Qualcomm, Facebook team on fixed wireless Internet

May 21, 2018
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) are working together to deliver high-speed Internet connectivity with ...

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) are working together to deliver high-speed Internet connectivity with Facebook's Terragraph technology through the development of a multi-node wireless system based on 60 GHz technology from Qualcomm Technologies. The terrestrial connectivity system aims to improve the speed, efficiency and quality of Internet connectivity at lower cost than fiber deployments.

Qualcomm will integrate its QCA6438 and QCA6428 family of pre-802.11ay chipsets with Facebook's Terragraph technology to help enable manufacturers to build 60 GHz mmWave solutions using the unlicensed 60 GHz spectrum and provide fixed wireless access in urban areas. The companies expect to begin trials of the integrated solution mid-2019.

Facebook's Terragraph technology uses a network based on millimeter-wave wireless backhaul. It is based on the pre-802.11ay standard, Qualcomm's chipset and the integrated software between Facebook and Qualcomm. Qualcomm's solution is designed for outdoor backhaul and features TDMA-based protocol, time synchronized nodes, channel bonding and massive antenna array to overcome large obstacles in dense urban environments.

"Our collaboration with Facebook will bring advanced 11ad and pre-11ay technologies to market, increasing broadband penetration and enabling operators to reduce their capex for last mile access," said Irvind Ghai, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Atheros, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies. "Terragraph cloud controller and TDMA architecture coupled with Qualcomm Technologies solution's 10 Gbps link rate, low power consumption and early interference mitigation techniques will help make gigabit connectivity a reality."

"We're excited to work with Qualcomm Technologies to advance the adoption of pre-802.11ay and 802.11ad 60 GHz technologies and build a robust ecosystem of interoperable solutions based on Terragraph," said Yael Maguire, vice president of connectivity, Facebook. "With Terragraph, our goal is to enable people living in urban areas to access high-quality connectivity that can help create new opportunities and strengthen communities."

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