On Tuesday, Qualcomm Inc, the world’s biggest supplier of mobile phone chips, introduced a new set of semiconductors designed to connect mobile phones to 5G networks that operate differently around the world.
In a statement, the San Diego, California-based company said, its X60 modem chip, along with a new antenna chip, will be the first to aggregate signals sent over the disparate frequencies used in the two variants of 5G networks.
The feature will help boost download speeds.
By the end of 2020, 5G networks, which promises high speed data transfers, are expected to come online.
In a statement, Qualcomm said, it believes around 175 million to 225 million 5G smartphones will be sold in 2020.
While in many regions 5G networks will use sub-6 frequencies, in markets such as the United States, 5G networks will also use “millimeter wave” frequencies to deliver faster data speeds in densely populated cities.
Qualcomm’s X60 modem chips can handle both variants of the 5F network. Using carrier aggregation, telecommunications companies can send data over multiple bands of wireless spectrum at once to generate faster speeds.
Qualcomm’s new X60 chip will be made using 5-nanometer chip technology, making it smaller and more power-efficient.
Samsung has won the contract to manufacture the chips.