Picochip

Femtocell announcements bring market momentum; questions still remain

Thu, 22 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

A few big announcements in the femtocell arena this week should give this market some good momentum. First, Qualcomm made a significant yet unknown investment in ip.access' Oyster 3G system, which uses the residential broadband connection to deliver a 3G signal in the home. The move is seen as validating the femtocell concept, especially since Qualcomm is so adept at making the right technology investments.

The Femto Forum also came to an agreement on a standard way femtocells should connect with the mobile core network. The agreement is welcome news as a number of vendors have come up with their own connection standards. Since femtocells are expected to take on various forms with differing capabilities serving different market segments, no operator wants to be locked into a single type of home base station. That fear has discouraged some operators from making the leap from trial to soft commercial launches.

Moreover, picoChip unveiled its first reference designs for LTE femtocells and picocells, which will enable the company's existing femtocell customers--which include ip.access and Ubiquisys--to upgrade to LTE. That's important because it has been suggested that LTE/4G femtocells could be the starting point for 4G deployments. Operators could actually begin their 4G deployment in the customer's home and 3G as the fallback network.

Of course, at least two big unknowns remain: marketing and cost. Will operators market the service as a boon for voice or data? How does one create a clear message around the femtocell market given its own value propositions? Why would I, as a consumer, need another box in my house? How fast can vendors drive down the price of such a nascent technology? At what price will the service attract a mass number of users? The questions are still numerous at this point.

Continuing with the femtocell theme, check out a preview of the latest Industry Voices article from Maravedis below. FierceBroadbandWireless will be featuring a monthly column from Maravedis analysts Adlane Fellah and Robert Syputa. Maravedis is a research and analysis firm focusing on Broadband Wireless technologies including WiMAX, 802.20, TD-CDMA and Wireless Local Loop Systems. For more information, see www.maravedis-bwa.com. --Lynnette

P.S.--Due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, FierceBroadbandWireless will be delivered to your inbox on Tuesday, May 27. Enjoy the holiday weekend.

picoChip unveils LTE femtocell reference designs

Thu, 22 May 2008 06:59:53 -0400

picoChip unveiled its first reference designs for LTE femtocells and picocells, which will enable the company's existing femtocell customers to upgrade to LTE since the new kit can be combined with the company's HSPA products. The designs also run on the same common hardware platform as its WiMAX base-station reference designs. Ubiquisys and ip.access are among picoChip's customers.

For more:
- read this Unstrung article

Related stories:
picoChip, mimoOn develop LTE base station reference design. See this story on picoChip and mimoOn
picoChip receives strategic investment from Samsung. Take a look at this story about Samsung's investment in picoChip

picoChip, mimoOn develop LTE base station reference design

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 06:59:54 -0500

WiMAX semiconductor company picoChip said it is collaborating with mimoOn to deliver the industry's first complete LTE base station reference design. The new PC86xx family of LTE reference designs cover the full range of eNode Bs from femtocells to multi-sector macrocells and is supported on the same common hardware platforms as picoChip's WiMAX products.

The move dramatically decreases the development cost and time to market for LTE, Rupert Baines, picoChip's vice president of marketing, told FierceBroadbandWireless. As a software-defined solution, it is future-proof and can be upgraded as the LTE standard is refined and updated. Finally, the common platform also supports WiMAX, with Wave 2 and MIMO available now, and upgrades for Release 1.x (FDD) and 16m.

"The reuse from WiMAX to LTE is about 70 percent," Baines said. "For our customers, they can reuse virtually everything. They've already designed the hardware and they just need to download a new code. There is a huge commonality."

For more about the partnership:
- read this release

Related articles:
picoChip, Korea Telecom to develop femtocells Report
picoChip teams with Systems4Silicon Release

Femto Forum attracts big guns

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

The Femto Forum, a new industry group formed in July that is pushing femtocell technology, announced a big jump in its membership. The group, which started out with just seven companies, now has 40 members. The group started with some rather small players: Airvana, ip.access, Netgear, PicoChip, RadioFrame, Tatara and Ubiquisys. And everyone was wondering if some bigger names would be attracted to the forum. Now new members include Alcatel-Lucent, NEC, Nokia Siemens Networks, Motorola, and ZTE. Operators have also joined the ranks: Bharti Airtel in India, Bouygues Telecom, Carphone Warehouse Networks, Orsacom Telecom and Telefonica 02.

