RF Market stuff

LTE Wikipedia entry

2007-12-07T08:21:00.000Z

LTE

Verizon adopts LTE for 4G wireless platform

2007-12-03T14:37:00.000Z

Verizon adopts LTE for 4G wireless platform

Elena Malykhina

InformationWeek

11/29/2007 6:30 PM

Verizon on Thursday disclosed plans to roll out its fourth-generation mobile broadband network using a technology called Long Term Evolution, while also adopting a common access platform with Vodafone to provide services worldwide based on the technology.

LTE is a high-speed cellular technology developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project standards organization, known as 3GPP. LTE is an upgrade to High Speed Downlink Packet Access, a GSM implementation of a 3G cellular technology that is capable of providing speeds of up to 10 Mbps and global roaming.

Nearly 24 million subscribers worldwide will be using services based on LTE by 2012, according to Juniper Research.

LTE earlier this month was chosen by the GSM Association as the preferred standard for fourth-generation wireless services. The other two proposed standards were WiMax and Qualcomm-backed Ultra Mobile Broadband.

Verizon and Vodafone, the joint owners of U.S. cellular carrier Verizon Wireless, will begin testing LTE starting next year. LTE equipment will be supplied by leading vendors Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens, and Nortel; all five have collaborated with the 3GPP in developing high-speed cellular standards.

Nortel is a long-time partner of Verizon, providing the carrier with networking gear for advanced wireless services. Last year, Nortel announced a 5-year, $2-billion agreement to provide Verizon with 3G technology known as EVDO.

"4G is all about the user experience, allowing not only mobile video, music, and gaming, but also a whole lot of new connections in our cameras, our cars, and even our home appliances. With consumers eager to take advantage of all these possibilities, the network will experience significant increases in bandwidth demand," said Richard Lowe, president of carrier networks at Nortel, in an e-mail.

Verizon also plans to work with consumer electronics makers, in addition to mobile phone makers, since there will be demand for all types of devices with embedded LTE functionality in the future, the company said. The phone makers include LG Electronics, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson.

"A number of factors are setting the stage for our 4G network migration; most importantly, our view of customers' evolving appetite for more information, entertainment, and functionality, combined with an increasing customer expectation for easy access, high speed, easy handling, and seamless mobility. With a host of new devices and applications, and a particular focus on embedded wireless in virtually every piece of electronics you buy in any store, we believe LTE is the best technology with global scale to deliver on the promise," said Richard Lynch, Verizon's executive VP and CTO, said in a statement.

Verizon's decision to embrace LTE is a positive development in the wireless industry, just like the decision to open up its wireless network to outside mobile devices, software, and applications starting next year.

Going forward, however, the carrier's cellular services arm, Verizon Wireless, will be faced with several challenges as it deploys LTE. Such a deployment will be a natural transition for Vodafone since it already uses GSM/HSDPA technology in Europe, Verizon Wireless uses CDMA technology, which was developed by Qualcomm and is incompatible with GSM/HSDPA. Verizon could have chosen a next-generation CDMA technology as an upgrade, but both Vodafone and Verizon have stated in the past that choosing LTE as a common platform would allow their customers to roam freely between the carriers' networks.

Verizon said it will continue supporting its CDMA customers and expanding its existing 3G EVDO network for years to come. It's still unclear what the carrier plans to do once those customers start demanding 4G capabilities.

Ericsson sees weak 4Q sales, shares slide

2007-11-21T15:51:00.000Z

NEW YORK — Telecom equipment maker Ericsson on Tuesday (Nov. 20) predicted a weak fourth quarter due to tightening U.S. and European demand and unrest in emerging markets, sending its shares down 11 percent.

After issuing a profit warning in the third quarter, the world's biggest maker of mobile-network gear said that sales and margins for the fourth quarter would be at the lower end of a forecast range it had given as recently as last month.

Analysts and investors said they were concerned about the company's ability to monitor the performance of its business and were disappointed Ericsson did not give a clear sign when it would start to see improvements.

"It's not good news," said Leo Schmidt, an equities analyst at insurer Chubb Corp, which owns Ericsson shares. He said investors were spooked by the repeatedly revised forecasts.

