AMD hopes to make a big splash at MWC 2023 next week in Barcelona, showing off two new RFSoCs designed to help communication service providers expand the deployment of 4G/5G radios in markets globally.
AMD is touting new Zynq UltraScale+ ZU63DR and ZU64DR digital front end devices.The company will also showcase 15 radio system partners at its MWC booth using existing AMD RFSoCs and MPSoCs.
AMD described the two products as energy efficient and cost effective, ideal for emerging markets and rural and outdoor deployments.
The ZU63DR has four transmit and four receive capability while the ZU64DR supports eight transmit and eight receive O-RU applications based on 3GPP. Both rely on DFE in the Zynq UltraScale+ ZU67DR and should reach full production in second quarter.
Nokia and AMD are also expanding their collaboration using 4th Gen AMD EPYC processor-based servers to help Novia deliver Cloud RAN for CoSPs.
The 5G ecosystem partners showcasing with radios with AMD at MWC include Abside, Astrome, AS2S, CellXica, Comba, Fujitsu, Mavenir, NEC, Solid, Tejas, Ulak, Veittel, VVDN and Zlink. The EPYC-powered systems will be shown with Amdocs, Groundhog, and Juniper as well as Nokia. The AMD booth is in Hall 2, Stand 2M61, Feb. 27-March 2.
On Wednesday, AMD announced new test capabilities in a collaboration with VIAVI for operators for RAN and edge-to-core. The lab, based in Santa Clara, Calif., will support validation of hardware and software for the latest AMD chips, Adaptive SoCs, SmartNICs, FPGAs and DPUs. The first 5G ecosystem partners will begin testing in Q2.
AMD boasted its wireless telecom partner ecosystem has more than doubled in the past year, partly due to the integration of AMD and Xilinx products. AMD purchased Xilinx on Feb. 14, 2022, in an all-stock deal valued at $35 billion.
“AMD is in position to win the 5G race,” declared Gilles Garcia, senior director of AMD’s AECG data center and communications group, in a call with reporters.
Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research, said EPYC is "well-suited for the comms segment" but has not been a segment AMD has focused on in the past, while Xilinx has. Communications is a "new market growth opportunity for AMD" and part of why AMD bought Xilinx, to expand its available markets," added Kevin Krewell, also an analyst at Tirias.
EPYC-based servers compared to Intel-based servers can offer 33% lower operating expense, 46% lower capital expense and 29% lower first year total cost of ownership, AMD said. The company compared the Intel Platinum 8490H with the EYPIC 9654 and also claimed it could achieve up to 29% less power, 35% less servers and sockets and a reduction in carbon footprint of about 38 acres of US forest annually.
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