Infineon has announced the SMARTi3GE, the world’s first one-chip six-band WCDMA and quad-band EDGE solution. The chip combines the architecture of the SMARTiPM, a quad-band GSM/EDGE transceiver and the SMARTi3G, a six-band WCDMA transceiver with HSDPA capabilities. The inclusion of HSDPA support means the chip can offer data rates up to 7.2 Mbps in WCDMA downlink.

The new one chip solution takes up 40% less space than the same performance previously would have required, since it needed two chips. The SMARTi3GE measures 0.24 inches x .24 inches. This smaller size will allow manufacturers to design smaller handsets or to pack more features into handsets of the same size.

Samples of the SMARTi3GE are now available for manufacturers to evaluate. The transition to the new solution for manufacturers is made easier by full software compatibility with the current two-chip solution. The SMARTi3GE should be ramped up to full production by the fourth quarter.