Broadcom's BCM63178 combines a VDSL Profile 35b modem and Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax radio in a single chip

[Balance]

Today Broadcom introduced the BCM63178, a SoC that combines a VDSL Profile 35b, also known as VPlus, modem, and a 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax radio. It contains a 1.5 GHz multi-core CPU (8.5k DMIPS) and can be combined with Broadcom's BCM43684 802.11ax WLAN chipset. The chipset family is sampling today.

Press release:

Broadcom Delivers the World’s First xDSL CPE SoC with integrated 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Technology
Broadcom combines 35b VDSL with a 2x2 802.11ax radio, adding to its Max WiFi family of broadband gateway, repeater, and mobile silicon devices

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) today announced the availability of the industry’s first broadband SoC with integrated Wi-Fi 6 technology. The BCM63178 combines ADSL, 35b VDSL, and Wi-Fi 6 into a single integrated solution, enabling telecom service providers to effectively deploy copper services coupled with the benefits of 802.11ax in a single, cost-effective platform. With high-performance CPU, Gigabit Ethernet routing, next-generation broadband access, and WiFi 6, BCM63178 provides a path for service providers to spread broadband content throughout the home.

Combined with a multi-core CPU complex for high performance packet processing and offload, Gigabit Ethernet switching and routing, and VoIP, the BCM63178 is architected to efficiently scale from single-band applications to the high-speed demands of dual-band Wi-Fi home networking with Broadcom’s BCM43684 Wi-Fi 6 WLAN chipset. Complementing the BCM63178 silicon is an advanced, secure, container-based software architecture consistent with Broadcom’s DSL and PON CPE silicon offerings.

“Combining both xDSL and Wi-Fi 6 technology into a single device enables service providers to deploy a future-proof CPE product as the Wi-Fi 6 market matures,” said Greg Fischer, senior vice president and general manager, Broadband Carrier Access, Broadcom. “Further, the advanced software offered with the BCM63178 along with its processing capability enables secure, modern containerized software architectures for increased longevity and product reliability as new applications are downloaded to Broadcom-based gateways.”

Broadcom’s 802.11ax implementation provides users with an improved wireless experience based on state-of-the-art Wi-Fi 6 technology recently introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Broadcom’s new platforms are designed to facilitate whole home coverage, WFA EasyMesh™ capable gateways and repeaters, reliable video over Wi-Fi performance, as well as faster download and upload speeds, higher capacity, better coverage, and longer battery life afforded by Wi-Fi 6.

The Broadcom BCM63178 family of devices is sampling today.

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Product information:

BCM63178
High-Performance Multimode Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router
The BCM63178 is a single-chip 35b DSL smart home gateway device with an integrated 802.11ax/ac/n radio, a PCIe bus for additional WLAN radio support, USB support, a PCM bus for VoIP and a selection of Gigabit Ethernet LAN and RGMII ports.

The BCM63178 supports offloaded small packet WAN<->LAN routing concurrent with multi-port Ethernet switching, L3 packet processing, dual-band concurrent IEEE 802.11ax/ac/n wireless networking (via integrated radio and PCIe), USB2.0 host/device and muti-line Voice-over-IP (VoIP) processing.

Built around a 1.5GHz multi-core CPU (8.5k DMIPS), the BCM63178 is architected to support the high-speed demands of dual-band 802.11ax wireless home networking with Broadcom’s BCM43684 WLAN chipset, multi-Gigabit Ethernet data rates, and VoIP. An advanced, secure, container-based software architecture ensures an extensible solution with extended product deployment lifecycles.

Features

• Integrated single line ADSL to 35b VDSL transceiver and AFE
• Seamless fallback from 35b VDSL to ADSL
• Packet offload architecture to offload packet processing and WLAN data from application CPU
• USB 2 host/device
• Multi-line VoIP
• Dual-band WLAN support

Applications

• Smart Home DSL Gateways/IADs

 

[iwod]

Why would / should some one make Home DSL Gateway with only 2x2 802.11ax? Lot of ISP will start pushing this and you end up with Sub Par Wireless Performance. They should have at least throw in a 4x4.

 

[Internet Man]

Why would / should some one make Home DSL Gateway with only 2x2 802.11ax? Lot of ISP will start pushing this and you end up with Sub Par Wireless Performance. They should have at least throw in a 4x4.

Most devices using the chipset will probably add the BCM43684 radio for a 4x4:4 5GHz 802.11ax connection. The 2x2:2 will probably be considered sufficient for low to mid-range gateways. Very few people have three or four stream clients and that doesn't seem likely to change any time soon.

 

[sfx2000]

Why would / should some one make Home DSL Gateway with only 2x2 802.11ax? Lot of ISP will start pushing this and you end up with Sub Par Wireless Performance. They should have at least throw in a 4x4.

Not really - the 11ax is a good start, and it keeps costs low for the ISP's...

Keep in mind this is a first go-round for CPE in the DSL space... and with VDSL, the WAN/LAN/WiFi is actually fairly balanced...