"That makes people wonder how much management has control of the business," he said.

Ericsson had said in October that fourth-quarter sales would be between 53 billion and 60 billion Swedish crowns ($8.4 billion to $9.6 billion) and that operating margins would be in the mid-teen percentage range.

Chief Executive Carl-Henric Svanberg told investors that it had since become clear that Ericsson would be hurt by tightening network equipment demand in the United States and Europe, a weakening U.S. dollar and political unrest in some markets such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand.

"We can see that the U.S. and we can see that Europe is tightening," he said. "There are operators that are clearly downgrading their investments for 2008."

Ericsson said it expected a slight decline in business from networks in Europe where operators involved in mergers and acquisitions are slowing spending on upgrades for high-speed wireless data services such as Web surfing.

"We just assume that we'll have continued disruptions from consolidation," Svanberg said. "We do not think for at least the next year that we will have any major (data) upgrades."

He said that tightening U.S. spending could relate to general economic concerns among operators.

Shares in the Sweden-based company tumbled 11 percent to close at 16 crowns in Stockholm, having fallen as low as 15.92, their lowest since February 2004. Its U.S.-listed shares finished down $3.42, or 12 percent, at $25.11.

MARGINS UNDER PRESSURE

Asked whether Ericsson's board still supported management given Tuesday's news, Svanberg said: "I must say we have in this situation very strong support and good cooperation with the board, so there's no change there."

Ericsson is focused on winning share in emerging markets, where it sees the biggest growth opportunities.

"Whatever you lose in market share you will not regain. Time is of an importance here," he said.

But the comments led at least one analyst to question whether this strategy would put pressure on future profits.

Ericsson's biggest competitors include Nokia Siemens, a venture of Nokia Oyj and Siemens, China's Huawei Technologies Co and Alcatel-Lucent, which had also issued profit warnings this year.

Chief Financial Officer Hans Vestberg told investors he expected wireless network building projects to weigh on Ericsson's margins for the next several quarters. Such projects can take six to nine months, or even up to 12 months, he said.

Svanberg said that "in a perfect world" margins could improve in the second half of next year as the company starts new projects, but his reluctance to commit to a timeframe for improvements worried some analysts.

"It raised more questions than it provided answers," said RBC Capital analyst Mark Sue. "People are still trying to figure out where things might settle."

The double-digit percentage drop in the shares on Tuesday followed a plunge of 30 percent when Ericsson shocked the market with its third-quarter warning. It said it was receiving a greater share of sales from costly network projects and less than it had expected from more lucrative network upgrades.

Within days of the warning, Ericsson replaced CFO Karl-Henrik Sundstrom with Vestberg. It also promised to improve its ability to monitor business conditions and avoid such market shocks in future. (Additional writing and reporting by Adam Cox and Jerker Hellstrom in Stockholm: Editing by David Holmes, Paul Bolding; Editing by Gary Hill)

By: Sinead Carew

Samsung Using Skyworks Products For Femtocell Applications

2007-11-16T12:16:00.001Z

Woburn, MA -- Skyworks Solutions, Inc. announced that Samsung is leveraging multiple solutions from its Linear Products portfolio including transceivers, power amplifiers and LNAs for use in FEMTO cell applications. FEMTO cells, or small cellular base stations designed for residential and small business environments, help provide enhanced coverage in wireless networks and solve very real, near-term signal coverage and capacity issues. According to In-Stat, worldwide FEMTO cell subscriptions (installed devices) are expected to grow to 40 million by 2011 and surpass 100 million end-users over the next five years, representing a market opportunity for FEMTO cell devices of over $4 billion.

"Skyworks is uniquely suited to support the demanding system requirements of FEMTO cells given our technology breadth and depth," said Stan Swearingen, Skyworks' vice president and general manager of Linear Products. "In fact, the architecture being utilized for Samsung's FEMTO cell systems is an example of our ability to leverage proven and innovative technology across diverse markets."

Products entering volume production include, among others, the:

SKY74068: highly integrated transmitter for dual-band CDMA applications operating in cellular CDMA, AMPS, and PCS modes. The only external components needed for operation are bias resistors, bypass capacitors, and passives for the PLL loop filter.

