What is LTE-A Chipset : Top Manufacturers and Vendors

An LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) chipset is a semiconductor solution that supports enhanced LTE network capabilities such as carrier aggregation, higher data rates, improved spectral efficiency, and better network performance. LTE-A chipsets are widely used in smartphones, routers, IoT devices, tablets, and wireless communication equipment.

About LTE-Advanced

LTE Advanced (LTE-A) builds upon the LTE specifications outlined in 3GPP releases 8-9, with LTE-A specifications defined in 3GPP release 10 and above.

LTE-A incorporates all features of LTE, with some modifications, enhancements, and additions.

Sequans Communications

Sequans supplies 4G LTE chips to wireless device and equipment manufacturers. Their clients include companies such as Airwire, Alcatel-Lucent, alvarion, Cisco, Huawei, Gemtek, HTC, NetCommWireless, MODACOM, and ZTE. Sequans’ Category-1 LTE chipset is certified by Verizon Wireless. Their LTE solutions target the emerging IoT and M2M markets.

Qualcomm - LTE Baseband Chipset

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon modem supports multimodes, including 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE RATs (Radio Access Technologies). It supports various LTE-A features like carrier aggregation and higher-order MIMO. Qualcomm is also exploring LTE Advanced applications within unlicensed spectrum.

Intel

Intel offers LTE Advanced modems, such as the Intel® XMM™ 7260, which boasts the following features:

• Carrier Aggregation (CA) support for bandwidth up to 40MHz using a single RF chip.
• Category 6 support, enabling Voice over LTE (VoLTE).
• Seamless switching between various modes (FDD, TDD) and RATs (TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, 2G).

The XMM 7360™, another Intel LTE modem used in iPhones, supports LTE-A up to Category 10. It also includes VoIP and 3X Carrier Aggregation and complies with TD-SCDMA technology, commonly used in China.

Altair LTE-A Chipset Manufacturer

Altair offers the Fourgee 3800 and 6300, baseband and RF transceiver solutions that support both LTE and LTE-A technologies. These LTE-A chipsets have the following key features:

• 3GPP rel.9
• TDD/FDD
• Category-4
• eMBMS
• VoLTE

GCT Semiconductor

The GDM7243Q version supports a comprehensive suite of LTE Advanced features, including TDD/FDD, Cat-5/6/7, CA, Enhanced ICIC, VoLTE, and MIMO. The GDM7243M, another product from GCT, supports multimode operation, including LTE and WiMAX standards.

These vendors are developing products for different LTE categories, ranging from Category 3 to higher categories.

Summary

An LTE-A chipset is an advanced cellular communication processor that enables higher LTE data speeds and network efficiency. Manufacturers develop LTE-A chipsets for smartphones, tablets, routers, and connected IoT devices.