
Intel announced that its 5G modem, the Intel XMM 8160 5G, a multimode modem able to support peak speeds of up to 6 Gbps, will become available in the second half of next year and ship in commercial devices in 2020. Intel says it accelerated the timing of the launch by over half a year.
Intel explained that the chip will support the new standard 5G New Radio (NR), including standalone and non-standalone modes, as well as 4G, 3G and 2G legacy radios in a single chipset. It will let device manufacturers design smaller and more power-efficient devices, with no need for two separate modems for 5G and legacy connectivity. Finally, its technology supports new millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum as well as sub 6 GHz 5G NR support (including FDD and TDD bands from 600 MHz to 6 GHz).