Cambridge Consultants has developed a platform for the industry’s smallest commercially available 2G and 3G femtocell. Called Sidewinder, the small-cell platform is software configurable for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA+ and other SDR applications, providing new levels of adaptability for cellular base stations. It offers a low cost of entry for companies wishing to exploit these standards and sets a new benchmark in flexible, cost effective designs.
Built for the changing broadband mobile communications market, Sidewinder provides a solution for developers creating products that need to adapt as new wireless technologies and standards emerge. The novel radio design enables Sidewinder to operate at any carrier frequency from 375MHz to 4GHz and with a channel bandwidth from 200kHz to 28MHz. Available off the shelf, Sidewinder supports GSM link ranges up to and in excess of 40 metres indoors and 200 metres outdoors.
Sidewinder can be provided either as hardware supplied directly from Cambridge Consultants, or as a reference design that can be manufactured by licencees. Sidewinder is compatible with Cambridge Consultants’ own Centaur GSM/EDGE PHY software reference and WCDMA software from Picochip. Alternatively, it can also be provided in combination with the Centaur GSM PHY as a complete development platform.
Sidewinder’s unrivalled flexibility is based on two novel technologies. On the front end, Sidewinder makes use of the class-leading flexible radio device from Lime Microsystems - the LMS6002D multi-standard, multi-frequency transceiver IC. Connected to this is Picochip’s latest PC312 Femtocell Baseband SoC, delivering a high performance DSP and an ARM application processor combined with low power consumption, making it suitable for some battery-powered applications. Sidewinder can also be easily integrated into base station or mobile units for Police, Emergency Services and other professional radio users.
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