

Among the most innovative projects is research and development targeting the evolution of the wireless access network towards 5G, and the convergence between wireline and wireless technologies. Specifically, the companies will collaborate to create an industry-first universal access device that can flexibly be used for any combination of wireline and wireless connections.

The collaboration will pair Freescale’s understanding of advanced networking silicon and software with Bell Labs’ systems knowledge to define and establish the converged solution. The expected result is a disruptive, highly configurable access technology that supports both wireline and 5G wireless processing in a single architecture in order to speed up and simplify the deployment of next-gen networks for service providers, while dramatically reducing CAPEX and OPEX. The two companies plan to unveil a proof of concept of their universal remote node at the end of the research project in the first quarter of 2017.

“The longstanding partnership between Freescale and Alcatel-Lucent has produced novel solutions that help leading mobile operators differentiate and win with base station deployments offering exceptional throughput, optimal user density and outstanding power efficiency,” said Tom Deitrich, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Networking Group, Freescale. “As the IoT grows the number of network endpoints, boosting throughput and enhancing quality of service become even more important. This is where we intend to focus moving forward, as we continue our fruitful partnership with Alcatel-Lucent and Bell Labs.”

“Our partnership with Freescale on both the research and business side has helped us to continue our track record of innovation, and furthered our reputation as a leader in innovative and disruptive thinking that is driving the next generation of wireless technology,” said Marcus Weldon, president of Bell Labs. “Through consistent disruptive innovation, we are helping our customers stay a step ahead in the rapidly changing wireless communications infrastructure space.”