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World's thinnest LTE chip might make your next AT&T 4G LTE tablet Phat

Jun 07, 2012, 2:03 PM

Alan F.

World's thinnest LTE chip might make your next AT&T 4G LTE tablet Phat

The thinnest LTE chip, the AirPrime EM7700

Sierra Wireless has introduced the thinnest 4G LTE chip. Weighing in at 2.5mm (to mix a metaphor) the AirPrime EM7700 is 2mm thinner than the previous record holder. That means that the AirPrime EM7700 is 44% thinner than the next thinnest chip. There is one caveat, though, the chip was designed to work only on AT&T's brand of 4G LTE and supports Qualcomm's Gobi 4G modem. The chip is expected to start shipping during the last few weeks of the Spring.

In addition to cutting the fat, Sierra Wireless has also sliced off the chip's support for EDGE which means that it is LTE/HSPA+ enabled only. Not that too many of you would miss EDGE anyway save for those ancient warriors still rocking the OG Apple iPhone. Ah, but we digress. The Air Prime EM7700 is expected to see use in Windows 8 flavored ultrabooks and tablets. If you see smaller designs for such AT&T LTE enabled devices, now you will know the reason why.

source: SierraWireless via Engadget

Sierra Wireless has introduced the world's first thin form factor embedded wireless module for 4G LTE networks. The Sierra Wireless AirPrime™ EM7700 is a nominal 2.5 millimetres thick and is ideal for tablets and ultra-portable notebooks where thinness is a critical design constraint. The EM7700 is designed to support Windows 8, utilizes Qualcomm's Gobi™ 4G LTE modem and is compatible with Qualcomm's API and the USB-IF mobile Broadband Interface Model (MBIM) for easy integration by PC OEMs.

It offers a connectorized interface to enable build-to-order logistics, allowing manufacturers to offer it as an optional add-on to their devices. The AirPrime EM7700 also supports HSPA+ and 3G technologies for use in areas where LTE is not yet available.

Made exclusively for connecting to the AT&T 4G LTE network, the AirPrime EM7700 is based on the AirPrime MC7700 module, which was certified by AT&T last year