Femtocells are being billed as the next big thing in fixed-mobile convergence, promising to solve many of the shortcomings faced so far by many existing WiFi/cellular FMC services, namely a lack of compelling handsets and perceived complexity of the solution. Femtocells are envisioned to enable mobile operators to offer micro base stations for use in subscribers' homes or officers to deliver voice and data at carrier-grade quality at cheaper costs for operators and customers.

The Forum is now working with carriers to ensure product interoperability and commercial readiness. The Forum has also developed four working groups: standardization, network issues such as interoperability regulation and marketing and promotion of business models.

To read more about the Femto Forum's progress:
- check out this article from telecoms.com

ALSO NOTED: picoChip receives strategic investment from Samsung; AT&T launches WiFi-enabled BlackBerry; and much more...

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:59:51 -0400

> picoChip received a strategic investment from Samsung. Release

> AT&T has launched the WiFi-enabled BlackBerry 8820. Release

> Cisco Systems said it plans to acquire wireless spectrum management startup Cognio for an undisclosed sum. Article

> Alaska Airlines intends to be the first U.S. carrier to offer a broadband satellite-based system. Article (WSJ sub. req.)

And Finally... Telsima announced contracts with tier-one operators and that it will be shipping a total of 10,000 WiMAX base station sectors and 100,000 WiMAX subscriber stations in 2007. I'll tell you how it did it on Monday. Release

ALSO NOTED: picoChip is teaming with Systems4Silicon; Netgear's RangeMax Next Wireless-N Routers received 802.11n draft 2.0 cer

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 06:59:51 -0400

> picoChip is teaming with Systems4Silicon to support advanced HSDPA and MIMO. Article | Release

> Software Cellular Network Limited, which develops and operates the Truphone mobile VoIP service, applied for an interim injunction against T-Mobile (U.K.) Limited, which is blocking the Truphone client. Release

> Netgear's RangeMax Next Wireless-N Routers received 802.11n draft 2.0 certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance. Release

And Finally... One in three Americans wants an iPhone. Article

Femtocells gain clout with other technologies

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:01:35 -0500

Femtocells are small, low-cost wireless base stations used in residential or corporate environments. Femtocells are already established in the 3G community, and now, the idea of using them is gaining ground among those working on cdma2000 and WiMAX/WiBro applications. We have noticed more activity on the femtocell front and the latest is the agreement of picoChip and Semtech to collaborate on augmenting picoChip's femtocell reference designs with Semtech's packet timing solution, ToPSynce. The two companies will concentrate on addressing the problems of synchronization, which operators typically face in implementing femtocell architectures.

Synchronization is an important issue, and there are four techniques which are typically used in 3G networks to achieve the tight timing these networks require (100ppb accuracy). Trouble is, each of them has drawbacks when it comes to femtocells. Precision crystal may be used in each network node, but this is too costly for femtocells, which must be inexpensive. GPS is also a possibility, but the technology is not very reliable inside buildings--just the environments where femtocells aim to play a big role. The femtocell may use an external cellular network to supply timing, which would be an appealing option if there is reliable cellular coverage, something which is not true everywhere. Traditional base stations may also use E1 backhaul connections to provide Stratum clocks, but this approach is unsuitable for femtocells connected over residential broadband.

Semtech says its ToPSync technology solves these problems by offering a Stratum-quality clock through an ADSL/Ethernet connection, via a packet network. The ToPSync synchronization solution thus relies on the backhaul connection, implementing synchronization over a Packet Network using IEEE1588, layering Precision Time Protocol (PTP) on top of native Ethernet (or other packet-based technologies) for transport.

For more on the picoChip-Semtech collaboration:
- see picoChip's press release

MORE: ip.access and Thomson are collaborating to bring 3G femtocells to the mass market, offering an integrated DSL residential gateway platform with a 3G femtocell to mobile operators. Report

Femtocells to challenge VoWLAN

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 19:01:37 -0500

We have been writing about femtocell technology as a potential serious challenger to VoWLAN, and it is good to see that Strategy Analytics, a Boston-based research firm, is taking a similar view. Shortly before the holidays, it published a report entitled "Femtocells Enabled by picoChip to Square Off Against VoFi," which says that low-cost femtocells will emerge as an attractive alternative to VoIP-over-WiFi in future homes.

