5G front end modules help improve 5G call quality and internet speed
Front end modules and pre-drivers developed by NXP are claimed to improve 5G network coverage and quality. The BTS7202 RX front end modules and BTS6403 / BTS6305 pre-drivers offer high output power, improved linearity and reduced noise.
The RX front end modules (FEM) and BTS6403 / BTS6305 pre-drivers for 5G MIMO (massive multiple-input multiple-output) going up to 20W per channel. The devices were developed and implemented in NXP’s SiGe (silicon germanium) process. They operate with modest current consumption, said NXP, designed to reduce operational costs for mobile network operators (MNOs). They are also claimed to offer improved linearity and reduced noise figure to support better 5G signal quality.
The BTS7202 RX FEMs and BTS6403/6305 pre-drivers complement NXP’s power amplifier solutions for 32T32R radios. The BTS7202 RX FEMs feature a switch capable of handling up to 20W of power leaking from transmit line-ups, reducing system complexity. The BTS6305 pre-drivers also integrate a balun to reduce costs.
As 5G networks are adopted, MNOs are increasingly leveraging 32T32R solutions to improve massive MIMO coverage in less dense urban and suburban areas. Utilising 32T32R solutions requires using higher power devices that increase the power level per channel in order to achieve the total power required to ensure strong coverage of the 5G signal.
Doeco Terpstra, vice president and general manager, smart antenna solutions, radio power, NXP, said: “Our customers recognise that higher power solution offers a way for network operators to address the power needs of 32-antenna solutions without compromising network quality.”
NXP Semiconductors specialises in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, in the automotive, industrial and IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets.
