16-04-2021



Smartphones will drive demand for 5G chipsets, but the companies that make these chips are working hard to develop adjacent markets as well. One of the biggest opportunities for 5G in devices beyond smartphones is the laptop.

How to determine your Video Driver Version Internet Connection: -Select Internet Connection- Cable Modem DSL 56k V.90 Modem 28.8k Modem or below Other. Most of the modem Drivers problems relate to Modem Drivers for Windows 7, Modem Drivers for Windows XP, PCI Modem Drivers or USB Modem Drivers. For any of these or other Modem Drivers, use the Download link below to run a Free Drivers Scan and get automatic Driver Updates.

However, 5G laptops have not yet hit the market in a meaningful way.

Qualcomm and Intel are both banking on the laptop market to eventually help drive sales of their 5G chips. Qualcomm's 8cx 5G platform combines its 8cx processor with a 5G modem, and the company's Snapdragon platform supports Microsoft Windows. Lenovo and Qualcomm announced a 5G-enabled PC, ambitiously dubbed Project Limitless, earlier this year at the Computex trade show. Six months later, with the holiday selling season in full swing, Lenovo still hasn't brought the laptop to market.

Similarly, Intel announced its plans to partner with Taiwan's MediaTek on a 5G laptop in November 2019. Earlier in the year, Intel sold its smartphone modem business to Apple, but by leveraging the Taiwanese company's smartphone modem expertise, Intel plans to enter the market for 5G PC modems.

'They want to have a competitive response to [Qualcomm],' explained analyst Jon Erensen, senior director for semiconductor research at consulting firm Gartner. 'If demand for that feature picks up, Intel wants to be able to say 'Hey, we've got that capability too.' '

5G to build on LTE
Erensen estimates that fewer than 5% of the PCs on the market today offer cellular connectivity. WiFi is becoming pretty much ubiquitous, and unlimited cellular data plans make it inexpensive to tether a laptop to a smartphone, so built-in LTE may not make much difference to most laptop owners. And despite the relative success of its LTE-enabled iPad, Apple hasn't deemed the cellular PC market worthy of investment; its laptops do not offer LTE.

The Gartner team does not see 5G-based PCs taking off in the near future. It is projecting no revenue for semiconductor companies from 5G-enabled computers this year. Next year, it projects $70 million in revenue and for 2021, $167 million. Meanwhile Gartner expects semiconductor makers to sell almost a billion dollars worth of 5G chips to smartphone makers this year, and the analysts think the market will skyrocket next year, with chipmakers selling $10.4 billion worth of 5G chips to smartphone makers in 2020, and $17.3 billion in 2021.

According to the analysts at Gartner, the overall PC market -- including cellular and non cellular models -- is expected to decline 2%, from roughly 256 million units this year to about 250 million units next year. The one bright spot is premium ultramobiles. Ultramobiles are miniature PCs that may use touchscreens, QWERTY keyboards or both. They often include a stylus. Gartner expects demand for these high-end models to increase in the years ahead, from 67 million units this year to almost 72 million units next year, and more than 76 million units in 2021.

Drivers Think Will Modems Can You

Erensen said PC makers are working to create ultramobiles that can 'act more like smartphones, being always connected. When you open them up, they've been syncing content in the background. But there are challenges too... particularly the cost of doing that, not just for the hardware like the modem inside the device but more for the service that's attached to it, and how flexible the carriers will be with those service plans is something that I think will have a big impact on the ultimate penetration rate or adoption that we see for the technology.'

More possible 5G drivers
Gaming is another driver of demand for portable computers, and that's good news for 5G chipmakers, because cloud-based gaming is emerging as an important 5G use case. 5G could offer gamers the ability to play with remote opponents in real-time and to experience virtual reality in their games.

Wireless

Another trend that could boost the demand for laptops that connect to cellular networks is mobile cloud. As companies start to store more mission-critical documents in the cloud, they will want their employees to access these documents over highly secure networks, and public WiFi may not cut it. So corporate PC buyers may start to look for cellular connectivity in laptops. But LTE could satisfy their needs; it is not yet clear that 5G will be a big value-add for corporate IT departments when they procure laptop computers.

Drivers Thinkwell Modems App

'I'm not sure it's critical right now,' said Erensen. 'When 5G gets more interesting is when you build out the 5G core network... When you go to the standalone [5G] networks, that's when some of the really unique capabilities of 5G come into play, things like ultra-low latency, like the higher reliability. As you do that, then you can start to think about the applications that would benefit from that.'

— Martha DeGrasse, special to Light Reading. Follow her @mardegrasse.

