Qualcomm announced an intent to collaborate on 5G NR-enabled small cell technologies with Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), a applied research and technical services NGO in Taiwan.
The effort is expected to accelerate delivery and global commercialization of 5G NR small cell products and infrastructure by Taiwanese OEMs and ODMs.
This new collaboration will provide ITRI early access to Qualcomm Technologies’ key 5G small cell technology, including the creation of industry-grade quality assurance capability for communication protocol product and a live network test bed to enable product testing and performance verification under real world environment prior to product launch field trials.
Qualcomm has engaged with and relied on various Taiwanese partners over the years to develop 3G and 4G small cell products to serve global operators and OEM customers. Through delivering 3G and 4G small cell platforms to vendors and operators around the world, Taiwanese manufacturers have built the reputation and expertise required to scale the market effectively and deliver quality platforms cost effectively.
Qualcomm said small cells can be deployed either in a distributed (or standalone) architecture or in a centralized architecture with remote radio heads (RRH). Small cells including RRH will be needed to realize the full potential of 5G and are particularly well suited to support a wide range of spectrum bands including sub-6 GHz and mmWave (e.g., 28 and 39 GHz); and to support hyper-densification with expanded capacity and coverage, especially in challenging indoor environments.
Small cell innovation will also be a key enabler for new types of deployments, both in mmWave and sub 6 GHz bands, such as private 5G networks, neutral hosts and fixed wireless, said Qualcomm.
Jim Cathey, SVP and President, APAC and India
Supporting rapid innovation of 5G NR small cells by OEMs and ODMs in Taiwan is a major step towards enabling much anticipated 5G experiences and will result in faster time to market and lower cost.
Dr. Tzi-Cker Chiueh, General Director, Information & Communication Labs, ITRI
Small cells will be a key component of 5G networks, delivering enhanced performance utilizing both mmWave and sub 6 GHz spectrum, and we are looking forward to working closely with Qualcomm Technologies as a global leader in end-to-end 5G development.
