Sequans Unveils the First Mobile WiMAX Wave 2-Ready ExpressCard Design

Sequans Communications, a supplier and developer of fixed and mobile WiMAX semiconductor solutions, is demonstrating the power of its newest mobile WiMAX MIMO chip at the Taipei Summit/Asia Pacific WiMAX Conference and Exhibition to be held at the Taipei International Convention Center, May 14-15, 2007. Sequans will be running a full Mobile WiMAX system demo whereby a Sequans-based ExpressCard34 will be communicating with a Sequans-based Mobile WiMAX base station platform in the 2.5 GHz frequency.

“Sequans was the first to demonstrate an 802.16e-2005 system-on-chip with full 2x2 MIMO capability and now this SOC is fully functional in the form of a Mobile WiMAX ExpressCard,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “This design can now be easily replicated by our ODM partners in Taiwan to build WiMAX consumer products starting in July 2007.”

The chip powering the ExpressCard is Sequans’ newest chip, the SQN1130 Mobile WiMAX Wave 2-ready chip. The SQN1130 features full 2X2 MIMO, and the industry’s highest throughput and lowest power consumption, which is made possible by Sequans patent-pending MIMO algorithm that achieves maximum likelihood performance while minimizing power consumption. Sequans SQN1130 chip delivers more than 30 Mbps throughput while drawing less than 280 mW of power.

In addition to the ExpressCard demo running in the Sequans booth, WiMAX devices based on Sequans chips will be on display in the booths of several device manufacturers at the Asia Pacific WiMAX Expo. These include Alpha Networks, a Sequans ODM partner announced in March. Devices on display include a residential gateway with VOIP capability, a PCMCIA card, and a desktop modem.

Sequans’ chips are today being used by leading WiMAX equipment makers and device manufacturers who are building WiMAX base stations as well as consumer devices such as ExpressCards, PCMCIA cards, PCI Express mini cards, USB dongles, SDIO modules, fixed CPEs, and mobile handsets.