Qualcomm has announced the second generation of its 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) Platform for Small Cells. This is dubbed the "FSM200xx" series and is an industry-first 3GPP Release 16 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) platform, building on the company's continuing investments in 5G technology.
It is important to note that the platform supports all commercially available mmWave and sub-6 bands, which means it can take full advantage of 5G connectivity in both indoor and outdoor environments. Qualcomm aims to provide unparalleled connectivity for mobile devices being utilized in various domains including airports, hospitals, offices, homes, and more. It also packs support for Enhanced Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (eURLLC), which means that it is primed for automating critical infrastructure in factories.
Qualcomm's senior director of product management Gerardo Giaretta had the following to say about the innovative technology:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. engineers have been leading in the small cells industry for over a decade with our Qualcomm RAN platform. As Open RAN and small cells infrastructure continue to gain momentum, Qualcomm Technologies is at the forefront of delivering cutting edge 5G mmWave and Sub-6 GHz technology to power 5G networks on a global scale. Small cells have been at the heart of the global 5G proliferation and Qualcomm Technologies is leading the charge as the industry transitions to open and virtualized 5G RAN networks.
Qualcomm has emphasized that the benefit of this platform is that it is designed to offer fast connectivity even in crowded areas while utilizing low power. Additionally, FSM200xx follows a flexible and open architecture which means that OEMs and operators can deploy it in a variety of situations in a modular and interoperable manner according to their needs. The platform boasts of easier deployments even in small form factors, thereby reducing costs. Qualcomm says that it is collaborating with OEMs like Capgemini, Foxconn, Airspan, and more to power next-generation infrastructure, and what it calls the "factory of the future".
