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RF front-end product manufacturer and foundry services provider TriQuint Semiconductor Inc of Hillsboro, OR, USA has announced its latest generation of highly integrated front-end module (FEM) solutions for ultra-low-cost GSM and CDMA handsets in emerging markets.

According to Strategy Analytics, at the end of 2007, there were 3.18 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, and by 2010 there will be 4.1 billion. The next billion subscribers will be drawn from emerging markets, representing an opportunity for significant growth*.

The launch includes the TQM6M4028U dual-band GSM Tx module for use in the Americas and the TQM613027 high-efficiency PA-duplexer module for CDMA cellular-band applications (currently shipping in volume for phones in the Americas market, and to be displayed at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, 11 – 14 February).

Using its in-house technology portfolio, the highly integrated modules offer a reduced bill-of-materials, smaller size, longer battery life and proven interoperability with leading single-chip silicon radios, TriQuint claims.

The TQM6M4028U, a member of the QUANTUM Tx module family, is tested and pre-qualified for use with three leading single-chip baseband/transceiver manufacturers, TriQuint says. At 6mm x 6mm, it has the world’s smallest form factor, claims the firm, and is modeled after the TQM6M4028E, which also supports the GSM900 and DCS1800 bands and is currently used in ultra low-cost handsets in Europe and Asia. TriQuint says it has seen tremendous growth in the ultra-low-cost GSM handset market, with shipments of its dual-band Tx modules more than tripling from 2006 to 2007.

The TQM613027 is the third member of the 7mm x 4mm TRITIUM II PA-duplexer module family and builds on its predecessor, the TQM613025, which was the first high-efficiency PA-duplexer module used in low-cost CDMA cellular-band handsets for emerging markets, TriQuint claims, offering improved RF performance and minimizes battery consumption (a critical need in countries where access to power outlets is limited). The TQM613027 is a drop-in replacement that has been optimized for manufacturing cost efficiencies.

“Early-on, TriQuint recognized the many benefits of using front-end modules instead of a myriad of discrete RF components,” says Tim Dunn, VP for Handsets. “Our broad technology portfolio enables us to serve the handset market as it grows in multiple directions, from high-end smart phones to ultra-low-cost handsets for emerging markets. No other vendor has the breadth of in-house technology and engineering expertise to realize cost efficiencies while achieving such compact, high-performance designs,” he claims.

*‘Markets That Matter: The Source of the Next Billion Subscribers’ (publication by Strategy Analytics on 22 January).

See related item:

TriQuint ships new dual-band WiFi front-end modules

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Visit: www.triquint.com