YTL and GCT Semiconductor collaborate to launch world's first WiMAX + HSPA 4G smartphone

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA & SAN JOSE, USA: YTL Communications, the leading 4G mobile Internet provider in Malaysia, and GCT Semiconductor, a leading designer and supplier of advanced 4G mobile semiconductor solutions, announced the launch of a new WiMAX + HSPA 4G smartphone, Eclipse, enabled by GCT’s WiMAX single-chip solution, GDM7205. YTL’s converged 4G smartphone Eclipse is making its debut on YTL’s Yes 4G network today.

YTL’s first converged 4G Android smartphone offers unmatched communications freedom with superior 4G speed and IP-telephony capabilities. The Eclipse, which seamlessly switches between WiMAX and 3G/GSM networks, is the first 4G-enabled all-IP phone encompassing VoIP and messaging, in addition to carrier-grade video conferencing capabilities.

“This revolutionary device will provide users with amazing possibilities. Not only does it embody the advanced telephony and high speed 4G data connectivity our Yes network has to offer, it elegantly supports legacy 3G/GSM telephony at the same time,” said Wing K. Lee, CEO of YTL Communications. “The Eclipse stretches the boundaries of communications and puts our world-class 4G network in the hands of smartphone users.”

“We’re pleased to continue working closely with our partner YTL to offer its customers a state-of-the art WiMAX smartphone that provides global roaming capabilities on 3G and GSM networks,” said Dr. Kyeongho “KH” Lee, president and CEO of GCT Semiconductor. “We continue to deliver innovative solutions for WiMAX technologies, and are dedicated to providing customers with turnkey market-proven single-chips with low power consumption, high performance and small form factor.”

Yes, a brand under YTL Communications, offers the fastest 4G mobile internet with voice service in Malaysia and is a global frontrunner in mobile 4G. Yes is the first mobile operator to bring the worlds of mobile Internet and mobile telephony together in one service. Launched in November 2010, Yes offers the lowest mobile rate for both postpaid and prepaid packages in the industry and currently covers over 70 percent of the population in Peninsular Malaysia. With its robust 4G network and a fully-converged mobile service, Yes is one of the most advanced wireless networks in the world. Yes was also the winner of the ‘Broadband InfoVision Awards 2011’ under the ‘Best New Service’ category.

GCT’s GDM7205 implements MIMO and all MAC and PHY features. Based on GCT’s industry-proven CMOS radio frequency (RF) technology, this compact solution offers a highly integrated, low-power transceiver which minimizes the number of external RF front-end components. It also includes a Mobile WiMAX baseband with high performance dual-processors and an impressive array of peripherals for connectivity. GDM7205 satisfies the high processing demands of multimedia data processing and wireless connectivity while minimizing power consumption.