BROWSING: Tantra Analyst: Prakash Sangam

One of the exciting features the recently finalized 3GPP Rel. 16 brings to 5G is the support for Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB). IABs have the potential to be a game-changer, especially for millimeter Wave (mmWave) deployments by solving the key challenge of backhaul. However,...

After a week-long marathon session of online meetings, 3GPP finalized Release 16 (Rel. 16) paving the way for the next phase of 5G. Kudos to the grit of the leadership team, who, while fighting the COVID-19 disruptions, and defying the skeptics, delivered the specification...

5G has seen unprecedented traction; many flagship devices are already in the market, and many more are on the way, including the much-rumored and anticipated iPhone 5G. After the excitement of limited initial launches, when operators are starting the large-scale deployments, the basic question...

The Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its latest flagship smartphone lineup, the P40 today. Its usual pompous, glitter-filled launch event was sadly replaced by a somber online event because of the COVID19 situation. As one would expect, the P40 lineup, powered by Kirin 990...

For the last few weeks, while the influencer world was busy with testing and reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones, I was diligently using and testing another equally important and impressive Samsung product—Galaxy Book S—the latest always on, always connected...

With COVID-19 novel coronavirus creating havoc and upsetting everybody’s plans, the question on the minds of many people that follow standards development is, “How will it affect the 5G evolution timeline?” The question is even more relevant for Rel. 16, which is expected to...

The title best describes the current situation after the recent hearing in the more-than-yearlong saga between FTC and Qualcomm. On Feb 13th, 2020, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) heard Qualcomm’s appeal to reverse the...

As I discussed in my previous articles, the industry is finally waking up to the fact that when it comes to patents, quality indeed matters much more than quantity. Also, the realization that simpleton approaches such as standards contribution counting or counting the mere...

Samsung’s much-awaited yearly event, “Galaxy Unpacked 2020,” has come and gone. It had all the pomp and glitter of a major event of a major consumer electronic enterprise. As expected, new flagship smartphones and other devices were announced and demonstrated. There have been numerous...

As promised in my previous article, here is a detailed discussion on FTC’s FRAND (Fair Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory) argument in its antitrust case against Qualcomm. FTC argues that Qualcomm agreeing to the FRAND (Fair and Reasonable Anti Discriminatory) requirements of Standards Setting Organizations (SSO)...

The stage is set for Feb 13th, 2020, hearing of FTC vs. Qualcomm antitrust case at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit). In preparation, FTC, Qualcomm, and many interested parties have filed their briefs in support and against...

I just returned from a whirlwind session of 3GPP RAN Plenary #86, held at the beautiful beach town of Sitges in Spain. The meeting finalized a comprehensive package with more than 30 Study and Work Items (SI and WI) for Rel 17. With a...

Qualcomm, during its annual Tech Summit in Maui, Hawaii, unveiled a comprehensive portfolio of platforms for Always-On, Always-Connected PCs (ACPCs)  to cover the full spectrum of tiers and use cases. This announcement further solidifies the industry’s move toward ACPCs, led by Qualcomm, Microsoft, and...

The fun of being an analyst is that you get to test new gadgets firsthand and share your opinions without any inhibitions. It also comes with a sense of responsibility towards your readers. I got my Microsoft Surface Pro X about two weeks ago...

While the 5G race rages on, so does the race to be perceived as the technology leader in 5G. This race transcends companies, industries, regions, and even countries. No major country, be it the new power such as China or existing leaders such as...

If you are an operator, 5G deployment is, for sure, one of your highest priorities. Considering the huge investments involved, you always wonder whether all the outlandish claims of 5G are true. The rapid expansion of 5G with more than 30 commercial networks and...

Nowadays, security and privacy are on everybody’s mind. Hardly a day goes by without the news of security breaches at major institutions. Most of the time, the reporting is focused on the cloud or network infrastructure, hardly ever on devices. However, when it comes...

Qualcomm made two announcements in the last couple of weeks that underpins much of their superiority in 5G technology, especially the millimeter wave (mmWave). First, they gave a name to the “made-for-each-other” duo of Modem and RF (Radio Frequency) system— Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 5G Modem-RF...

Qualcomm got a reprieve when the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit stayed the decision of United States District Court for the Northern District of California’s (DC) in its antitrust case. Immediately after the stay, Qualcomm filed its opening brief (175 pages...

Last week’s remarkable decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (appellate court) consisting of three judges, finally brings some common sense into FTC’s bizarre antitrust case against Qualcomm. The appellate court granted Qualcomm’s request to stay the United States...

Demystifying cellular patents and licensing - Part 4  3GPP is this mystic organization that many seem to know, but few understand it. The key players of this efficient and well-regarded organization work often without the fanfare or public recognition. But no more! As part of...

Key points: The 5G network provides expansive outdoor coverage and full mobility in Chicago downtown, especially in the popular and high-traffic areas, where 5G’s performance is needed the most.  The outdoor and in-vehicle tests showed good speeds, consistently over 100 – 150 Mbps, much...

The telecom industry is still digesting the surprising and far-reaching decision by Judge Koh of the U.S. Northern California District Court. The expansive court order is as hard to digest as it is to comprehend. If you thoroughly read it (yes, I have, all...

Have you ever felt the joy and elation of being part of something that you have only been observing, reading, writing about, and admiring for a long time? Well, I experienced that when I became a member of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and...