TTPCom aims for the Edge with Analog Devices

TTPCom has teamed up with Analog Devices to spearhead the early emergence of real-world next generation solutions using Edge technology.

TTPCom has teamed up with Analog Devices to spearhead the early emergence of real-world next generation solutions using Edge technology.

Edge - Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution - is a low-risk, low-cost add-on to existing GSM/GPRS networks and offers operators a logical evolutionary route beyond GSM/GPRS to 3G.

TTPCom has developed the EGPRS (EGPRS is the packet switching option for Edge) software and collaborated closely with Analog Devices.

This approach provides an integrated straight-to-market solution that will enable terminal manufacturers to quickly develop products for this emerging market.

In addition to increased voice capacity and improved quality of service Edge offers three times the bandwidth of GPRS.

Although the initial drive for Edge technology has come from North America where spectrum is limited, there is increasing interest from European and Asian operators, which see Edge as a cost-effective way of quickly deploying revenue-generating 3G services.

Tony Milbourn, Managing Director at TTPCom stated, "TTPCom and ADI have a longstanding and successful relationship, and this Edge platform is the latest in many generations of products.

We have been working jointly on EDGE for some time in the expectation that demand will appear and recent announcements from the US carriers that Edge is a fundamental part of their future plans has fully justified this investment".

He added "We anticipate that device manufacturers licensing our platform today will be able to reach market with products in mid-2003".

According to Christian Kermarrec, vice president, RF and wireless systems, Analog Devices, "We have combined our expertise to help customers get to market more quickly.

TTPCom's software and system expertise complements ADI's digital signal processing (DSP), direct conversion radio technology and power management technology".

To support Edge, TTPCom supplies the complete system from 'antenna to application'.

This technology is fully integrated with the ADI chipset and for handset vendors this specifically includes: radio architecture designs; Layer 1/physical layer software; and EGPRS protocol software.

The platform supports full quad-band functionality across all world cellular bands - 850, 900, 1800 and 1900MHz.

The agreement with ADI continues a successful collaboration with TTPCom going back almost a decade.

In 1993, the companies joined forces to work on the development of chips that lie at the heart of GSM phones.

At the same time, TTPCom started the development of the software that runs on the chipset.

This Edge solution inherits the full breadth of existing applications of the TTPCom protocol stack, is built on TTPCom's solid and proven GSM/GPRS foundations and offers a fully integrated step in the route from GSM to 3G.

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