News

More "mobile WiMAX" announcements - still no products

by Guy J Kewney | posted on 16 June 2008

Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited has announced "a new mobile WiMAX chipset optimized for mobile WiMAX devices such as smart phones and PDAs."

The announcement does raise some questions about the probably performance of rival silicon, given that the Fujitsu specification would seem to be the minimum necessary to build a mobile WiMAX phone.

The press release says that sample shipments will start in August 2008.

The chipset includes a baseband LSI, the MB86K22; an RF LSI, the MB86K52; and a power management LSI, the MB39C316. The three devices are essential elements for competitive WiMAX modules. The chipset was designed so that the size of the WiMAX module will be 12x12mm. The standby current - which has a direct impact on battery life - will not exceed 0.5mA, facilitating the development of attractive mobile WiMAX terminals.

It goes on to explain:

Next-generation Mobile WiMAX technology will be deployed in the United States, Europe, and Taiwan this year, and in Japan next year. The initial service will be through PC-based mobile broadband access, with simultaneous development of handsets, smart phones, PDAs, portable games and navigation systems.

This is the bit which the (very few!) rival chip makers will have to challenge: "This highly integrated WiMAX chipset features the low power and small form factor essential to the development of attractive mobile WiMAX terminal products. Fujitsu Microelectronics has assumed a global leadership position in moving WiMAX into deployment, and we are now ready to work with module vendors to meet market requirements."

The quote is attributed to Makoto Awaga, General Manager of the Mobile Solution Business Group of Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited in Japan. If unchallenged, then it seems to say that none of the existing "solutions" to portable WiMAX can be suitable for mobile phone usage, where compact scale and low-power performance are essential.

Samples of Fujitsu's Mobile WiMAX chipset will be available in August 2008, at 8,000 Yen.

- Fujitsu official press release