Embedded version of UmTRX is finally available for everyone

After more than a year of rigorous internal testing we’re happy to announce start of public sales of UmTRX 2.3.1 – the only widely available Software Defined Radio (SDR) designed specifically for telecom applications.

Our goal from the beginning – when we made the first UmTRX design in 2011 – was to create an SDR which meets all rigid technical and legal requirements for telecommunication equipment. And make sure it has a reasonable cost, so e.g. you don’t have to spend extra $600-$900 for a GPS Disciplined Oscillator (GPSDO) after you already spend $700-$800 on an SDR – hence all UmTRX come with a built-in GPS. Our original focus was on 2G/GSM, but with up to 30.72 MSPS UmTRX 2.3.1 handles 3G/UMTS and 4G/LTE just as well.

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Connecting the Unconnected

Community building at Mobile World Congress

The ability to use open source in creating mobile networks is still a relatively new thing, with a reasonably small but dedicated and, more recently, rapidly growing community. Similarly, it’s still early days when it comes to industry awareness of the opportunities that this presents. And perhaps most excitingly, it is not simply a matter of cost reduction in existing markets; indeed, there are many areas of the world that are not economically viable to serve with proprietary solutions.

With the above in mind Fairwaves decided to host a drinks reception in February at the world’s largest industry event, Mobile World Congress, for those with an interest in open source in mobile telecomms, and community-owned and profitable rural cellular networks.

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