RDA Microelectronics intros CMMB mobile TV chip for TD-SCDMA

SHANGHAI, CHINA: RDA Microelectronics, a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets RF and mixed-signal chips for cellular, connectivity and broadcast applications, announced the introduction of its RDA5891 CMMB Mobile TV SoC for TD-SCDMA handsets and smartphones. CMMB (China Mobile Multimedia Broadcasting) is the mobile video standard utilized with TD-SCDMA, China's 3G standard supported by the country's largest telecom operator China Mobile.

RDA's single chip CMMB solution integrates the RF tuner, demodulator, UAM (User Authentication Module) and CPU, thereby reducing the total number of external components while achieving superior performance and lower power consumption. The device is developed using 55 nanometer CMOS process technology and packaged in a 5x5 QFN design, which further enables a significant reduction in the overall bill of material cost.

"Our new CMMB chip further increases RDA's addressable silicon content in 3G handsets for China's growing TD-SCDMA market," commented Vincent Tai, chairman and CEO of RDA Microelectronics. "With the addition of our CMMB chip, RDA now has five available sockets in a TD handset that also include our transceiver, front-end module, Bluetooth and FM products.

"We expect to further increase our silicon content to six sockets with our highly integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM combo chip, which will sample by next month. Together, these products give RDA an addressable dollar content per TD handset that is three times that of a GSM handset. Current estimates project a 70 percent increase in TD-based handset shipments next year, and we believe our competitive new products roadmap will enable us to gain market share and replicate the market leadership that we have achieved with our other products."

With rapid subscriber growth anticipated for TD-SCDMA in 2012, CMMB is expected to become a key feature in China Mobile's TD handsets. China Mobile serves more than 630 million subscribers, including more than 43 million TD subscribers. According to China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), CMMB mobile phone TV service surpassed 10 million users this year and is available in over 330 cities across the country.