NetComm says TD-LTE devices will be Sequans-powered

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 23 August 2011 13:55

IT Industry - Strategy

NetComm has revealed that the TD-LTE CPE it will build for the wireless part of the NBN, under contract to Ericsson, will be powered by Sequans TD-LTE modem chips.

NetComm was awarded the contract by Ericsson last week. Ericsson was awarded, in June, a turnkey contract by NBN Co to build and operate the network. NetComm said: "This licensing agreement marks a significant milestone in NetComm's research and development strategy to further build its intellectual property; moving from utilising third party wireless solutions to designing and implementing solutions directly into the product.

"The NetComm LTE TDD devices are conceived and implemented in the Sydney-based NetComm design centre, integrating Sequans SQN3000 series 3GPP Rel8 compliant technology."

NetComm CEO, David Stewart said: ""This licensing agreement supports our long-term TDD-LTE product strategy. Sequans has conducted comprehensive LTE interoperability testing with leading LTE equipment suppliers to ensure our LTE devices maximise the capabilities of commercial TD-LTE networks for outstanding performance results."

Confirmed interoperability with a range of TD-LTE network equipment from different vendors will be essential to NetComm if it wants to export TD-LTE devices.

Sequans debuted the SQN3000 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, demonstrating interoperability with LTE network equipment from Alcatel-Lucent, ZTE and Motorola. It had earlier announced interoperability trials with Nokia Siemens Networks and with Huawei. In May it announced interoperability testing with Ericsson, which is supplying the network infrastructure for the NBN wireless network.

Sequans also announced in February that it was working with Alcatel-Lucent on LTE-CPE development saying: "The new products include low-cost devices such as USB dongles, indoor and outdoor CPE, portable Wi-Fi routers, connected tablet and notebook computers fully interoperable with Alcatel-Lucent network equipments that will enrich the global LTE ecosystem and contribute to accelerate its development."