SKY74092: a highly integrated CDMA/PCS LNA for dual-band and tri-mode. The device provides low noise amplification with high linearity to achieve a high dynamic range. Up to four gain steps of low noise amplification are supported through a three-wire read/write serial bus interface.

SKY74100: a highly integrated receiver for tri-band CDMA applications with GPS capability.

SKY77410: a load insensitive power amplifier (LIPA(TM)) module for WCDMA applications that meets stringent spectral linearity requirements with high power added efficiency for power output of up to 27.5 dBm, even with a load mismatch of 4:1 VSWR -- eliminating the need for an isolator.

SOURCE: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Nokia Siemens May Lose Indian GSM Contract to Ericsson

2007-11-09T11:25:00.000Z

Local reports are suggesting that Ericsson could win the entire GSM network tender from India's BSNL as Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has not yet formally agreed to the terms from the company. The company had planned to split the 22.75 million GSM lines contract 60:40 between Ericsson and NSN. Ericsson's current allocation is worth around US$1.3 billion while NSN's is worth around US$954 million.

Nokia Siemens did originally tender at a higher cost than Ericsson, hence the smaller share of the tender - but is required to match Ericsson's price if it wants to take up the contract.

An unnamed BSNL executive told The Economic Times that if NSN failed to pick up the purchase orders within the next couple of days, another option would be to float a fresh tender.

When asked if BSNL would award the entire contract to Ericsson, BSNL chairman and managing director Kuldeep Goyal told the newspaper "I hope they (NSN) come around. However, if they do not agree, then we will have to explore other options".

BSNL's tender has been mired in controversy ever since it was sent for RFP last year. Initially the tender was for a massive 45 million lines, but the government blocked this and it was shrunk to just under 23 million lines. Then arguments with Motorola who claimed to have bid lower than Ericsson for the tender, but was disqualified from competing on technical grounds.

Under the terms of the final award, Ericsson bid the lowest figure - reported to be about US$91 per line. Nokia - prior to the infrastructure merger with Siemens had bid around US$177, with a significantly higher figure reported from Siemens. The merged company may be having difficulty in pulling down its costs to the level offered by Ericsson.

2007-11-07T20:44:00.000Z

Andrew and Nokia Siemens Networks Revamp Filter Relationship

2007-11-07T12:52:00.000Z

WESTCHESTER, IL, October 24, 2007—Andrew Corporation and Nokia Siemens Networks have agreed to revise their long-standing relationship in custom filter production. The agreement provides more design and manufacturing control to Nokia Siemens Networks, supported by Andrew’s research and development expertise, as it readies to market its next generation radio frequency filter products.

Under the agreement, Nokia Siemens Networks acquired the rights to all Andrew intellectual property related to Nokia Siemens Networks’ filter products for wireless networks. In addition, certain Andrew personnel in Italy will continue to provide engineering and technical work exclusively for the Nokia Siemens Networks products under an engineering services arrangement.

The companies also have agreed to rearrange their filter manufacturing relationship, including use of contract manufacturing partners. Nokia Siemens Networks assumes responsibility for the production of its own filter products currently done at an Andrew facility in Shenzhen, China, and by contract manufacturers in Eastern Europe. This arrangement also includes the transfer of production assets and inventories associated with Nokia Siemens Networks manufacturing operations. Andrew retains ownership of the cost-efficient, world-class Shenzhen facility and will expand filter production there on behalf of its other customers.

The transaction enables Andrew to increase its direct-to-operator channel focus while retaining a strong relationship with Nokia Siemens Networks, as well as other key original equipment manufacturers, which includes the supply of various other products and systems for wireless networks around the world.

“We are pleased that this agreement meets the needs of both companies, while continuing the strong supplier relationship we have enjoyed with Nokia Siemens Networks for many years,” said Mickey Miller, executive vice president and group president, Wireless Network Solutions, Andrew Corporation. “These moves will build a foundation for improved profitability and new opportunities for research and development services for Andrew. In addition, we are able to concentrate more resources and management time on areas of the business that offer more profitable growth opportunities.”