TroubleshootingNewsTechnicalSearch
HomeForum 56PremiumSite Map
Home • Modem Drivers

Modem Drivers

Do you know what kind of chipset your modem has? You'll find drivers - or links to driver sources on the page(s) about your modem's chipset. These pages are listed in the 'About Modems with Your Chipset' section of the Troubleshooting Contents page - and also at the bottom of this page. This site has driver downloads for Lucent/Agere LT Win Modem; as well as links to drivers for most other modems.

Do you know what driver version you are using now? See Driver Versions. Before attempting to upgrade or change your driver, you should determine the version you are presently using.

Microsoft's Windows Update for XP site has drivers and links to drivers for many modems. (Note: I know of no way to get these drivers from Microsoft if you aren't running XP - which can create a catch 22 - see 16-Feb-02 latest update.)

If you don't know what chipset your modem has - you need to find out:
The Chipset Page

IF YOU ARE INSTALLING WINDOWS XP and you are having trouble with the modem, see Windows XP & Modems.

But first: Do you really need a modem driver? - See the information below based upon the type of modem you have:

If you have a modem that has a hardware controller:
Conexant/Rockwell ACF, Lucent/Agere Venus, Many USR models, etc.

The modem doesn't need a driver to work - the 'driver' that makes it a modem is in the modem and is known as flash firmware. To install the modem in Windows, the 'driver' is an .inf file that defines the modem's command set and other responses for Windows-TAPI applications. Connectivity problems basically are unaffected by the 'driver' - only a firmware flash can change the code that determines how well your modem will perform. If you have a problem with this type of modem, consult the Interactive Troubleshooter or Troubleshooting Contents for information on your type of trouble.

If you have a modem that lacks a hardware controller:
Winmodems, Soft Modems, HSP Modems, AMR Modems, many USB modems - includes
Rockwell/Conexant HCF, HSF, Soft56, Lucent/Agere 'LT', AMR, Scorpio, Mars, Apollo; Motorola; PCTel; BCM; IntelHaM, etc.

Drivers thinkwell modems reviewsDrivers Thinkwill ModemsThinkwill

A driver is necessary for the modem to work. There are hundreds of modem brand names, manufacturers, and sources for modems with varying degrees of support. Fortunately, there are only a handful of chipset makers - and a common driver base for each of the chipsets.

Drivers Think Will Modems Router

You really need a modem driver if your modem doesn't work at all: if it hasn't installed properly, or if you cannot talk to it as described in Setting Up Hyperterminal. (But, again - not always: See the 'If your Modem Doesn't Work at All' listings in Troubleshooting Contents.)

An updated modem driver might help if you are having connectivity problems - disconnects, difficulty connecting, or disappointing speeds - however: there may be other causes/solutions. Before you get a new modem driver, I strongly suggest you do some basic testing to create a baseline to compare against, as well as investigate some of the common cures to problems - Getting rid of init strings, Limiting Connect Speed, Disabling 56k, etc. See the Troubleshooting Contents page.

Drivers Thinkwell Modems Review

About Modems with your Chipset:
Broadcom BCM Modem
Information & driver sources for Broadcom BCM Software Modem
Cirrus/Ambient/Intel
Information & driver sources for Cirrus/Ambient/Intel chipset Modems
ESS & SGS ST Micro Modems
Info for modems with ESS & SGS/ST-Micro Chipsets
Lucent/Agere AMR Modem
AKA Scorpio; Info & driver sources for this soft HSP modem.
Lucent/Agere LT Win Modem:
Information & driver sources for this widely-used modem
Lucent Venus Modem
Information for Lucent Venus chipset Modems
Lucent Wildwire Modem:
Information for Lucent/Agere's DSL/Analog Win Modem
Motorola Modems
Information for modems with Motorola SM56 Chipset
PCTel Chipsets
Info & driver sources for modems based upon PCTel chipsets
Rockwell/Conexant HCF Modem:
Information & driver sources for HCF modems
Rockwell/Conexant HSF Soft56 Modem:
Information & driver sources for Conexant HSF Soft56 Modems
Smartlink Chipset
Info & driver sources for modems based upon Smartlink chipsets
TOPIC Chipset
Information & driver sources for TOPIC chipset (560x) Modems
USR/3Com Modems
USR Chipsets
Information for USR/3Com modems
USR Diag. Screens
Blers, retrains, and more - what they mean

Flashing a COURIER modem
How to Flashback 3Com/USR
Archive the flash code for your /USR/Sportster modem
Home | Links | Send Feedback | Privacy Policy | Report Broken Link
Legal Page | Author's Web Sites | Log In

Modemsite.com ©1998-2020 v.Richard Gamberg. All rights reserved.

Drivers Think Will Modems Come Out