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November 04, 2010

ZTE Selects Freescale DSP Technology

By Anuradha Shukla
TMCnet Contributor

Freescale Semiconductor’s six-core MSC8156 digital signal processor (DSP) will power ZTE’s flexible baseband platform for its software definable radio (SDR) base stations.

ZTE (News - Alert), a worldwide pioneer in deploying SDR base stations, will use the highly programmable Freescale DSP to develop wireless base stations that can support a range of wireless standards including 3G-LTE (News - Alert), TD-SCDMA, WiMAX and WCDMA.

Freescale Semiconductor notes that ZTE can upgrade SDR base stations from 3G to 4G standards with a simple software update. In addition to simplifying wireless network evolution, SDR-based solutions can provide a solid foundation for multi-mode wireless networks.

Wireless carriers can leverage the highly programmable DSPs that support SDR to lower capital investments and enable seamless network evolution.

“This design win continues the successful track record that ZTE and Freescale (News - Alert) have established in collaborating to create world-class wireless infrastructure solutions,” said Dr. Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Networking and Multimedia Group, in a press release. “As the demand continues to grow worldwide for additional bandwidth, Freescale is pleased to work with ZTE to create industry-leading multi-standard 3G/4G solutions.”

Freescale’s flagship MSC8156 DSP offers world class programmability, and also offers exceptional computational performance to ZTE. The company notes that its DSP core technology that powers the MSC8156 product bagged top benchmark results from Berkeley Design Technology.

“Freescale’s multi-standard technology helps us deliver true SDR base station solutions that lower total cost of ownership and ease network upgrades for the industry’s top wireless carriers,” said Zhao Xian Ming, senior vice president of ZTE Corporation. “Leveraging Freescale technology means our customers can be assured that ZTE equipment is powered by some of the most advanced silicon in the world.”

Based on 45-nm advanced process technology, the MSC8156 includes multi standard acceleration technology that adds flexibility and reduces costs for OEMs.

MAPLE-B, an onboard Multi-Accelerator Platform Engine technology for baseband works in concert with the six high performance and fully programmable DSP cores to support 3G-LTE,TD-SCDMA, WiMAX (News - Alert) and WCDMA standards.

Read a related article on TMCnet “Freescale Semiconductor Demonstrates a Home Energy Gateway (News - Alert) Reference Platform at the Metering Europe Conference.”


Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jaclyn Allard


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