Sequans Silicon to Power New WiMAX CPE & Devices

Highly integrated, low cost components to be embedded in a variety of home, portable and mobile WiMAX devices next year. Company readies for massive growth of 4G mobile Internet gadgets.

By combining several silicon functional blocks on a single chip and using a "state of the art" 65nm semiconductor process, Sequans Communications Inc. has developed a family of WiMAX components that has the potential to enable a mass market for WiMAX CPE and mobile/ portable devices.  It's that mass market that semiconductor companies urgently need to become profitable.  Selling huge volumes of chips increases economies of scale, which drives down manufacturing costs and bill of materials prices.  This results in lower cost, higher performance end user products.  If there is sufficient customer demand, a virtuous cycle takes hold.  This trend is clearly evident in smart phones, notebook PCs, set top boxes and other electronic gizmos and gadgets.  With good customer acceptance, more and more functions are packed into smaller and less expensive devices.

Earlier this year, we interviewed Sequans executives and moderated a panel session in which they participated (see references 1 & 2 below).  In 2010, we expect to see the Sequans SQN 1200 family of silicon to be embedded in new types of multi-functional WiMAX CPE, portable WiFi hot spots with integrated WiMAX radios, netbooks and (at long last) smart phones with WiMAX based mobile Internet access.  That's a lot to look forward to, but there's also promise and potential for a whole lot more.

In fact, many new and different mobile WiMAX devices are possible, including eReaders, smart meters, multi-user portable game players, video cameras and surveillance, and health monitoring instruments.  If the components are low cost, highly integrated functionality, low power consumption and small size, then the ingredients for new such new devices are in place. 

However, the key to realizing a wide variety of devices will be a combination of several factors that are predominantly controlled by the network operator.  Those include WiMAX coverage, pricing plans, and business models network operators adopt with content providers.  For example, the mobile/ portable subscriber would like wide coverage, excellent availability, good performance, but only one bill from the network provider-independent of the number of wireless devices owned which use the WiMAX network.  (See Reference 3.  for more details on possible devices for mobile broadband networks.)


Sequans Silicon Solution for Mobile WiMAX CPE and Devices

Taking advantage of Moore's Law (to realize ever higher silicon functional density), in house RF and mixed signal expertise, and the ever- popular ARM core, Sequans has pulled off a tri-fecta with its latest generation of WiMAX silicon. 

The SQN 1220 integrates a baseband (IEEE 802.16e-2005 MAC and PHY) element, tri-band RF (2.3 - 2.4 GHz, 2.5 - 2.7 GHz, 3.3 - 3.8 GHz) module, and an (ARM based) applications processor- all on a single silicon die.  To an old time data communications chip architect and microprocessor applications engineer (like this author), it's an amazing feat! The mixed signal processing (digital and analog) capability is especially impressive.  Additionally, the SQN1220 implements dual transmit channels, which enable uplink MIMO (as specified in Release 1.5 of the WiMAX Forum system profile).  As pointed out in our first Sequans article (see Reference 1.) uplink MIMO results in significantly increased link budget, improved cell coverage, lower overall power consumption, and lower system cost.



The on-chip applications processor could be used for a variety of tasks, including: SIP for VoIP, IMS and FMC functions, IP routing over the WiMAX access network, residential gateway, diagnostics and test functions, smart meter or instrument reading and control, user interface for a LCD screen and/or keyboard, device commands and status indicators.  Ultimately, it will be left to the ingenuity of the device maker to specify the software functions to be implemented on the on-chip processor.

The SQN1210 is a single die, baseband - RF combo chip without the applications processor.  It is designed for the smallest of mobile devices, such as mobile handsets, smart phones, MIDs, and netbooks.  It may be used with notebook PCs through USB dongles or ExpressCards, or directly embedded in PCI Express MiniCards or Half MiniCards.  Zyxel has announced their use of the SQN1210 in a USB dongle- the ZyXEL MAX-507 USB.



Care has been taken to reduce power consumption, which is a critical factor for all mobile devices.  The SQN1200 family employs the state-of-the-art power reduction techniques to extend battery life.  Smart software algorithms optimize resource management for additional power reduction improvements.  The SQN1220 and SQN1210 consume less than 350 mW of power with fully loaded MIMO traffic and less than 0.5 mW in standby.

Sequans' S3MAX software package includes the complete IEEE 802.16e-2005 software stack and all drivers and host applications required for a WiMAX end system.  Host software includes drivers for all major operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, Windows CE, MAC OS, and Linux), Sequans' own connection manager, a supplicant engine for EAP authentication, a fully-fledged OMA-DM client, and a field diagnostic tool.  S3MAX also provides a full simulation and verification environment, which can be easily customized to address specific device maker needs.

Sequans has sampled the SQN1210 and SQN1220 chips to more than a dozen device manufacturers who are currently developing next-generation products using that silicon.  A wide variety of WiMAX products are now in design: USB dongles, embedded modules for notebooks/netbooks/CE devices, multimode cellular handsets, portable hotspots, and WiMAX CPE.  Let's now examine the functionality of a few of those new products.

In addition to the customers who are actively developing new products, there is another group of manufacturers evaluating the SQN1200 family chips.  This number is more than a dozen and is increasing over time.  Sequans expects that many of these will convert to the 'active development' category above once they recognize the value of the integration we've done, the performance, the small footprint, the low power consumption, the IOT maturity, other features and benefits. 

In 2010, Sequans expects its silicon to be inside new WiMAX CPE and mobile devices, to be sold by many different WiMAX network operators.  Those operators include: UQ Communications (Japan), Packet 1 (Malaysia), Yota and Scartel (Russia), Axtel (Mexico), Unwire (Australia), Korea Telecom (South Korea), Globe (Phillipines), Clearwire and its MVNO partner companies (e.g.  Sprint, Comcast, and TWC).

