press release

Fujikura Ltd. (Director, President and CEO Masahiko Ito) has announced the launch of FutureAccess™, a cutting-edge 28 GHz Phased Array Antenna Module (PAAM) with industry-leading performance for 5G millimeter wave infrastructure applications. The company plans to begin providing working samples to customers by the end of March 2022.

Our latest PAAM product, "FutureAccess™", is a module that integrates an antenna array, beamforming IC, frequency conversion IC and filter. This module is suitable for applications such as fixed wireless access (FWA) ^*1, mobile broadband (MBB) ^*2 and backhaul applications ^*3 that use millimeter waves. We believe that millimeter waves will be the future of mobile business, and will continue to develop this strategy and other highly differentiated millimeter wave RF-IC ^*4 modules to customers in the infrastructure market.

FutureAccess™ not only boasts the industry's highest level of performance, but also realizes the optimal total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers. In addition, unlike many other millimeter wave RF-IC providers, our unique approach of combining antenna arrays, beamforming ICs, frequency conversion ICs, and filters to provide highly integrated modules at the system level can significantly contribute to shortening the system development time of customers building 5G millimeter wave infrastructure.

Fujikura is developing PAAM products in collaboration with the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) of the United States (https://www.fujikura.co.jp/newsrelease/products/2058962_11541.html), and some of the latest results of the joint development have been published in international conferences and academic journals. Recently, we presented our results at Th3E-1 in the IMS Section and Tu2E-2 in the RF-IC Section of the IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2021) ^*6 held in Atlanta, USA in June 2021.

Going forward, Fujitsu will continue to provide FutureAccess™ to customers who are driving the construction of 5G infrastructure around the world, thereby contributing to the growth and expansion of 5G mmWave networks and 5G services.

We have also set up a special website with detailed information about "FutureAccess™", so please take a look (https://mmwavetech.fujikura.jp/ja/5g/ ).

Glossary

*1 FWA: A method that uses wireless technology to connect telecommunications business and subscribers' homes.
*2 MBB: High-speed wireless access for mobile devices (smartphones, etc.)
*3 Backhaul: A relay circuit connecting a telecommunications business 's backbone network and a base station
*4 RF-IC: Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit
*5 3GPP band: 5G frequency band established by 3GPP, a project for international standardization of mobile communication systems such as 5G.
*6 IEEE International Microwave Symposium: A microwave symposium hosted by IEEE, the world's largest academic research organization and technical standardization organization in the fields of electrical and information engineering, headquartered in the United States.