Intel announced substantial advances in its wireless product roadmap, unveiling new modems designed to accelerate 5G adoption.
The company introduced the Intel XMM 8000 series, its first family of commercial 5G New Radio (5G NR) multi-mode modems, alongside the Intel XMM 7660, the company’s latest LTE modem. Intel previously introduced the XMM 7560 at Mobile World Congress 2017, a modem that achieved gigabit-class LTE speeds.
The Intel XMM 8000 series is a lineup of commercial 5G multi-mode modems that support both sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave (mmWave) global spectrum bands. By covering a broad range of frequency bands and modes, the series enables many device categories to connect to 5G networks, including smartphones and PCs, fixed wireless consumer premise equipment (CPE), and automotive applications.
Within the series, the Intel XMM 8060 is described as the first commercial 5G modem to provide multi-mode support across full 5G non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) New Radio, along with backward compatibility for legacy 2G, 3G (including CDMA), and 4G modes. The XMM 8060 was expected to appear in commercial devices beginning in mid-2019, supporting early availability of 5G-ready devices ahead of broader 5G network rollouts.
Complementing the 5G lineup, the Intel XMM 7660 targets high-performance LTE connectivity with Category 19 capabilities and peak speeds up to 1.6 Gbps. The XMM 7660 incorporates advanced multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques, extensive carrier aggregation, and wide band support to optimize throughput and spectral efficiency. Intel planned to ship the XMM 7660 in commercial devices in 2019.
Beyond individual modems, Intel has positioned its 5G modem technology and the Intel Mobile Trial Platform as foundations for industry trials and deployments worldwide. These platforms have been used in numerous trials, helping operators and device makers evaluate and accelerate 5G services and devices.
Intel’s modem roadmap emphasizes multi-mode flexibility, broad spectrum support, and backward compatibility to ease the transition from LTE to 5G across diverse device segments. By delivering both high-performance LTE and native 5G solutions, Intel aims to support an ecosystem of devices and network deployments during the global shift to next-generation mobile connectivity.