Let's look at a few of the new WiMAX end point products expected next year.

Multi-function WiMAX CPE

Consider that most WiMAX deployments today are for fixed broadband access- effectively a DSL or cable modem replacement.  The SQN 1220 can be exploited in WiMAX CPE for that application, which includes VoIP as well as a WiMAX modem with a USB or Ethernet interface to a desktop or notebook PC.  Up until now, VoIP over WiMAX required multiple boxes and cables.  With VoIP integrated into WiMAX CPE there is only one box you plug your phone and PC into. 

Craig Miller, Sequans Business Development and Marketing Manager, says that there are "about a half dozen" customers working on this type of WiMAX CPE for 2010 commercial availability.  Some of those products are currently being tested in certification labs at the WiMAX Forum and network operators, according to Mr.  Miller.  Sequans says their SQN1220 solution enables the WiMAX industry's lowest cost WiMAX CPE.

Sequans has partnered with Hellosoft to provide a very compact and cost effective VOIP/ WiMAX capability for CPE.  They have integrated the Hellosoft's VOIP media engine into the SQN1220.  According to Craig Miller, " It's a proven set of high quality voice codecs available to customers developing VoIP CPE, and it is available as part of our development license - customers do not need to negotiate a separate license with Hellosoft.  Our integration effort means that customers have less software integration and test effort to perform on their own.  This should reduce their time to market and their development costs.  And, since these codecs execute on the embedded application processor in the SQN1220, the VoIP solution is extremely low cost."

Sequans CEO Georges Karam: "With Hellosoft's VOIP media engine solution, we are reducing complexity for our customers by offering a pre-integrated, pre-validated VoIP and Mobile WiMAX total solution.  Adding Hellosoft's widely accepted and high quality voice capability to our already highly integrated chip underscores our commitment to providing the highest performance at the lowest cost, and to moving WiMAX toward mass market acceptance."

Opinion:  While Vonage offers a VoIP service over any broadband connection, it would be more attractive if the WiMAX network operator offered VoIP over (fixed) WiMAX service.  We understand that Clearwire offers such a VoIP over (fixed) WiMAX service in all of the nation-wide markets that they are deploying.  We believe that VoIP will have huge growth outside the U.S.  and that VoIP over WiMAX will be a very viable service if the CPE and the tariff are reasonably priced.

4G Personal WiFi Hot Spots

Best exemplified by Clearwire's Clearspot (made by Cradle Point), a 4G personal hot spot is a battery powered WiFi AP/Router that fits in a briefcase.  You can connect your notebook PC, iPOD touch, iPhone (or other WiFi equipped smart phone), and other WiFi enabled gadgets to this portable hot spot, as long as they are within 15 to 20 meters away.

Cisco has announced its intention to make such a unit this year.  Sprint sells a MiFi hot spot that connects to its 3G- EVDO based network.

Currently, 4G personal hotspots use a USB connection to connect to an external WiMAX modem (AKA as a USB dongle or WiMAX dongle).  But in 2010 we expect to see the WiMAX modem functionality integrated into the hotspot.  Mr.  Miller states, "Sequans has several customers developing integrated WiFi/WiMAX portable hot spots." We think this is a great idea - for both portable and in-home use.

Smart Phones with embedded WiMAX

To date, the only commercially available WiMAX mobile phone we are aware of is an HTC device sold by Yota in Russia.  That device uses an earlier generation of Sequans silicon (the SQN 1130).  While no other WiMAX equipped smart phones have been announced, we believe that HTC and Samsung will introduce such devices in 2010.  Sequans says that they have a couple of customers developing smart phones with their new generation of WiMAX chips.  Obviously, they can't disclose names or timeframes.

Opinion: T his author independently concludes that the HTC phone will use the SQN 1210.  We have tried to confirm this with HTC but were told that they don't comment on unannounced products.  We think the Sprint tri-mode phone scheduled for next year will be from Samsung, as that company already has produced the Mondi MID that works on CLEAR.  Furthermore, we think that the mobile WiMAX enabled phones will use either GSM or CDMA for voice, rather than VoIP over WiMAX.  This is because there are several problems with mobile VoIP, including QOS guarantees, session continuity and handover/ inter-working with cellular voice and the PSTN (or other TDM based voice networks). 

Columbia University Professor Henning Schulzrinne says,"Session continuity between WiFi and 3G doesn't work, in general.  I think the WiMAX problem is made worse by the fact that initial deployments are going to be pretty spotty, so vertical hand-off becomes more important than for traditional cellular voice."

Summary

Sequans believes they're leading the WiMAX industry in the direction of 'mass market' status, in the same way as WiFi ramped up when highly integrated components made low cost devices and embedded interfaces ubiquitous.  The SQN1200 family is so highly integrated that it has the potential to remove cost as a barrier to growth and adoption by device manufacturers.  This capability is perfectly timed now that WiMAX network operators are finally showing signs of the kind of broad coverage that could represent a very significant market opportunity for the device manufacturers.  Sequans' Craig Miller, "We believe that mass market WiMAX can be a real phenomenon now - all the pieces are in place." And we can't disagree. 

In our opinion, Sequans is providing very valuable silicon and software technology to the rest of the WiMAX ecosystem.  It is now up to the network operators and device makers to exploit that technology to build a healthy business model and move mobile WiMAX forward toward mass-market status.

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References

1.  Sequans Leads with Broad WiMAX Portfolio & Performance Advantages

2.  WiMAX Chip Companies Ponder the Future of 4G Networks

3.  Wireless Carriers Look Beyond Phones For Growth (WSJ on-line subscription required)



 

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 in Equipment  | Permalink |  Comments (11)