Broadcom Enables Pinpoint Indoor Location Technology with Latest 5G WiFi SoC

LAS VEGAS, April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Interop IT Conference & Expo – Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced the industry's first 5G WiFi (802.11ac) system-on-chip (SoC) to deliver pinpoint indoor positioning technology. The BCM43462 SoC, featuring Broadcom's new AccuLocate technology, provides sub-meter accuracy on physical locations enabling retailers and public venue operators to deliver more personalized experiences to consumers. Broadcom will demonstrate its AccuLocate technology at Interop, Las Vegas, April 1 – 3, 2014, booth #1239. For more news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom.

Analysts predict the indoor location market to reach $4 billion in 2018¹ fueled by increasing demand for location-based services in public venues such as shopping malls, department stores, airports and stadiums.By leveraging location-based services, retailers and venue operators can offer discounts, promotions and personalized services to consumers based on exact locations while enterprise network IT staff can use the technology to track and manage assets.

Broadcom's latest 5G WiFi SoC with on-chip AccuLocate technology operates using fine timing measurement (FTM) technology, resulting in highly accurate positioning regardless of environmental factors. Previous versions of indoor positioning relied on received signal strength indicator (RSSI) technology, where signal strength and performance can vary depending on environmental factors such as crowd density or temperature.

"Broadcom's latest 5G WiFi innovation with integrated AccuLocate technology delivers highly accurate sub-meter pinpoint technology that rivals the capabilities of outdoor location based technology," said Ed Redmond, Broadcom Vice President and General Manager, Compute and Connectivity. "In addition to providing a more customized user experience, this technology has the added benefit of allowing venue operators to monetize their investment in existing Wi-Fi infrastructure."

"Location based technology installations will break the 25,000 mark in 2014, while mobile devices capable of supporting indoor location will reach hundreds of millions within two years," said Patrick Connolly, ABI Research senior analyst. "Rising demand for these services by the world's leading venue operators and retailers is generating an immense opportunity for leading component suppliers, such as Broadcom, who are early to market with innovative solutions."

About 5G Wi-Fi

Increased reliance on wireless networks, the explosion of video consumption and growing number of wireless devices are all putting tremendous stress on legacy 802.11a/b/g/n networks. With new innovations that allow for more reliable coverage, 5G WiFi technology addresses these challenges, allowing mobile device users to stream digital content between devices faster, and simultaneously connect more wireless devices to home and enterprise networks, while conserving battery power.

Key Features of the Broadcom® BCM43462 SoC

• Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) complete 5G WiFi (11ac) SoC with integrated MAC, PHY and radio
• Three-stream spatial multiplexing up to 1.3 Gbps
• State-of-the-art security provided by industry standardized system support
• Embedded hardware acceleration enables increased system performance
• Full IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n legacy compatibility with enhanced performance
• Support for FASTPATH® UAP, Broadcom's enterprise class access point software

Availability

Broadcom's BCM43462 SoC with integrated AccuLocate technology is now sampling. AccuLocate technology is also available on Broadcom's BCM43520 5G WiFi 2X2 SoC, BCM43460 5G WiFi 3X3 SoC and BCM4354 5G WiFi 2x2 MIMO Combo Chip. See Broadcom's innovations optimized to improve performance, efficiency and security in the next-generation data center, enterprise and cloud-scale networks on the Interop show floor.

For ongoing news, visit Broadcom's Newsroom, read the B-Connected Blog, or visit Facebook or Twitter. And to stay connected, subscribe to Broadcom's RSS Feed.

Resources

¹ ABI Research Location Technology Research Service, Oct 2013

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments.  With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything®.  For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom^®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo, FASTPATH® and AccuLocate™  are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.  Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Infrastructure & Networking