Qualcomm Inc. today debuted the latest addition to its networking portfolio: a module known as a radio frequency filter that can be installed in smartphones and other devices to optimize internet connections.

The module, dubbed the ultraBAW, is part of what the company describes as its modem-to-antenna strategy.

Qualcomm is a leading supplier of the modem chips that devices such as smartphones use to connect to carrier networks. But establishing a connection requires more than just a modem. There’s also a need for antennas to send and receive the radio waves that carry data from cell towers to handsets. Internet-connected devices also require amplifiers to boost the strength of incoming transmissions and a variety of other components.

Qualcomm’s go-to-market strategy is to provide device manufacturers with all the components they need to let their products connect to the web. Having access to a complete kit for implementing internet connectivity simplifies hardware makers’ procurement operations. It also eases product design in some respects since the individual components work well with one another out of the box and, as a result, hardware integration takes less effort.

The new ultraBAW radio frequency filter is an important element of Qualcomm’s modem-to-antenna strategy. A radio frequency filter is a compact module that helps internet-connected devices block interference, such as wireless signals generated by other gadgets. Reducing interference increases the reliability of connections. That translates into a lower risk of networking issues and improved performance. 

Qualcomm says its new ultraBAW filter can help boost the reliability of both 5G and Wi-Fi connections. The company is targeting the module at a wide range of systems including handsets, laptops, vehicles and “internet of things” devices such as industrial equipment. 

Qualcomm has already been selling a radio frequency filter called the ultraSAW that blocks interference across frequencies in the 600-megahertz to 2.7-gigahertz range. The new ultraBAW covers the 2.7GHz to 7.2GHz range, which is used for 5G connections and by routers that support the latest Wi-Fi 6E technology. The 5G standard provides internet connectivity up to 100 times faster than LTE networks, while Wi-Fi 6E offers top speeds nearly three times higher than Wi-Fi 5.

The reason Qualcomm sells multiple types of filters is that different frequencies present different technical requirements. The 600MHz to 2.7GHz range, the part of the spectrum the ultraBAW targets, is generally used to support high-speed connections. As a result, filtering interference is more complicated than in lower frequency ranges, which requires chip firms such as Qualcomm to design specialized hardware for the task.

Chip overheating is one of the challenges that filters such as the ultraBAW address. Because blocking interference at 600MHz to 2.7GHz range is more complicated, radio filters generate more heat while carrying out the task, much like central processing units when running a demanding application. Qualcomm says the ultraBAW features “thermal module technology improvements” to increase operational efficiency.

“It provides mobile devices with the ability to concurrently use new available spectrum on the same device, in a situation where Wi-Fi at 5GHz needs to co-exist (operate simultaneously) with the cellular n79 band,” Qualcomm executive Christian Block wrote in a blog post today. The module is capable of “keeping control of interference, power consumption and thermal heat dissipation at high frequencies,” Block added.

The fact that ultraBAW can be installed not only in smartphones but also other systems such as cars will help Qualcomm advance its effort to gain more chip market share outside the mobile segment. The auto sector has been a particular focus for the company. Earlier this month, Qualcomm teamed up with investment firm SSW Partners to acquire smart car technology supplier Veoneer Inc. for $4.5 billion.

According to Qualcomm, the first commercial devices to feature its ultraBAW technology will become available in the second half of 2022.

Photo: Qualcomm