NEC develops GaN--based PAM for 5G basestations
NEC has announced the development of a high-efficiency, compact 10mm x 6mm GaN-based Power Amplifier Module (PAM) for the sub-6GHz band, designed for integration into 5G base station Radio Units (RUs).
The company will showcase the device at MWC Barcelona 2026 from March 2 to 5, 2026.
PAM power consumption accounts for approximately 75 percent of the total power consumed by an RU. By integrating this high-efficiency PAM into RUs, NEC aims to reduce device power consumption and size, thereby contributing to overall power savings in 5G networks and reduced operational costs for telecommunication carriers.
To achieve high efficiency and small size, NEC says it has used high-efficiency GaN-based circuits, high-density mounting technology, and simulation expertise related to load modulation methods. Specifically, it achieves a high Power-Added Efficiency (PAE) of 50 percent, indicating the proportion of supplied DC power that can be used for amplifying radio signals. This results in a 10 percent reduction in power consumption compared to conventional PAMs.
Some of the technologies used in the new device were obtained from a grant program (JPJ012368G50801) by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan.
