Broadcom Makes 3G Phone Chip

Broadcom Corporation has developed a new single-chip high-speed packet access (HSPA) processor for third-generation (3G) mobile technology. The processor, BCM21551, features full CMOS RF, rich multimedia, bluetooth and FM radio on a single 65nm die. This "3G Phone on a Chip" solution lets manufacturers build 3G HSUPA phones with advanced features, a sleek form-factor, and long battery life. Phones with Broadcom's processor will be able to download content at up to 7.2 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload content at up to 5.8Mbps, all directly from their phone. The technology also holds the promise of high-quality video conferencing, according to a Broadcom release. Yossi Cohen, senior vice president and general manager of the mobile platforms group, said Broadcom built upon the success of its single-chip EDGE solution to create and advanced single chip HSUPA solution that incorporates features like Bluetooth and FM radio. "With what we believe is more than a full year's lead over similar competing products, this new 3G solution should place Broadcom squarely at the head of the hyper-competitive 3G chip race," Cohen said in a statement. The BCM21551 integrates dual ARM11 processors to provide open OS support, as well as advanced MIPI serial interfaces for the LCD and image sensor. It also has the analog physical layer required for the 480Mbps high speed USB2.0 applications that provide quick multimedia transfers. Broadcom's M-Stream and single antenna interference cancellation (SAIC) signal processing technologies were also designed in to slash the number of dropped calls. The processor is available now to early access customers and is priced at $23 in large quantities.