MediaTek T830 Accelerates 5G Broadband

To capitalize on growing adoption of 5G cellular for broadband access, MediaTek has boosted the throughput of its fixed-wireless-access chipset.

Joseph Byrne

With 5G’s advent, fixed-wireless access is no longer just for low-speed rural broadband. The newest cellular networks increase data rates enough to be marketed as “fiber like.” Capitalizing on this trend, MediaTek is releasing the T830, a new fixed-wireless chipset that includes the MT6990 gateway processor integrating a sub-6GHz 5G modem and gateway software.

The T830’s peak 5G throughput is 7Gbps. A data-plane engine provides a fast path between the cellular WAN and Wi-Fi or Ethernet LAN to offload the gateway processor’s four Cortex-A55 CPUs. That processor integrates 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) ports to prevent the wired LAN from becoming a bottleneck when the wireless networks hit such high peak speeds.

Target wireless-access systems for the T830 include wireless-broadband customer-premises equipment (CPE) and mobile hot spots. MediaTek expects the first systems based on the chipset to arrive in 2H23.

Integrating a faster cellular modem and faster Ethernet ports than MediaTek’s earlier T750 5G chipset, the T830 mainly offers service providers and their OEM suppliers more data throughput. The speed boost helps customers deliver an upgrade to end users reliant on aging DSL technology and create a low-cost alternative to cable and fiber. Cellular operators can serve rural customers as well as challenge incumbent wired-broadband providers in cities and suburbs.