Qualcomm is partnering with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), to work on 5G NR-enabled small cell technologies.
The collaboration is said to speed up the delivery and global commercialisation of 5G NR small cell products and infrastructure by Taiwanese OEMs and ODMs.
Jim Cathey, SVP and president, APAC & India, Qualcomm International, said, “This joint effort with ITRI is a key part of the investments we are making in Taiwan to ensure the industry continues to move rapidly toward deployment of 5G NR technology. Supporting rapid innovation of 5G NR small cells by OEMs and ODMs in Taiwan is a major step towards enabling much anticipated 5G experiences and will result in faster time to market and lower cost.”
Dr. Tzi-Cker Chiueh, general director, information and communication labs, ITRI, said, “Small cells will be a key component of 5G networks, delivering enhanced performance utilising both mmWave and sub 6 GHz spectrum, and we are looking forward to working closely with Qualcomm Technologies as a global leader in end-to-end 5G development.
“This new collaboration will provide ITRI early access to Qualcomm Technologies’ key 5G small cell technology, including the creation of industry-grade quality assurance capability for communication protocol product and a live network test bed to enable product testing and performance verification under real world environment prior to product launch field trials,” he added. “It places local companies and Taiwan in a leadership position to drive 5G networks of tomorrow.”
Small cell products are comparatively easier to deploy than macrocells, and are also cost effective and can adapt in various form factors to bring faster mobile data speeds in areas where macrocells are unable to reach.
