18 February 2013

TriQuint launches 802.11ac and WLAN/LTE solutions to enable Gigabit Wi-Fi and 4G coexistence for next-gen smartphones and tablets

RF front-end component maker and foundry services provider TriQuint Semiconductor Inc of Hillsboro, OR, USA says that it is enabling next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi with the introduction of three WLAN front-end modules and two Wi-Fi/4G coexistence filters.

Supplied in 2.5mm x 2.5mm x 0.4mm modules, the TQP887051 (which contains a 5GHz WLAN power amplifier, a low-noise amplifier with bypass mode, an SP2T switch MMIC, and a directional detector) and the TQP887051 (which contains a 5GHz WLAN power amplifier and an SP2T switch MMIC) both operate in bands 802.11 a, n, ac, while the TQF9046 (which contains a WLAN power amplifier, a low-noise amplifier with bypass mode, an SP3T switch MMIC for Bluetooth path, and a directional detector) operate in bands 802.11 b, g, n.

The firm has captured smartphone design wins with its two 5GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi RF modules, as well as its new 2.4GHz device. Due to advances in output power technology, all three TriConnect Wi-Fi modules provide extended operating ranges compared with earlier products, providing Wi-Fi users with freedom of wireless connectivity across longer distances.

Rounding out the firm’s expanding WLAN product line are two new specialty 4G/Wi-Fi coexistence filters, which serve as electronic traffic guards to keep signals in the crowded 2.4GHz spectrum isolated from each other. Supplied in 1.4mm x 1.2mm x 0.5mm packages and operating at 2.4GHz, the 885032 is a LTE/Wi-Fi coexistence filter with bands 7/41 rejection, and the 885033 is a LTE/Wi-Fi coexistence filter with bands 38/40 rejection. Both devices leverage TriQuint’s bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technology to address what are reckoned to be some of the industry’s toughest filtering challenges.

“TriQuint is the only RF supplier that is currently delivering all three WLAN device components — the 5GHz and 2.4GHz front-end modules as well as multiple variants of coexistence filters,” claims Shane Smith, VP of global marketing for Mobile Devices. “We’re enabling 802.11ac gigabit speeds and solving Wi-Fi/LTE coexistence problems simultaneously, for smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices.”

As demand for Wi-Fi increases, consumers have developed an ever-growing appetite for faster mobile data rates to support video streaming and other multimedia applications, notes TriQuint. With data rates of up to 1.3Gb/s, the new IEEE 802.11ac standard will enable transfer rates three to four times faster than current-generation 802.11n Wi-Fi.

“TriQuint introduced the industry’s first 802.11ac-ready module for mobile devices last year,” Smith says. The dual-band product has been selected by a major manufacturer for its next-generation smartphone and is included on a reference design by a leading chipset supplier. “Our 802.11ac technology expertise also expands our future market opportunity for infotainment applications such as in-home video distribution,” Smith adds. 

In addition to power amplifier modules that enable faster speeds, demand is surging for high-performance Wi-Fi/LTE coexistence filters, TriQuint says. High-end smartphones contain a growing number of cellular and Wi-Fi bands to support 2G/3G/4G voice and data services, as well as global roaming. At the same time, the global spectrum crunch is leading governments around the world to squeeze new 4G bands next to pre-existing Wi-Fi spectrum, often with minimal guard bands, says the firm, so advanced filter technology is needed to mitigate the resulting interference issues.

All products are sampling now, due for production in second-quarter 2013. TriQuint is exhibiting in booth 6E-84 at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (25-28 February).

Tags: TriQuint 802.11ac

Visit: www.triquint.com