Broadcom Announces World’s First Wi-Fi 6E Chip for Mobile Devices

Broadcom BCM4389 blazes trail with multi-gigabit, low latency Wi-Fi and superior Bluetooth audio experience

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) today announced the world’s first Wi-Fi 6E client device, the BCM4389. Wi-Fi 6E extends the Wi-Fi 6 standard to support the soon-to-be-operational 6 GHz band with wider 160 MHz channel bandwidths that double Wi-Fi speeds and cut latency in half compared to Wi-Fi 5. The BCM4389 delivers over 2 Gbps of real-world speeds and up to five times better battery utilization, making it an ideal solution for flagship smartphones and future AR/VR devices. 

Wi-Fi 6E builds on the rich feature set of Wi-Fi 6, which includes improved performance in crowded environments, advanced roaming capabilities and increased security. This enhancement of Wi-Fi 6 uses new spectrum in the 6 GHz band to deliver multi-gigabit speeds while avoiding congestion with legacy devices. The BCM4389 expands on the accelerated deployment of Wi-Fi 6, delivering a steady, swift and secure consumer experience in tandem with over 150 million smartphones already in the market. With the additional innovations of Wi-Fi 6E, it unlocks high-speed bi-directional video applications and augmented reality. For more on Wi-Fi 6E and 6 GHz Wi-Fi, read our blog here.

The BCM4389 also brings advanced multi-radio technology to Bluetooth. Inspired by sophisticated Wi-Fi communication techniques such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and beamforming, the BCM4389 improves audio performance and range for any connected Bluetooth accessory. Phones equipped with the BCM4389 will provide a seamless, “glitch-free” audio experience with popular Bluetooth headsets even in congested places such as subway stations. 

In yet another first, the BCM4389 utilizes Broadcom’s new tri-band simultaneous (TBS) connectivity architecture to mobile devices. In addition to two main Wi-Fi radios and a MIMO Bluetooth radio, the BCM4389 incorporates a third ultra-low-power independent radio for optimizing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance. The three-radio architecture:

• Enables always-on Bluetooth discovery for faster pairing with accessories and interference mitigation. Phones and headsets can now pair faster.
• Quickly scans for interference-free Wi-Fi networks to connect to while main Wi-Fi radios provide data, voice and video services. Phones seamlessly switch to networks with better Quality-of-Service (QoS).
• Improves indoor location accuracy with always-on scanning and little impact on battery life.
• Enables the BCM4389 to deliver up to five times better battery utilization than current flagship connectivity solutions. 

The BCM4389 will benefit from a full ecosystem of Wi-Fi 6E products, including home routers, residential gateways, enterprise access points, and AR/VR devices. The new 6 GHz spectrum band is expected to be operational in the United States in 2020, and a wide range of 6 GHz enabled devices will be available at launch.