The reasons outline femtocell's bright future: Strategy Analytics' Chris Taylor says: "We believe that femtocells will attract wireless operators and consumers alike. However, the bill of materials for femtocells will have to fall close to that of cell phones that include Wi-Fi chipsets for femtocells to really take off." The research firm's Asif Anwar says: "The handset market shows that GaAs can compete against silicon technologies on cost, but the low transmit power of femtocells suggests that this market will probably use SiGe and LDMOS transistor-based PAs initially, eventually shifting to transceivers with on-chip CMOS PAs."

Bath, UK-based picoChip has developed baseband processors for low-cost femtocell basestations that can be installed in the home. These femtocells hold the promise of reducing the demand for WiFi-enabled cell phones. The kicker? Everyone predicts that WiFi-enabled cell phones will sweep the market during the coming years to support the convergence of fixed and mobile communications. What will the emergence of femtocells do to this trend?

For more on femtocells' challenge to VoWLAN:
- see this Electronic Engineering Times report

For more on picoChip's femtocell technology
- see picoChip's Web page

picoChip expands operations in China

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:01:35 -0500

If you want to have a sense of trends in the industry, you can do one of two things: first you could subscribe to three dozens magazines and newsletters, keep several analysts on a retainer and attend a dozen conferences a year, or for the lazy among us there is an easier way--Keep an eye on picoChip. Over the past three years or so we have learned much about the underlying trends and directions in the industry by following what this innovative Bath, U.K.-based company was doing. The latest: picoChip has expanded its Asian operations with the establishment of a new development center in Beijing. The company already operates an engineering facility in Shenzhen and a sales office in Shanghai as part of its plans for the Chinese market.

picoChip's growing operations in China have been in evidence for a while now: The company has had a collaborative relationship with WSPN-BUPT (Wireless Signal Processing and Network Lab, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications) revolving around the development of TD-SCDMA-based wireless systems and commercial WiMAX systems designed for the Chinese market; the company has also worked together with the Institute of Computing Technology (ICT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), considered a leading force in network software and protocol stacks.

For more on picoChip's Chinese initiative:
- see the company's press release

picoChip, KT to develop WiBro/WiMAX femtocell

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Important news on the WiMAX front, and as is often the case, U.K.-based picoChip is involved. The company has just signed a partnership agreement with Korea Telecom (KT) to develop WiBro/WiMAX APs (also called femtocells or home-basestations). Each of the two companies brings a lot to the table: KT has launched commercial WiBro service, while picoChip's multi-core DSP is the industry standard architecture for WiMAX infrastructure; the DSP is also widely used for WCDMA femtocells.

Femtocells enable cost-effective deployment and allow carriers to compete with UMA or VoWiFi. 3G providers, already anxious about the inroads made by WiMAX and WiFI into what they had thought was their exclusive domain, are showing growing interest in femtocells, but KT is the first company to develop such a program for WiMAX. The picoChip/KT partnership developments will focus on the recently introduced PC20x family of processors from picoChip. This signal processor enables a single chip WiMAX BS PHY with integrated ARM for upper layer protocols. We may be jumping the gun here, but, in principle, the picoChip-KT cooperative effort has opened up the possibility of WiMAX APs supplanting WiFi for wireless communications in the home and office.

For more on picoChip-KT collaboration:
- see this press release

picoChip impresses with 802.16 reference designs

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 20:01:38 -0400

picoChip, an intellectually restless UK company, is first off the blocks again--this time with a new and complete family of 802.16 reference designs. The new line promises to extend its menu of offerings to cover 802.16-2004, 802.16e, and WiBRO for mobile station and base station designs. Unstrung correctly points out that picoChip is the first--and only--company to offer such a wide range of systems: First to offer reference designs for 802.16e, first to support both 802.16d and 802.16e, and first to deliver the advanced options of WiMax. The reference designs include PHY, MAC, radio (through partners), hardware designs, and management software.

