Qualcomm Announces Integrated '5 G Millimeter-Wave Antenna' to Implement Next Generation 5G Communication on Smartphones

The 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), which has ultra high-speed communication performance of "10 Gb / s (10 Gbps) per second", has attracted a great deal of attention as the next generation mobile terminal technology, but the necessary device is connected to a small body of a smartphone It is considered a big challenge to contain the necessary devices inside. On July 23, 2018 in the United States time, Qualcomm announced a device for 5 G which was downsized to fit in a mobile terminal.

Qualcomm Delivers Breakthrough 5G NR mm Wave and Sub-6 GHz RF Modules for Mobile Devices | Qualcomm
https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2018/07/23/qualcomm-delivers-breakthrough-5g-nr-mmwave-and-sub-6-ghz-rf-modules-mobile

Qualcomm announced that it is the world's first two types of QTM 052, an antenna module that integrates the equipment required for 5 G NR millimeter wave communication and QPM 56 xx , a wireless communication module family that supports radio frequencies below 6 GHz (sub 6 GHz) . It corresponds to the company's "Snapdragon X50 5G modem" and it is said to realize super high-speed communication with smartphone.

Qualcomm announces the modem "Snapdragon X50" that supports 5 G at maximum up to 50 times faster than 4 G - GIGAZINE

QTM 052 consists of four millimeter wave antennas equipped with techniques of "beam forming", "beam steering" and "beam tracking" that control directivity of radio waves, a transceiver and power amplifier for transmitting and receiving radio waves, and communication quality It is an integrated chip which integrates a filter etc. for enhancing.

In order to realize 5G communication, "beam forming" technology is indispensable in particular. Although it is a technology to realize high communication quality by controlling the direction in which radio waves fly by combining multiple antennas, it is regarded as a big problem when integrating all elements and miniaturizing it on a smartphone I have done it. This device using millimeter wave radio waves is mainly used for short distance and high speed communication. The frequency band covered is "26.5 ~ 29.5 GHz", "27.5 ~ 28.35 GHz", "37 ~ 40 GHz".

On the other hand, although it is not as fast as millimeter waves, "QPM 56 xx" of the wireless communication module family covers the "sub 6 GHz" band that enables more reliable communication. By covering the frequency band of "3.3 to 4.2 GHz", "3.3 to 3.8 GHz" and "4.4 to 5.0 GHz", it covers communication that is more reliable than millimeter waves with directivity.

5G NR is a theoretical maximum of 5 Gbps, effective value is expected to be about 1 to 1.5 Gbps communication speed, which is far faster than 75 to 100 Mbps which is the effective value of existing 4G network It is supposed to be possible. About this announcement President Cristiano Ammon said that it is "a big milestone in the mobile industry." And furthermore, with the realization of 5G, "Consumers can use gigabit-class internet speed with unprecedented reliability with a device in the palm, this will be a revolution in mobile experiences" I will.

Qualcomm already started sample shipment of modules to customers since July 2018. The actual 5G service is expected to be offered in 2019.