Skyworks Launches Family Of WCDMA Front-End Modules For UMTS Handsets

Barcelona, Spain -- 3GSM World Congress -- Skyworks Solutions, Inc. announced new solutions for its Intera family of front-end modules (FEM) addressing wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) applications that support bands I, II, IV, V and VI. The company's WCDMA FEMs simplify RF design, reduce critical board space through higher levels of integration, extend battery life, and facilitate implementation within virtually any baseband architecture.

Skyworks' patent-pending bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filter, which the company has already sampled to various multimode handset customers, is also leveraged in personal communications system (PCS) bands I, II, and IV. BAW filters are integral components of radio frequency architectures. Given their combination of small footprint, low profile, and high performance, they are useful in enabling next-generation wireless products which require greater multimedia functionality and reduced form factors.

"Skyworks is delighted to be expanding its leadership front-end module family into multiple WCDMA bands for UMTS handsets," said Greg Waters, executive vice president for Skyworks. "As the industry continues to migrate to multimode, Skyworks offers customers a highly differentiated, comprehensive and quality product portfolio supporting all of the major frequency bands - making mobile communications seamless around the world."

Skyworks' portfolio of Intera FEMs support four of the five tier-one handset OEMs. Leveraging patented load insensitive power amplifier (LIPA) technology, the company's newest WCDMA FEMs with fully integrated filters, address operators' requirements for 3G multimode, multimedia applications where size, performance, and cost are critical.

WCDMA is a 3G wireless technology that allows users to send and receive mobile voice, data, image and video communications at speeds up to 2 megabytes per second (Mbps) over a broad range of frequencies. According to Deutsche Bank, WCDMA handsets are expected to grow from 45 million handsets in 2005 to 445 million units in 2009.

Skyworks' family of WCDMA FEMs support high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), and have a built-in power coupler and detector. More specifically:

• The SKY77433 for Band I is a fully matched 16-pin, full-duplex FEM in a small and efficient 4 x 7 mm package for universal mobile telecommunications systems (UMTS) in Europe and Asia - also identified as the international mobile telecommunications (IMT) 2000.
• The SKY77434 for Band II is a 4 x 7 mm FEM for U.S. PCS applications.
• The SKY77435 for Band IV is a 4 x 7 mm FEM for advanced wideband systems (AWS), otherwise known as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Auctioned Spectrum.
• The SKY77436 for Band V is a 4 x 7 mm FEM for the U.S. Cellular market, while Band VI is developed for Japan.

The new WCDMA FEMs are available for sampling.

SOURCE: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.