Qualcomm claims 5G NR mmWave antenna breakthrough

A new set of antenna modules announced by Qualcomm promise to bring the power of millimetre wave to devices soon.

The catchily-named Qualcomm QTM052 mmWave antenna module family is designed to join forces with the Snapdragon X50 modem to enable smartphones, tablets etc to live the 5G dream. Qualcomm also launched the QPM56xx sub-6 GHz RF module family to offer devices the use of a full range of 5G spectrum.

“Today’s announcement of the first commercial 5G NR mmWave antenna modules and sub-6 GHz RF modules for smartphones and other mobile devices represents a major milestone for the mobile industry,” said Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon. “Qualcomm Technologies’ early investment in 5G has allowed us to deliver to the industry a working mobile mmWave solution that was previously thought unattainable, as well as a fully-integrated sub-6 GHz RF solution.

“Now, these type of modem-to-antenna solutions, spanning both mmWave and sub-6 spectrum bands, make mobile 5G networks and devices, especially smartphones, ready for large scale commercialization. With 5G, consumers can expect gigabit-class Internet speeds with unprecedented responsiveness in the palm of their hands, which stand to revolutionize the mobile experience.”

The physics of these chips seems to be where the biggest breakthroughs occurred, specifically their size and thermal properties. Making mmWave chips viable in the very tight physical environment of the smartphone is a significant challenge and chip analyst Charlie Demerjian reckons this launch puts Qualcomm very much in the 5G driving seat.