Broadcom Introduces First 5G WiFi 2x2 MIMO Combo Chip for Smartphones

BARCELONA, Feb. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile World Congress --

News Highlights:

• Doubles throughput for faster video and music downloads
• Improves power efficiency up to 25 percent when using Wi-Fi over 1x1 MIMO solutions
• Increases wireless coverage up to 30 percent compared to current deployments

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today introduced the industry's first 5G WiFi (802.11ac) 2x2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system-on-a-chip (SoC) for smartphones.  The Broadcom BCM4354® SoC will enable manufacturers to deliver twice the Wi-Fi performance of 1x1 MIMO devices used in smartphones today while improving system power efficiency up to 25 percent when using wireless applications.  Broadcom will showcase its mobile innovations at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 24-27. Visit www.connectingeverything.com to learn more.

Consumers expect a fast, always-on smartphone experience. Performance however can be degraded by many factors including how a phone is held or positioned.  In the past, MIMO systems have solved these problems on tablets and larger devices by using multiple antennas. With Broadcom's advanced antenna and PHY design, the BCM4354 can now deliver the benefits of 5G WiFi 2x2 MIMO to smaller platform designs like smartphones while reducing implementation complexity for designers. This achievement enables the industry's first practical implementation of 2x2 MIMO on a smartphone, opening the door for a new market segment.

"Smartphones have become the epicenter of today's digital life and consumers are demanding ever increasing levels of performance and sophistication," said Dino Bekis, Broadcom Vice President, Marketing, Wireless Connectivity Combos.  "As a leader in wireless connectivity solutions, Broadcom continues to deliver unprecedented features and capabilities to this demanding and rapidly growing market."

In addition, Broadcom's Transmit Beamforming (TxBF) technology further improves rate over range performance in congested environments for data-intense applications. Photo and video uploads to social networking sites, for example, will be twice as fast in crowded sporting events or concert venues.

A version of Broadcom's BCM4354 SoC supports Rezence™ wireless power technology, developed by the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) which delivers additional wireless freedom. All versions feature a full software platform including support for Android, Windows and Chrome-based operating systems.  

Key Features

The Broadcom BCM4354 is a dual-band combo chip for smartphones and tablets that supports 5G Wi-Fi 2x2 MIMO, Bluetooth (BT) 4.1/BLE, Rezence wireless charging support and FM radio receiver. Highlights include:

• 867 Mbps PHY rate/80MHz channel bandwidth
• SDIO 3.0 and low-power PCIe host interfaces for WLAN; UART and USB for BT
• Android, Windows and Chrome-based operating systems support
• Load Density Parity Check Codes (LDPC), Space Time Block Coding (STBC), TurboQAM™ and high-accuracy indoor location

Availability

The BCM4354 is now in production.

For more information on 5G WiFi, visit http://www.broadcom.com/products/features/5gwifi.php.

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.

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® and the Connecting everything logo 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.

SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless