Anadigics Offers Power Amp for 3G Phones in the GSM900 Bands

Anadigics has announced its new AWT6281 HELP3 WCDMA Linear Power Amplifier (PA) engineered specifically for use in 3G handsets operating in the GSM900 bands. The company said that the new power amplifier extends the operating time of 3G handsets and data cards, which is critical for successful operation using today's High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks. AWT6281 has been specified by leading chipset manufacturers for selected reference designs.

"As the leading supplier of 3G power amplifiers, Anadigics has expanded its product portfolio with the addition of the AWT6281 WCDMA PA," said Dr. Ali Khatibzadeh, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Wireless Products at Anadigics, Inc. "WCDMA HSPA rollout in the EGSM band provides another exciting market opportunity for Anadigics wireless business."

The latest member of Anadigics' family of 3G HELP3 WCDMA Linear Power Amplifiers, the AWT6281 reduces average current consumption by 75 percent compared to competing devices, according to the company statement. The PA provides low quiescent currents of 7 mA without a DC-DC converter and eliminates the need for an external voltage regulator. The self-contained 4 mm x 4 mm x 1.1 mm surface mount package incorporates matching networks optimized for output power, efficiency and linearity. The AWT6281's performance and integration capabilities are achieved using Anadigics' patented InGaP-Plus technology which combines bipolar and FET devices on the same GaAs die.

A market study done for the GSM Association by Ovum Consulting found that "...UMTS900 provides between 44% (in urban areas) and 119% (rural areas) increased coverage per Node-B compared with UMTS2100. This is primarily due to the propagation characteristics of the lower frequency band and leads directly to lower capex and increased mobility benefits, providing a new option, with greater service capability, for operators ... . Handset availability is crucial to the successful rollout of UMTS900 as the market will need to be populated with handsets which will work in the UMTS900 band and in other GSM and UMTS bands also."

Posted to the site on 23rd April 2008