At MWC, MediaTek has announced advancements to its 5G portfolio to power the rollout of 5G devices in 2020 for the sub-6 GHz spectrum. The Helio M70 5G modem was showcased for intelligent home running 5G data transfer speeds as well as mmWave over-the-air tests of MediaTek's 5G antenna arrays. The Helio M70 demo runs at 4.2Gbps 5G data speeds -- the industry's fastest sub-6GHz live 5G modem demonstration to date.
MediaTek's 5G technology has gone through extensive industry testing and the Helio M70 is expected to be integrated into devices later this year. MediaTek is working closely with its customers, networks and technology suppliers to accelerate the rollout of 5G and power devices across mobile, home and auto by 2020.
The Helio M70 5G modem, MediaTek's first generation 5G solution, comes with LTE and 5G dual connectivity (EN-DC) with dynamic power sharing capability, plus multi-mode support for every cellular connectivity generation from 2G to 5G. Helio M70 supports the sub-6GHz frequency band non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) 5G network architectures. Key features of the Helio M70 include:
- Faster speeds: With 4.7Gbps download speeds and 2.5Gbps upload speeds, Helio M70 enables devices to meet users' growing connectivity demands while also achieving stable 4.2 Gbps 5G download speeds, the industry's fastest modem in live verified sub-6Ghz testing. MediaTek's demo can be seen at MWC in Hall 6, Stand 6C30.
- Standards based: Compliant with the 3GPP Rel-15 specification.
- New Radio (NR) & worldwide 4G LTE bands: Supports frequencies from 600 MHz to 5 GHz and all TDD and FDD bands. And supports a flexible spectrum access mechanism so operators have more options as spectrum needs evolve.
- Multi-mode support: Support for 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G connectivity and dynamic power sharing across 4G and 5G so users have access to the best connectivity speeds no matter where they go.
- Intelligent energy savings: Dynamic bandwidth switching technology allocates 5G bandwidth required for specific applications which improves modem power efficiency by 50% and extends battery life.
- Robust connectivity: Rich features to ensure the link quality including High Power User Equipment (HPUE) support.
MediaTek is targeting sub-6 GHz first to bring 5G connectivity to the largest markets. The sub-6 GHz frequency band is ideally suited for urban environments and rural areas, enabling MediaTek to make high-speed connectivity truly accessible for people around the globe. MediaTek is demoing the fast 5G sub-6GHz connection with the Helio M70. The company is also developing new cellular technologies for connectivity standards and enhancements, such as mmWave beam forming. MediaTek will be ready to support mmWave products in 2020.
MediaTek works with leading cellular operators, equipment makers and suppliers to verify market readiness of its 5G technologies and make 5G accessible across mobile, home and auto applications,
To simplify the complex industry supply chain and get products to market faster, MediaTek is bringing together 5G component suppliers and device makers to deliver a complete, standards-based and optimized 5G solution. Companies collaborating with MediaTek on Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE) technology include Oppo, Vivo and top tier RF suppliers, including Skyworks, Qorvo, and Murata, to define a front end module solution that accommodates 5G components without impacting a smartphone's slim profile.
In addition to 5G, another key pillar of MediaTek's connectivity strategy is to bring edge AI everywhere. While 5G will connect consumers to the cloud at ultra-fast speeds, edge AI processing will play an important role in bringing consumers real-time AI experiences. MediaTek's wide-ranging ecosystem of edge AI hardware processing solutions and comprehensive software tools is powering AI in smart homes, wearables, smartphones, autonomous cars and other connected devices. The company's newest AI chipset, the Helio P90 incorporates one of the most powerful AI chipsets available in a smartphone today with an incredible 1165 GMACs performance.
MediaTek is also a key player in the 3GPP LPWA specification for narrow band Internet of Things (NB-IoT). NB-IoT is designed to support large-scale connectivity, reduce equipment complexity and minimize power consumption to prolong battery life to power devices for years at a time. MediaTek's MT2625, an ultra-low power, 3GPP Release-14 enabled NB-IoT platform to support a wide variety of home, civic, industrial or mobile applications. The MT2621 provides device makers with a dual mode NB-IoT GSM/GPRS platform, ideal for integration in smart trackers, wearables, IoT security and industrial applications. MediaTek's MWC booth features demos with the MT2625 and MT2621, including an NB-IoT reference design that can operate for 10 years through a dry cell battery.
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