Qualcomm expands chip design facility in Chennai with focus on developing next-generation WiFi technology

Qualcomm on Thursday opened a new design center in Chennai focused on wireless connectivity solutions and Wi-Fi technology. The Chennai Design Center will involve an investment of Rs 177.27 crore and is expected to create up to 1,600 technical jobs. The center will support the San Deigo, California-based company’s global efforts in research and development of 5G mobile phone technology.

India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnau said in opening the Chennai facility that Qualcomm has “played a key role in accelerating India’s digitalisation” and said, “The new design center will not only help the company but also the future. “This is an important milestone for the impact it will have.” We actively provide opportunities for our employees to further develop our technology talent. ”

Commenting on Qualcomm’s expanding presence in India, CEO Cristiano Amon said: [company’s] We are a leader in wireless communications, particularly Wi-Fi and broadband technology, and I am very excited to continue working here. ”

“Chennai is a growth story,” said Amon, who has India’s largest research and development hub outside the company’s headquarters in San Deigo.

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As for how Qualcomm views original equipment manufacturers (ODMs) that make their own chipsets, Amon said the company’s business has grown beyond mobile devices and that it is looking to build chipsets across the ecosystem. He said he was designing it. And the latest part of that business is focused on automakers, with Qualcomm partnering with brands to build digital cockpits.

“If we believe this cellular technology is important and our cellular innovation roadmap continues, there will always be room for Qualcomm,” Amon told The Hindu.

Regarding how India and China, or the chip industry, compare, Mr. Amon said: “We expect technology to play a role around the world. But what can actually be done in India is a tricky question. India’s size offers great opportunities to leapfrog in technology across many industries. And I think that’s part of the vision of what we’re doing here at this innovation center in Chennai.”

Rahul Patel, Group General Manager, Connectivity, Broadband and Networking, Qualcomm, spoke exclusively to The Hindu about the future of design centers and WiFi technology. New facilities are primarily the result of existing facilities being outgrown. The new one therefore introduces best-in-class tools and labs that can be used to develop next-generation Wi-Fi technologies.

“Not many people realize that Wifi is used for more than connecting to PCs, laptops, and phones. Therefore, the density of spectrum usage we have to deal with has become very complex. And with more and more devices in use as everyone competes to use the same frequencies, technology must evolve to ensure that the user experience doesn’t take a back seat.”

To meet this demand, WiFi standards are evolving so that download speeds and latencies are no longer affected as a result of device density.

So it’s not just speed and feed that matters. It’s also a capacity issue. And this is where the next generation of his WiFi is being developed, Patel said.