Fibocom is developing a 5G module based on MediaTek’s T830 platform, accelerating 5G FWA deployment for global operators.

The Chinese wireless IoT provider developed the 5G module based on the recently-launched MediaTek T830 platform. Fibocom has been focusing on the development of wireless connectivity technology, accelerating the process from 5G module to 5G reality.

Adopting the up-to-date T830 platform, Fibocom will provide enhanced 5G modules to empower the deployment of 5G FWA for carriers and customers worldwide.

The T830 chipset supports 3GPP Release 16 capabilities, which is suitable for 5G FWA including customer-premise equipment (CPE), routers and mobile hotspots. With built-in quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 CPU, it is a 4nm platform that supports 5G speeds up to 7.01Gbit/s and 5G sub-6GHz 4CC-CA (Carrier Aggregation) plus mixed duplex FDD and TDD support. This integrated platform represents advancements in both 5G and wifi connectivity, which can enable global users to build 5G FWA products with power efficiency.

Last year, Fibocom launched the FG360 5G module series based on the MediaTek T750 chipset, reaching millions of shipments in the field of 5G FWA. Powered by the T830 platform, the latest 5G module enables performance improvement in terms of speed, coverage and reliability. It is designed to provide better performance, more flexible, customised and professional options for 5G FWA.

The module can also support enhanced connectivity, including dual-band 2×2 Wifi 7 for Mifi (BE6500) and tri-band 4×4 Wifi 7 for CPE (BE19000). These feature Wifi 7 capabilities such as 160MHz, 320MHz and 6GHz bandwidth, 4096 QAM, multi-link operation (MLO), and 10Gbit Ethernet.

“Standing at the industry forefront, Fibocom has dived into the opportunities and challenges of 5G commercialisation,” said Simon Tao, general manager at Fibocom. “Our new 5G module based on MediaTek’ latest T830 platform is set to further enhance our 5G portfolios, bringing high-speed, low latency and ultra-reliable 5G connectivity to FWA and more.”

• Fibocom says its FM160-NA is the first FCC certified 3GPP R16-compliant 5G module for CBRS networks, paving the way for private 5G network deployment.

The module is fully capable to be operated in band 48, taking a step towards the commercial deployment of private 5G LTE networks.

The CBRS band shares spectrum from 3.55 to 3.7GHz. It has been used by the US government for radar systems. The FCC made it available for commercial use through a spectrum-sharing framework. This enables opportunity for organisations to operate their own networks in areas such as campuses, airports, warehouses, ports, hospitals and stadiums, improving wireless broadband access and performance.

With FM160-NA being certified by FCC for CBRS network, Fibocom is accelerating CBRS-based private network deployment with the 5G module, addressing the requirements of CBRS-based network applications for multiple scenarios, including HD video surveillance, remote education, industrial IoT and smart cities.

Supporting NR CA, the FM160-NA optimises 5G user experience with extended coverage, boosted throughput and increased capacity. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X62 modem chipset, it is backwards compatible with LTE-TDD, LTE-FDD and WCDMA network standards. It delivers maximum downlink rates of 3.5Gbit/s and uplink rates of 900Mbit/s under 5G, empowering IoT applications.

Coming with an M.2 form factor measuring 30 by 52 by 2.3mm, the module is compatible with Fibocom’s FM150 5G module, which allows users to migrate between different products, reducing investment concerns.

Along with functionalities such as digital audio, VoLTE and VoNR, the FM160 supports multi-constellation GNSS, including GPS, Glonass, Beidou, QZSS and Galileo. It supports multiple operating systems (Linux, Android and Windows), various network protocols as well as standard interfaces (USIM, USB 3.1, PCIe 4.0 and I²S), allowing flexibility and ease of integration.

To date, Fibocom’s FM160 module series has been certified by Anatel, CE, RCM, FCC, PTCRB, GCF, T-Mobile and AT&T.