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Qualcomm Unveils First mmWave 5G Antennas For Smartphones (theverge.com)
Qualcomm announced its new QTM052 mmWave antenna modules that will enable 5G networks on select mobile phones. The penny-sized antenna array features four antennas that can accurately point toward the nearest 5G tower. It can even bounce signals off of surrounding surfaces, if needed. The Verge reports: The QTM052 is designed to be small enough that device manufacturers will be able to embed it into the bezel of a phone. Qualcomm's X50 5G modem is already designed to support up to four of the antenna arrays, one for each side of the phone, allowing for 16 total antennas and ensuring that no matter how you hold your phone, the signal won't get blocked. Qualcomm says that the first devices with the QTM052 antennas should be launching as early as the beginning of 2019 -- and hopefully, there'll be some actual 5G networks to use them with by then.
I'm sort of surprised to see Qualcomm releasing a discrete part at this level of integration (rather than "here's an entire cell modem on module so you can 5G your widget with minimum regulatory hassle and without adding an RF witch doctor to your traffic light control company's team" or "here's the silicon and some design guide docs; engineering support for larger customers").
Is there just more demand than I realize from people who are doing things too tightly integrated/space constrained for the full "lump of cell module" treatment(would be phone ODMs with limited RF experience, such that they buy antennas rather than integrate them as trace antennas or into phone body/structure?) or do the requirements of '5G' impose sufficiently new and stringent requirements that it's expected that relatively few will be able to so it in house, at least for the first generation or two?
The spectrum they are using is very line of sight. Even a sheet of cardboard will significantly attenuate the signal. Trees and even tinted windows will 99% block these signals. These frequencies (like the 38GHz that Verizon bought Straight Path to get) have been used for point to point links very sparingly over the last few decades due to the extreme short range and rain fade problems that make it very difficult to use beyond 1/2 mile. A couple years ago Straight Path gave us two Cerigon FiberAir radios to use at 38GHz because no one in SW Florida was using 38GHz and the FCC was threatening to revoke their license. We were only only ones using the spectrum (they told us so) and even with trying to give away the radios (about $10k for the pair) they couldn't find anyone to use in in the counties just to the north of us. We used them for a 1000 foot (300 meter) link (we will still be operating this link until Sept when the license expires). This was with 1 foot dishes on each end. Rain fade does effect the link when the rain gets heavy, but due to the very short distance it still operates. I just can't see them using these frequencies on devices like cell phones to much effect. I predict this will be an epic fail.