SEQUANS RELEASES MOBILE WIMAX WAVE 2 CHIP

Chip features high performance MIMO for industry's highest throughput and lowest power consumption

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE) — SEQUANS Communications, a leading supplier and developer of fixed and mobile WiMAX semiconductor solutions, today introduced its newest chip, the SQN1130, for WiMAX mobile stations. The chip includes all MAC and PHY features required by the 802.16e Wave 2 mobile WIMAX profile, including full 2X2 MIMO, plus a low complexity implementation of MIMO—unique to Sequans--based on a patent-pending algorithm that delivers the highest performance achievable while minimizing power consumption.

Sequans has already set records for low power consumption and high throughput with its WiMAX Wave 1 chip released last fall, and with the new SQN1130, Sequans has bested itself by lowering power consumption an additional 20 percent while continuing to improve on its already very high throughput. Sequans ' SQN1130 consumes a mere 280 mW of power in active mode and delivers throughput of over 30 Mbps.

"The performance of the SQN1130 clearly shows that WiMAX in every mobile device is a present possibility," said Bernard Aboussouan, Sequans VP of marketing and business development. "The high throughput and low power consumption of our new chip make it suitable for even the smallest of mobile devices and shows that WiMAX can be the powerful alternative to 3G that it has been envisioned to be. "

The SQN1130 is RF-independent and tightly integrated with leading RF solutions, including those from (in alphabetical order) Analog Devices, AsicAhead, Maxim, NXP, and Sierra Monolithics, providing equipment manufacturers the ability to address opportunities worldwide in virtually any frequency band.

Sequans has contracted with the industry's leading ODMs to deliver in the coming months a wide range of WiMAX mobile devices incorporating the SQN1130; these include ExpressCards, USB dongles, PCMCIA cards, and also fixed devices such as desktop CPE.

Sequans SQN 1130 Feature Highlights

  • Full 2X2 MIMO — for transmit and receive diversity, spatial multiplexing, and collaborative MIMO
  • Industry's lowest power consumption — 280 mW in active mode, and <10 mW in idle mode
  • Industry's highest throughput — >30 Mbps total throughput
  • Patent-pending MIMO implementation
  • Complete reference design — including RF, hardware drivers, application software, and full simulation and verification environment
  • Small package — 11X11 VFBGA

The SQN1130 is the 3rd generation WiMAX chip Sequans has brought to market. Sequans is the industry's most experienced WiMAX chipmaker, having developed both base station and subscriber station system-on-chips for both fixed and mobile WiMAX, and having participated in interoperability testing at all seven of the WiMAX Forum PlugFests. Sequans ' publicly announced customers include (in alphabetical order) Alcatel-Lucent, Airspan, Aperto Networks, Axxcelera, LG, Redline, Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices, SOMA Networks, Telsima, WiNetworks.

About Sequans
SEQUANS Communications is a leading supplier of fixed and mobile WiMAX silicon and software based on 802.16 standards. Offering both base station and subscriber station system-on-chips (SoCs) for both fixed and mobile WiMAX ( 802.16-2004 and 802.16e-2005), Sequans offers equipment manufacturers an all-in-one solution with full MAC and PHY functionality, enabling them to build the complete range of WiMAX network components: high-end and pico base stations, outdoor and indoor subscriber terminals, home gateways, and all types of mobile devices. Sequans, along with its other RF partners, provide the most complete WiMAX solution available to system manufacturers today. Sequans ' fixed WiMAX products are WiMAX Forum Certified™ and its mobile WiMAX products are expected to be certified readily when the certification process begins. Sequans is based in Paris, France with US headquarters in Cupertino, California, and additional offices in Israel and Singapore. Please visit www.sequans.com

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Press contacts:
SEQUANS Communications
Kimberly Tassin
+1 206.654.1001
kimberly@sequans.com