GCT Semiconductor, a leading supplier of Mobile WiMAX™ solutions to the global market, today announced that Japan’s most compact, lightweight Mobile WiMAX USB and Express Card modems recently launched by UQ Communications are powered by the industry’s first Mobile WiMAX 2.5 GHz Wave 2 single-chip, GCT’s GDM7205. Modacom, a leading provider of Mobile WiMAX terminals, supplies these WiMAX™ subscriber stations to UQ Communications. As a key technology-enabler for their WiMAX devices, close collaboration between GCT, Modacom and UQ Communications played a key role in UQ’s timely launch of high speed wireless broadband Mobile WiMAX service in Japan.

Based on GCT’s industry-proven CMOS technology, the GDM7205 baseband plus transceiver system-on-a-chip implements MIMO, and all MAC and PHY features required for subscriber station operation. GDM7205 is WiMAX Forum Certified™. This highly integrated, high performance solution reduces PCB design complexity, lowers power consumption and offers small form factor to optimize implementation in Mobile WiMAX devices, ideally supporting UQ Communications’ new WiMAX network deployment in Japan.

“We’re pleased to have been selected by the only WiMAX service provider in Japan, UQ Communications, to contribute to their successful WiMAX launch by powering the Modacom USB and Express Card modems,” commented Dr. KH Lee, president and CEO of GCT Semiconductor. “At a size of 27 mm x 62 mm x 11 mm and weight of only 18 g, UQ’s GDM7205-based USB modem is the smallest and lightest weight Mobile WiMAX USB modem available in Japan today.”

“UQ Communications’ WiMAX service in Japan is another great milestone for the WiMAX industry. We are pleased to provide innovative devices like USB and Express Card modems to UQ Communications,” said JS Kim, president and CEO of Modacom Co., Ltd. “We’re confident that GCT’s Mobile WiMAX single-chip solution, with its unique features and cutting-edge technology, will continue to be an enabler for more WiMAX deployments.”

Shuichi Kako, senior associate VP and GM, sales division of UQ Communications, commented, “GCT has demonstrated that it is one of the leading providers of WiMAX single-chip solutions available in the market. Modacom’s USB and Express Card modems, powered by GCT’s single-chip Mobile WiMAX solution, provide our customers with the high value they expect when subscribing to UQ WiMAX wireless broadband services.”

GCT’s compact solution, GDM7205, offers a highly integrated, low-power transceiver which minimizes the number of external RF front-end components. It also includes a Mobile WiMAX baseband with high performance dual-processors, and an impressive array of peripherals for connectivity. GDM7205 satisfies the high demands of multimedia data processing and wireless connectivity, and increases battery life for the longest run time.