- 17 February 2006 -

Smallest low power WiFi solution in the world - from Sweden!

Stockholm-based, Nanoradio AB chose the GSM Show to launch its first generation WiFi chipset solution "NRX700" for portable electronics.

The NRX700, with a total die size of only 20 sq mm claims the smallest footprint in the market. Additionally, it has the lowest power consumption in the world in transmit, receive and stand-by compared to any one or two chip solution in the market today. Target markets are mobile phones, portable media devices and other battery driven handheld consumer devices for which the NRX700 has been optimized to meet critical parameters such as power, size and cost demands.

The NRX700 is a two chip solution comprising a SiGe RF transceiver chip NRX510, with on chip RF PA and a CMOS baseband-MAC chip NRX701, with onchip power management. NRX700 chipset is available both as bumped die, NRX510 and NRX701, and in a system in package solution NRG720 including RF filters, baluns and antenna switch. The power consumption for the NRX700 chipset is at +18dBm RF output only 130mA, during receive mode 53 mA and in standby 0.05mA. For module manufacturers the NRX700 chipset offers an 1.5-2 USD cost advantage in the BOM as well as reducing total footprint compared to any one chip CMOS solution due to the integration of RF PA and power management into the chipset and the overall small die size.

Nanoradio AB says the NRX700 is meeting the exploding demand for Voice over IP, driven by the fixed to cellular convergence, as well as the revolution in media content transforming to digital mobile media.

"The IP telephony going mobile and the transformation of mobile phones into media devices are two demands that Nanoradio is committed to meet "says Pär Bergsten, CEO of Nanoradio AB. "Also, Nanoradio is the first in the world to support the emerging need for WLAN into headsets and other audio devices and is demonstrating a full form fit function WLAN stereo HiFi headset at the 3GSM show in Barcelona. By providing audio support in our chipset using the same interfaces as Bluetooth, we provide an easy integration path for companies that want to merge to a higher bandwidth and lower power consumption technology".

Evaluation kits of the NRX700 and NRG720 are now available and in use by selected key customers and production quantities are available from Q3-2006.

Nanoradio has expanded by over 100 since May 2005 when it received funding by a European investor syndicate and can now support customers locally by representation in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, USA and Europe. It was founded in March 2004 by various ex-Ericsson engineers. For instance, Pär is an entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in telecoms having worked for 14 years at Ericsson, where he introduced RF ASIC technology and linearisation technology into base stations. He started up the first 3G base station development to NTT as Project and Technical Manager. After the Ericsson period, Pär founded Wireless Solutions Sweden AB, where he acted as CEO and CTO.

Nanoradio is a new Swedish semiconductor supplier targeting the Cellular handset and consumer electronics market. The company is a "fabless" company providing wireless solutions with all manufacturing outsourced (the release did not identify which foundry will be manufacturing the new chip set).

Web: http://www.nanoradio.com