Qualcomm and Teleepoch Enter Into a 3G CDMA Subscriber Unit License Agreement, October 6, 2007

MTN chooses Cambridge Broadband Networks for multi-service wireless network in Rwanda, October 6, 2007

Brazilian government to publish 3G bidding rules soon, October 6, 2007

KTF 3G service suffers from technical problems, October 6, 2007

Argentina’s Personal lunches 3G service in Rosario, October 6, 2007

Russia has it's first 3G network, October 6, 2007

AT&T could drop Alcatel-Lucent as 3G mobile network supplier, October 6, 2007

Enea Extends License Agreement with ZTE for 3G Handsets, October 2, 2007

LG to unveil premium handsets in Brazil, October 2, 2007

KTF 3G subscribers doubled in less than 3 months, October 2, 2007

3G policy in India will be non-uniform, October 2, 2007

- previous news

Broadcom enable 3G mobile phones at 2G prices

February 13, 2006

Broadcom Corporation announced the availability of its CellAirity multimedia mobile phone solution which, for the first time, enables manufacturers to develop handsets with leading-edge 3G functionality at 2G price points. The new WEDGE chipset is part of Broadcom's CellAirity mobile platform and provides advanced WEDGE (WCDMA + EDGE) connectivity to enable a new class of lower power, smaller size 3G handsets, with a total bill-of-materials under $100.00.

Until now, multimedia handsets developed for these next generation networks have been too expensive for mainstream adoption. The new Broadcom CellAirity chipset allows manufacturers to build phones for a total cost of under $100.00 -- a key milestone in 3G handset affordability.

"With the continued roll-out of advanced 3G mobile phone services, leading handset manufacturers are anxious to develop products at price points that will stimulate the widespread adoption of 3G technology," said Yossi Cohen, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Mobile Platforms Group. "Broadcom's second generation WEDGE solution provides the unique combination of high performance, advanced features and affordability that handset makers require for the new generation of phone designs."

Having launched its first WEDGE solution in 2005, the company is expecting one of its Tier 1 handset manufacturer partners to launch a handset based on Broadcom WEDGE technology in the second quarter of this year. This handset has recently passed extensive rigorous testing, including GCF and IOT (interoperability testing), as well as live network testing with all major infrastructure suppliers and operators worldwide.

Broadcom's new CellAirity WEDGE chipset provides significant advantages over existing solutions. Almost all 3G handsets shipped to date combine 3G WCDMA transmission with the much slower 2G GPRS standard. When a user roams from a 3G to a 2G cell, the phone's data rate drops significantly. By combining the faster EDGE standard with WCDMA, CellAirity provides a more seamless user data experience. The new solution occupies up to 30% less board space than competing products, a key requirement for space-constrained handsets, and provides a 50% improvement in power consumption compared to earlier generations, extending battery life to near 2G performance for a more compelling user experience.

Advanced 3G Feature Set at Affordable Bill of Materials

Announced today is the CellAirity baseband chipset that consists of the BCM2133 EDGE processor and BCM2141 WCDMA processor. The BCM2133 single-chip multimedia EDGE baseband is Broadcom's third generation of silicon featuring an ARM926EJ processor and fully monolithic mixed-signal elements for RF and audio connectivity. Superior power performance is achieved by unique EDGE hardware accelerators, which minimize power consumption while users engage in web browsing, downloading e-mail or viewing streaming video over EDGE networks. The BCM2133 also integrates a full set of multimedia features, including a 2 Megapixel digital camera, video record and playback capabilities, a stereo MP3 player, support for 64-tone polyphonic ringtones, and a "TV-out" feature allowing for low-cost EDGE or WEDGE devices while still enabling data services that are attractive to network operators.

The BCM2133 supports Broadcom's proprietary MStream cellular technology, also announced today, which improves speech and signal quality in a variety of network conditions, reducing dropped calls while improving the user experience.

WCDMA capabilities are enabled by the BCM2141 WCDMA co-processor, which is a full-featured WCDMA baseband that, when paired with the BCM2133 EDGE processor, enables seamless roaming between 2G and 3G networks. This allows end-users to remain connected as they travel among GSM, GPRS, EDGE or WCDMA coverage areas. With low-power architecture to provide increased battery life, a complete level-1 firmware package, and a programmable RF interface for system design flexibility, the BCM2141 helps bring the most advanced phones to market in the short timeframes required by handset developers.

Availability

The BCM2133 and BCM2141 chipset is currently sampling to Broadcom's early access partners. Broadcom will be demonstrating the solution, along with its entire CellAirity mobile platform at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 13 to 16, 2006. Visit Broadcom's booth in the Fira de Barcelona in Hall 1, stand C78.