1998-07-13 , S/IC-2030/43
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

SA1921 provides cost-effective solution for satellite and cellular mobile phones

Philips Semiconductors today announced the   SA1921, the first RF receiver front-end designed for Asian Cellular Satellite System (ACeS) dual-band mobile phones. ACeS is a regional satellite-based mobile telecommunications standard which will provide telephone and data services in more than 50 countries worldwide, including countries in Southeast Asia, Asia-Pacific, and parts of Russia and Mongolia. In addition, for manufacturers merging satellite and cellular phone designs, the SA1921 reduces the number of components needed for system plans.

The SA1921 RF receiver front-end integrates cellular and satellite-band low noise amplifiers (LNAs) and down conversion mixers. A satellite-band image reject mixer eliminates the need for an external band pass filter between the LNA and mixer. A transmit mixer is also provided for down-conversion to a modulated transmit IF frequency. In addition, the SA1921 provides designers with integrated control logic, power down mode circuitry, and input and output buffers to further reduce external glue components and improve ease-of-use. The SA1921 is available in a 48-pin plastic low profile quad flatpack (LQFP) package.

"The growing demand for telecommunications service in developing markets like Asia-Pacific and the former Soviet Union show that teatherless communications is continuing to evolve throughout the world," said Craig Conkling, product marketing manager for wireless ASIC products at Philips Semiconductors. "Innovative solutions like our SA1921 are providing our customers with ICs that enable them to design wireless solutions for these and other markets."

By the year 2000 it will be possible to communicate from a handheld terminal from virtually anywhere on the planet. International travellers visiting countries where telecommunications services are less reliable will be the primary users of satellite/cellular dual-band phones. Other potential users include those who need mobile communications in regions where cellular service does not exist. In the not-so-distant future, satellite/cellular phones will have a variety of high data rate applications that will include Internet and email access, as well as video transfer.

The operating frequency for ACeS is 1525 MHz-1559 MHz, while the cellular frequencies, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS), operate in the 900 MHz and 800 MHz frequency ranges respectively. The SA1921 high-band operating range also supports Inmarsat and GPS frequency bands.

The Philips Semiconductors SA1921 is priced at $3.45 US in quantities of 10,000 pieces or more. The SA1921 is in production and available for immediate sampling through Philips Semiconductors. For sales information, please call +1-800-234-7381.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world and the third largest supplier of discretes in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by systems labs.