Tag: Fibocom FG132

Fibocom Launches 5G RedCap MiFi Solution

In November 2024, Fibocom launched a full range of commercial 5G RedCap FWA solutions, covering MiFi, CPE, Dongle, and more, helping global operators and end customers quickly commercialize RedCap.

By reducing transmission bandwidth, trimming the number of transmit and receive antennas, and lowering the maximum modulation order for uplink and downlink, RedCap terminals are less complex compared to eMBB terminals, making them the best choice for mid- and high-speed IoT applications. With continuous product and technology iterations and improvements in RedCap network infrastructure, 5G RedCap modules will continue to achieve a balanced point between performance, cost, and power consumption, enabling terminals to quickly seize the 5G commercial opportunities.

The 5G SA network is the foundational condition for RedCap network construction. Currently, operators around the world are steadily deploying SA networks. According to the latest data from GSA, as of September 2024, 63 out of 343 global operators’ 5G commercial networks have already implemented SA standalone networks.

According to China Mobile’s “5G Lightweight Technology (RedCap) Industry Solution White Paper,” as of the third quarter of 2024, China Mobile has activated over 430,000 5G RedCap base stations, achieving continuous coverage of all county-level areas and above nationwide with n28 (700 MHz) RedCap. It has also launched n41/n79 (2.6 GHz/4.9 GHz) RedCap features as needed. Furthermore, in terms of network performance in continuous coverage areas, RedCap 1T2R terminals on the n28 (700 MHz) network can achieve an uplink average speed of 86 Mbps and a downlink average speed of 105 Mbps. In terms of mobility, RedCap terminals in existing network coverage areas can achieve 5G system interoperability with a latency of 30 ms, and 5G-to-4G system interoperability with a latency of 70 ms.

As seen above, RedCap can meet the requirements of mobile broadband applications like MiFi in terms of mid-to-high speed, continuous network coverage, and smooth 4G/5G handovers, which will accelerate the large-scale adoption of RedCap in MiFi applications.

Fibocom aims at typical FWA application scenarios and provides Fibocom RedCap modules and solutions that offer better cost efficiency than 5G eMBB and lower power consumption than LTE Cat. 4. The RedCap MiFi solution launched this time is equipped with Fibocom FG131 or FG132 series RedCap modules, which can be flexibly paired with various Qualcomm platform Wi-Fi chips, offering Wi-Fi 6E capabilities with up to 3600 Mbps, Wi-Fi 6 with 1800 Mbps, and Wi-Fi 5 with 867 Mbps.

Fibocom’s RedCap modules FG131 & FG132 are based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X35 5G modem and RF system, supporting peak download speeds of up to 223 Mbps and peak upload speeds of up to 123 Mbps. In the absence of 5G SA network coverage, and when falling back to 4G, the FG131 and FG132 series still support 256QAM downlink with a maximum speed of 195 Mbps, a 33% improvement over LTE Cat. 4. The uplink supports 64QAM, with a maximum speed of 75 Mbps, a 50% improvement over LTE Cat. 4.

In addition to superior cellular capabilities compared to standard RedCap, the Fibocom FG132 & FG131 series also feature two major advantages: they support OpenWRT based on the Linux kernel, with powerful network components that allow customers to flexibly install network function software packages, making them particularly suitable for MiFi, CPE, and other FWA terminal development. Additionally, the FG131 and FG132 series integrate a 1.25 Gbps SGMII interface, allowing efficient expansion to RJ45 wired network ports, making them suitable for MiFi, CPE, and other FWA terminals that require network ports.

Thanks to these multiple advantages, Fibocom’s RedCap modules FG131 & FG132 series offer excellent RedCap capabilities, especially suitable for MiFi, CPE, and other FWA terminals, helping customers make the most of RedCap more quickly.

Fibocom Launches 5G RedCap Series Modules

During MWCS 2023, Fibocom unveiled the FG131 & FG132 series of 5G RedCap modules, featuring a more compact size, comprehensive regional versions, and packaging options. With this release, Fibocom’s RedCap modules now cover a full range of products with different packaging options such as LGA, M.2, and Mini PCIe, and are compatible with Fibocom’s Cat.6 and Cat.4 modules, accelerating the commercialization of 5G IoT in various fields across China, North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and other regions.

The Fibocom FG131&FG132 series includes regional versions like FG131/FG132-NA, FG131/FG132-EAU, FG131/FG132-CN, which ensure stable operation under 5G networks in different regions, including China, North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. In 5G SA networks, the FG131 & FG132 series can achieve a maximum peak downlink speed of 226Mbps and a maximum peak uplink speed of 120Mbps, meeting the speed requirements of most terminals. In 4G network environments, the FG131&FG132 series can still achieve a maximum peak downlink speed of 200Mbps and a maximum peak uplink speed of 66.6666Mbps, providing a speed experience superior to traditional LTE Cat.4.

 

The Fibocom FG131 series is packaged in an LGA form factor with dimensions of 37mm*39.5mm. It is compatible with Fibocom’s Cat.6 modules FG101 and FG621, enabling customers to quickly upgrade from Cat.6 to 5G. With support for Open CPU, OpenWRT operating system, and rich interfaces, the FG131 can be applied in various FWA terminals such as CPE, ODU, MiFi, USB dongles, etc.

 

On the other hand, the FG132 series is packaged in an LGA form factor with dimensions of 29mm*32mm. It is compatible with Fibocom’s Cat.4 modules NL668, L716, as well as Cat.1 modules L610 and MC116. With its streamlined RF structure, compact size, and lower power consumption, the FG132 series focuses on terminal applications such as IPC cameras, drones, and wearable XR devices. Additionally, the FG132 series can also be expanded to M.2 and Mini PCIe form factors, facilitating the rapid adoption of 5G by industrial gateways, power equipment, and other customers.

 

Fibocom has been actively promoting the commercialization of RedCap modules by providing a complete range of modules in terms of size, packaging options, and regional versions. They have also collaborated with industry partners to discuss and cooperate on RedCap module standards, technical specifications, and application scenarios. During MWCS 2023, China Mobile, together with Fibocom and other industry-leading companies, released the “5G RedCap Lightweight Universal Module Technical Requirements White Paper.” By extracting the industry’s common requirements for RedCap, defining unified communication capabilities, and accelerating 5G-enabled applications across various industries.

 

 

Fibocom is accelerating the deployment of RedCap products and facilitating the commercialization of RedCap end-to-end solutions. In the future, Fibocom will continue to collaborate with industry partners to drive the commercialization of 5G IoT.