The company is adding its new PC6530 (802.16e BS) and PC6620/6630 (802.16d/802.16e SS or MS) products to its already-popular PC6520 WiMax reference design for 802.16d base stations. The designs are compatible with all WiMax specifications and are readily upgradeable to new 802.16 versions or to accommodate new features such as AAS and MIMO systems. The new systems are impressive indeed. In addition to the ability to accommodate AAS and MIMO, the systems also offer multi-user sub-channelization for 802.16d, multiple subcarrier allocation modes for 802.16e, and STC and antenna diversity.

For more on picoChip latest offering:
- see company press release
- and this Unstrung report

picoChip expands Asian collaboration

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:01:35 -0400

If you want to have a good grasp of the underlying trends in the industry, you could do worse than keep an eye on picoChip, an innovative wireless solutions provider from Bath, England. I look at them and see three things: WiMax, software-defined radio, and Asia. (I can hear company's officials insisting: "And 3G/UMTS, too.") picoChip has just entered a development partnership with South Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) to work on software-defined radio for WCDMA/HSDPA and WiMax. South Korean companies have been walking point for several broadband and wireless technologies. Relying in part on gear from Israeli company Runcom, South Korean providers will soon launch national WiBro service (WiBro is the Korean version of mobile WiMax). ETRI had a major role in drafting the WiBro specification.

For its part picoChip will contribute its know-how in semiconductors. The picoArray architecture is a massively parallel array of 308 processors with a unique communications architecture, and the company says this arrangement solves many of the difficulties typically associated with massive parallelism. The design delivers the power and cost efficiency of ASIC, the processing performance of FPGA and computational density of a dedicated IC, but with the ease of use and programmability of DSP (well, high-end DSP).

Note that the company also offers complete, standard-compliant reference designs for UMTS (including HSDPA and upgradeable to HSUPA) and WiMax/WiBro (802.16d upgradeable to 802.16e).

For more on picoChip latest development agreement:
- see this report

PLUS: This is picoChip's second major Asian venture. Back in June the company signed a development partnership agreement with WTI-BUPT (Wireless Technology Innovation Institute, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications). WTI-BUPT would use picoChip's WiMax reference designs and PC102 processor, and the two organizations would cooperate in developing commercial WiMax systems for the Chinese market. WTI-BUPT will also be investigating TD-SCDMA implementations for 3G based on picoChip technologies. Release

ALSO: See this useful discussion of the direction of wireless IC technology evolution.

picoChip secures $20.5M in third round funding

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:01:36 -0400

The spirit of innovation should be rewarded, so it is gratifying to see UK company picoChip securing $20.5 million in third round funding. The round brings the company's total funding to $41.5 million. Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild, and Intel Capital joined previous investors Pond Venture Partners and Atlas Venture to put the deal together. Intel Capital's Sriram Viswanathan said, "Intel clearly believes in ubiquitous broadband wireless communications, with the appropriate standards-based technology fitting the need." (Intel is making its own contribution to ubiquitous anywhere-anytime-any-platform communication with its new unified solution).

Forward Concepts' Will Strauss says this is a good investment for Intel. "PicoChip has the only massively-parallel, fully reprogrammable architecture out there -- with the development tools to go with it... It really works," Strauss said. The WiMax Forum's interoperability tests will begin next month, so reconfigurability is especially important.

picoChip's Rupert Baines told CommsDesigns that the new infusion will be used to hire more engineers to work on developing the company's WiMax and W-CDMA. Baines said that Intel's presence among the investors does not mean that picoChip is beginning to lean more heavily in the direction of WiMax at the expense of W-CDMA. "Intel probably invests more in W-CDMA, but it's not reported as much," he said.

I agree with Strauss that if Intel and others are looking for versatile and nimble products, picoChip is a good bet. The company's silicon offers flexibility to address several wireless standards, including WiMax, and allows operators to offer voice, video data and services, and mobility. The five-year-old company, located in Bath, England, has developed the world's highest performance DSP tuned for wireless, and it supplies complete reference designs for WiMax and HSDPA.

For more on picoChips latest funding round:
- see Patrick Mnnion's commsdesign report
- and this picoChip press release