Qualcomm gives 802.11ac a boost

TAIWAN: Qualcomm Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Atheros Inc., is giving 802.11ac a boost with its family of Qualcomm VIVE 802.11ac (11ac) Wi-Fi solutions.

Qualcomm Atheros has gained strong traction in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices across both mobile and networking segments, and is offering significant 11ac performance advantages compared to competitive solutions in both rate-over-range and power consumption.

In addition, Qualcomm Atheros is taking 802.11ac home routers to a new level with its Qualcomm StreamBoost technology, which intelligently identifies, classifies and manages the growing number of multimedia applications streaming into the home—dynamically giving each the bandwidth and speed required to ensure an optimal user experience.

Qualcomm Atheros is enabling the infusion of an array of end-products across multiple segments with its portfolio of VIVE 11ac solutions for mobile, computing, consumer electronics, and home and enterprise networking. Consumers can increasingly realize the performance benefits of 11ac given the growing number of smartphones based on VIVE 11ac mobile solutions—including devices from Samsung, Pantech, ZTE, as well as over 100 other mobile handsets and computing designs that are expected to arrive in the coming months.

Qualcomm Atheros is also enabling an increasing number of Gigabit-class Wi-Fi networks with more than 35 enterprise access points and carrier gateways, and 20 retail routers either in development or available today.

Qualcomm Atheros' 1-stream 802.11ac solution is now providing mobile platforms with over 300 Mbps UDP and TCP throughput, well over 3x the performance of previous 11n solutions. This extraordinary performance enables much faster content downloads and transfers, while extending mobile battery life. This significant capacity boost with Qualcomm Atheros' mobile Wi-Fi will help network operators offload mobile traffic, easing the growing data demands on networks.

VIVE network platforms, available in both 2- and 3-stream options, offer up to 866 Mbps and 1.3 Gbps data rates, respectively. To maximize wireless performance, particularly in challenging, crowded environments, Qualcomm Atheros provides superior channel agility on a packet-by-packet basis, and supports dynamic bandwidth allocation. This makes it possible for VIVE-based routers to flexibly transmit data on 80, 40 or 20 MHz channels – depending on the available bandwidth and capabilities of the connected client devices – and results in high throughput at range, even in high-density deployments like enterprises and hotspots.

As a result of this advantage, as well as other unique network design elements, routers featuring Qualcomm Atheros' 802.11ac are showing superior performance. For example, the NEC-AT Aterm WG1800HP , an  HT80-11ac router recently launched in Japan, outperformed its nearest competitor  in independent testing.

Whereas 802.11ac increases wireless bandwidth for applications and devices within the home, Qualcomm Atheros' high-performance home router solutions that use the company's StreamBoost technology intelligently optimize the network connection coming into the home. By allocating the appropriate bandwidth to each device and application, StreamBoost can ensure smooth, reliable multimedia experiences for everyone on the network. This capability is particularly valuable to service providers offering fee-based entertainment content and services requiring smooth, reliable streaming to multiple devices—simultaneously throughout the home.

Qualcomm Atheros launched StreamBoost in January this year and the first StreamBoost-enabled 11ac routers are slated to hit store shelves later this summer.

"Starting with our upcoming gaming router, we plan to offer networking solutions integrating Qualcomm Atheros' VIVE and StreamBoost technology, allowing D-Link to provide consumers the latest in Wi-Fi connectivity," said Albert Ling, executive VP of sales and marketing, D-Link Systems Inc. "Not only will D-Link's customers have the best possible performance in the home with VIVE 11ac, but they will also be able to better manage high-bandwidth activities for an enhanced user experience, whether for gaming, video or audio streaming."

"With the growing quantity of content and devices on home, hotspot and enterprise networks, 802.11ac Wi-Fi will quickly become the 'must-have' connectivity technology for mobile and consumer electronics devices and the networks that support them," said Amir Faintuch, president, Qualcomm Atheros. "With its dramatically enhanced capacity and performance, Qualcomm VIVE is enabling a new class of connected experiences—virtually anywhere— that promise great viewing and sharing of rich content while conserving power and battery life."