16th February 2009
'Reaching the next billion' - novel GSM PHY enables ultra low-cost 2G / 2.75G base-stations and femtocells
- Cambridge Consultants partners with picoChip at Mobile World Congress to launch the Centaur GSM PHY reference design IP, enabling mass-market 2G/ 2.75G capabilities on low-cost base-stations and femtocells
Cambridge Consultants has developed Centaur, a comprehensive GSM/GPRS/EDGE/E-EDGE physical layer (PHY) reference design, enabling the next generation of low-cost cellular base-stations and femtocells to incorporate mass-market 2G and 2.75G capabilities. The reference design includes a complete framework model and code implemented on the picoArray from picoChip, the market leading baseband platform for femtocells and software defined base-stations.
Today, the GSM standard supports over 3 billion mobile users worldwide and accounts for more than 80% of the global mobile telecommunications user base, yet many new low-cost base-stations like femtocells do not offer GSM services. While the benefits of advanced generation network standards like 3G and WiMax are well known, base-stations that do not enable 2G GSM network access are creating a barrier to adoption by the vast majority of the existing user base of GSM. Similarly, the adoption of GSM by the next billion users is seen as needing even lower cost infrastructure than is available today after nearly twenty years of product evolution.
“While much of today’s attention is focused on broadband-capable cellular technologies, it is well recognised that GSM will still be in operation for many years if not decades to come, delivering the services required by billions of subscribers”, explains Tim Fowler, Commercial Director at Cambridge Consultants Wireless Division. “Delivering the complete range of GSM radio capability that runs on the low-cost, high volume processors from picoChip means that extending these networks, both in terms of their coverage and their operational life, can be significantly more economic for the operators and subsequently the users. We have recognised for some time the many benefits of picoChip’s unique architecture, which is why we have targeted our GSM PHY reference design at this platform. The ubiquity of GSM has made an immense difference to the life of 3 billion people. As the International Telecommunications Union recognises with their ‘reaching the next billion’ initiative, one of the challenges is the cost of infrastructure. We believe that Centaur can make a significant impact.”
Outlining picoChip’s interest in Cambridge Consultants’ solution, Rupert Baines, VP of Marketing at picoChip said: “The majority of femtocell development to date has focused on 3G and 4G technologies, but this reference design from Cambridge Consultants’ dramatically extends that, enabling low-cost base-stations and femtocells for the high-volume GSM market, and providing exactly the flexibility and low-cost point our clients need in order to exploit the hardware platforms they’ve invested in."
Centaur is being launched to coincide with the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, 16-19 February, with further details available from picoChip at their stand (stand number 1D56).
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Notes for editors:
Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology critical issues for clients worldwide. For 50 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 300 engineers, designers, scientists and consultants, in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, transport, energy, cleantech and wireless communications.
Throughout 2010, Cambridge Consultants celebrates its 50th year in business. Created by three Cambridge graduates in 1960, the company has grown into a leading technology business, renowned worldwide for its ability to solve technical problems and provide innovative, practical solutions to commercial issues. In 2009, the company was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. For more information visit: www.CambridgeConsultants.com
Cambridge Consultants is part of Altran, the European leader in innovation and high technology consulting. The Group’s 17,500 consultants, operating worldwide, cover the entire range of engineering specialities, including electronics, information technology, quality and organisation. Altran offers its clients ongoing support throughout the innovation cycle, from technology watch, applied basic research and management consulting to industrial systems engineering and information systems. The Group provides services to most industries, including the automotive, aeronautics, space, life sciences and telecommunications sectors. Founded in 1982, Altran operates in 20 priority countries. In 2008, it generated a turnover of €1,650 million. For more information visit: www.altran.com
Established in 2000, picoChip is the only semiconductor company focused solely on wireless infrastructure and shipping silicon. It provides baseband solutions to address the key challenges of cost, development time and flexibility for the next generation of wireless systems. The company’s multi-core processors deliver a world-beating price/performance combination. picoChip is the industry standard architecture for WiMAX basestations, and is the leading supplier for the new wave of femtocells, with support for HSPA, WiMAX, LTE, TD-SCDMA, cdma2000/EvDO and GSM/GPRS/EDGE. The company’s products scale from femtocell access points to picocells and sophisticated multi-sector carrier macrocells, and are currently in use by over a hundred network operators, including eight of the global top ten.
A privately held company, picoChip’s investors include AT&T, Atlas Venture, Highland Capital Partners, Intel, Pond Venture Partners, Rothschild, Samsung, and Scottish Equity Partners. It has been recognised with multiple industry awards and listed amongst the most exciting technology companies by leading independent organisations such as Frost and Sullivan, Deloitte, Red Herring, Light Reading and Ernst & Young. At the Best of WiMAX World Awards 2007, picoChip’s products won a hat-trick of awards; Chip Design; Industry Innovation; and Industry Choice. The company is ranked number 17 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2008, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in EMEA. Rankings are based on percentage revenue growth over five years, during which picoChip grew 4483 percent.
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