Industry's Smallest 4G LTE-Advanced Modem For Smartphones And Tablets

Compliant with all 3GPP specifications, the BCM21892 combines a full-featured cellular baseband with a world-band radio in a footprint that is approximately 35 percent smaller than current industry solutions. Advanced power management techniques save up to 25 percent of the power typically consumed during data transmissions to the network. The new modem also supports LTE Category 4 speeds of 150Mbps, operates in any 3GPP network and performs seamless hand-offs between the various 4G LTE, 3G and 2G interface technologies.

Broadcom's new 4G LTE modem combined with our Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC technologies gives OEMs all the communications technologies needed to build advanced devices that will offer consumers the features, speed and functionality they demand in their next smartphone purchase, said Robert A. Rango, Broadcom Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile and Wireless Group. Broadcom's 4G LTE modem will also help carriers drive new 4G LTE features, such as carrier aggregation, into commercial networks.

According to Peter Cooney, ABI Research, 4G LTE coverage is clearly seen as a competitive differentiator by carriers to meet consumer demand for better performance, and as network rollouts accelerate worldwide, manufacturers are responding with products for these markets. Based on its success in executing and integrating baseband processors, Broadcom is well positioned to deliver the latest mobile broadband technologies for these next generation devices.

To support operators' evolution to 4G LTE networks, the BCM21892 features the following:

-A baseband with support for all current 3GPP standards technologies including LTE FDD and TDD, LTE-Advanced with carrier aggregation, HSPA+, TD-SCDMA and EDGE/GSM.

-An integrated world-band radio that can support virtually any designated 3GPP LTE frequency band and combination, a critical capability as operators prepare their networks for 4G LTE roaming. The radio also deploys advanced power management techniques that can save up to 25 percent of the power typically used when sending data to the network.

-A Voice over LTE solution that enables high-definition voice calls over a mobile broadband connection — a key requirement of operators as they transition from legacy networks. Broadcom's VoLTE service consumes approximately 40 percent less power than a comparable WCDMA voice call.

-Enhanced interoperability with Broadcom's wireless coexistence technology, which minimizes the possibility of radio interference between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G LTE, and enables carriers to provide a richer Wi-Fi offload experience.

-Ability to interface with a broad range of stand-alone applications processors, allowing OEMs to design the 4G LTE solution into a wide variety of mobile devices.

BCM21892 is now sampling to early access customers, with anticipated production in 2014.