MediaTek M80 5G modem brings 7.6Gbps downlink speed, to come in devices later this year

Taiwanese chipset maker MediaTek has announced its brand new 5G modem, the M80. Unlike what we have seen in Dimensity 1100 and 1200, which are the company's new 5G processors for flagship smartphones and competition to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor, the M80 is a is an ultra-fast 5G modem that supports mmWave. This also makes M80 MediaTek’s first 5G modem that supports both Non Stand Alone (NSA) and Stand Alone (SA) architectures. 

According to the company, the 5G modem can achieve a peak rate of 7.67Gbps (downlink) and 3.76Gbps (uplink). In addition, it supports dual 5G SIM dual 5G NSA and SA networks, along with dual Voice over New Radio (VoNR) for stable connectivity.

Also read: MediaTek may supply components for Apple’s Beats products

The introduction of M80 by MediaTek also gives it a chance to enter the 5G market in the US, where sub-6Ghz and mmWave networks are mandatory in several cases.

This also means that the company might not launch its M80 modem-based chipsets in countries that don't support mmWave yet. This includes India as well. In addition, M80 integrates company’s 5G Ultra safe technologies to save power and make the device more efficient. It is also said that it might remain powered and connected on standby, even when there is no data activity.

MediaTek says that its 5G modem can be used inside smartphones, PCs, Mi-fi hotspots and IoT devices. And the first range of smartphones, featuring a 5G modem are expected to reach the market later in 2021.