Global operator Vodafone and chip maker AMD are collaborating on mobile base station silicon chip designs that will give 5G radios the power needed for AI and digital services.
The partners say their collaboration will also support Vodafone’s aim to reduce the radio antennae size, its energy consumption and the number of base stations.
At the Vodafone Innovation Centre in Málaga, Spain, engineers from both Vodafone and AMD are testing radio hardware with AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC (Radio Frequency System-on-Chip) devices, a single-chip radio platform that can be adapted to combine several radio features, including Arm processors.
Vodafone says its goal is to develop a robust chip ecosystem by providing specifications and contributing towards the development of advanced algorithms that can power new energy-efficient and intelligent networks.
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"The benefit of these integrated adaptive RFSoC devices is that they can house a radio receiver and are flexible enough to accommodate multiple frequencies," Vodafone said in its announcement.
"Unlike existing devices such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), which are very efficient, but inflexible, the AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoCs can be remotely modified after installation and custom designed for a particular set of radio configurations.
"This will allow Vodafone engineers to quickly support new 5G services, introduce the latest AI algorithms and industry standards, as well as dial up capacity during busy periods without having to rip out and replace existing hardware.
"The modular design of these AMD adaptive SoCs also makes them ideal for Open Radio Access Networks (RAN), which are constructed using a mix and match of hardware and software from different vendors."
According to Vodafone, AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC chipsets enable the operator to reduce the level of signal distortion to enhance PA power efficiency, and to test its own 5G algorithms which can control power consumption to match variations in customer demand.