- News
9 January 2018
Skyworks launches Sky5 platform for 5G global communications
© Semiconductor Today Magazine / Juno Publishing
Skyworks Solutions Inc of Woburn, MA, USA (which manufactures analog and mixed-signal semiconductors) has introduced Sky5, its suite of solutions that supporting 5G wireless communications and enabling new applications across mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems.
Skyworks says that, with decades of experience in developing connectivity platforms for each previous generation of wireless standards, it is leveraging its technology portfolio, systems expertise, leadership scale and customer relationships to accelerate the deployment of 5G. More specifically, Sky5 solutions encompass Skyworks’ transmit and receive systems targeting the world’s most demanding wireless end markets.
“5G is a macro-economic game changer that will revolutionize the global communication landscape with significantly more powerful and complex connectivity engines,” says president & CEO Liam K. Griffin. “Skyworks is well positioned to capitalize on the demand for robust and dramatically increased data transmission speeds with near zero latency ─ key features that are mission critical in powering new usage cases from autonomous vehicles to emerging segments in artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality,” he reckons. “Our Sky5 solutions will address new 5G waveforms and spectrum, enhanced carrier aggregation, dual connectivity (4G/5G) and massive MIMO requirements while delivering unmatched levels of integration and performance, all underpinned by Skyworks’ intellectual property, operational scale and financial strength.”
According to a May 2017 Research and Markets report, the first standardized deployments of the technology are expected to be commercialized as early as 2019, with the 3GPP’s standards organization initial 5G specifications set to be implementation-ready by March. Between 2019 and 2025, the 5G network infrastructure market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of nearly 70%, accounting for $28bn in annual spending by the end of 2025.
5G networks are expected to use a variety of spectrum bands ranging from established sub-6GHz cellular bands to millimetre-wave frequencies. The 3GPP organization is the mobile industry standards group that will submit a proposed specification to the International Telecommunications Union (IYU), or the standards body that sets the final specification. Skyworks is a key contributor to the 3GPP body on the Radio Access Network (RAN4) technical specifications.
All of Skyworks’ devices and system solutions supporting 5G will be included in the Sky5 family. This will include a suite of highly flexible and customizable architectures and devices providing what is reckoned to be breakthrough performance, footprint and power efficiency.