Broadcom unveils new portfolio of 5G WiFi chips and system-on-a-chip (SoC)

     At the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Broadcom announced the introduction of a new portfolio of 5G WiFi chips and system-on-chip (SoC) products for routers, wireless cable /DSL/PON gateways and set-top boxes (STBS) for the high-performance mass retail market. The new 802.11ac products help original equipment manufacturers (Oems) design products to meet the growing consumer demand for wirelessly streaming HD video content between different devices in the home.

     Broadcom's 5G WiFi portfolio features the world's fastest 4x4 5G WiFi MU-MIMO chip for home gateways and set-top boxes. The BCM4366 integrates several features of 802.11ac Wave 2, including the use of MU-MIMO for speeds up to four times faster. In addition, multi-RF optimization enables the delivery of broadcast-grade video quality in wireless networks. For retail Wi-Fi access point routers, the BCM4366 is paired with the BCM47094 network processor system-on-chip with a powerful 1.4GHz dual-core ARM processor for unprecedented wireless video transmission performance.

     Manny Patel, Broadcom's director of wireless connectivity, said: "Broadcom will continue to provide customers with the industry's highest performance 5G WiFi solutions. The new 4x4 5G WiFi MU-MIMO architecture will enable our customers to design faster, larger capacity and wider range of access point products to meet the growing demand for connected devices in the home and the need for high-quality wireless video delivery."

     The new portfolio also includes the BCM53573 and BCM47189 dual-band 2x2 5G WiFi system-level chips for economy and mid-range home routers, wireless Repeaters, power cords and MOCA Wi-Fi bridge products. Two new system-level chips integrate 2x2 802.11ac RF, CPU, and Ethernet switches on a single chip for the first time, reducing costs while bringing many of the benefits of 5G WiFi to the entry-level market segment.

     Philip Solis, Director of ABI Research, said: "By 2016, 802.11ac access points are expected to account for 60% of the wireless device market. With Wave 1 802.11ac technology, Broadcom has taken the lead. With Wave 2, Broadcom is helping customers bring the next generation of 802.11ac products to market."