Andrew, Resilience Capital Reach Agreement On Sale Of Satellite Communications Business

2007-11-07T12:33:00.000Z

1/6/2007 Westchester, IL -- Andrew Corporation has reached agreement for the sale of its Satellite Communications business to Resilience Capital Partners, a Cleveland, Ohio-based private equity firm.

Under the agreement, Andrew will receive up to $39 million in total potential cash consideration, in addition to an ownership stake in the new satellite communications company that Resilience will establish with the acquired Andrew assets. Andrew’s ownership stake will be from 17 percent to 20 percent depending on the newly-formed company’s capital structure at closing, which has not yet been finalized.

Andrew will receive $9 million in cash at closing, which is expected to occur prior to the end of calendar 2007, and $5 million in seller’s notes that will mature three years after closing. In addition, Andrew may receive up to an additional $25 million in cash after three years based upon the achievement of certain financial targets by the new company. Dependent upon the ownership stake received and the book value of the Satellite Communications assets at the date of closing, Andrew expects to record a charge against earnings of approximately $15 million to $20 million related to the sale of this underperforming Andrew business.

“We believe the Satellite Communications business and its people will have a brighter future and greater prospects for success as a standalone company with a singular focus of meeting the needs of its worldwide customers,” said Jude Panetta, group president, Satellite Communications, Andrew Corporation. “We worked extensively over the last two years to move away from unprofitable businesses and markets and, through innovative product development, to enter new and more profitable markets such as military satellite communications, electronics and mobile platforms. We are pleased with this agreement, and are optimistic that the Satellite Communications business will achieve its full potential as a standalone business under the guidance of Resilience Capital.”

”We at Resilience are confident that, when given the opportunity to be decoupled from Andrew, this business and its people will find itself to be an even more significant integrated systems supplier in its marketplace and to its customers,” said Bassem Mansour, managing partner, Resilience Capital Partners.

With sales of approximately $104 million in fiscal 2007, Satellite Communications comprises nearly five percent of Andrew’s overall revenues. The unit employs approximately 520 people in nine countries. Other than Reynosa, Mexico-based employees, who will be transitioned into other Andrew businesses over time, it is expected that all existing employees of Satellite Communications will transfer to or get offers to join the new company, named ASC Signal Corporation, upon completion of the acquisition.

Andrew also will provide certain support services to the new Satellite Communications company and Resilience during a transition period in order to ensure a seamless transfer of ownership that minimizes any risk of disruption to customers, employees and suppliers. “Both Andrew and Resilience are committed to supporting the continuation of Satellite Communications’ strong heritage of delivering innovative, high-quality products and outstanding service to its customers around the world,” Panetta said.

Andrew’s Satellite Communications Group provides a complete line of antennas from 46 centimeters to 9.4 meters and radio frequency electronics for all enterprise, government/military, and consumer satellite communications applications. Andrew-designed and -built products—which cover C, Ku, K, X, and the emerging Ka band—include approved earth station antenna hubs and gateways for broadband and broadcast, VSAT broadband antennas and transceivers for consumer and enterprise customers, direct-to-home antennas and LNBFs for home satellite broadcast systems, high frequency and air traffic control radar antennas for governments, and complete installation and testing services.

Motorola tests 3G femtocell technology in Europe

2007-11-06T11:32:00.000Z

Motorola on Monday announced that it has completed the testing of its 3G femtocell technology and has moved on to a trial with a major European carrier.

The femtocell technology being trailed is based on open standards and includes customer premises equipment, 3G devices, a core network concentrator, systems integration services, and Motorola's customer premises equipment management software, called Netopia Broadband Server.

Motorola didn't disclose the name of the European carrier that is testing its femtocell technology.

Femtocells are small base stations designed for use in homes and offices to help spread cellular coverage inside buildings. They will attract more than 100 million users in the next five years, according to ABI Research.

Consumers benefit from the technology by being able to keep a phone call or an Internet session going as they transition from wireless networks inside their homes to outside networks. The switch is seamless when they use their 3G-enabled mobile devices, according to Motorola.

Potentially, the use of femtocells can improve indoor wireless coverage and help reduce "in-home" call charges on mobile devices.

Motorola is part of the Femto Forum, a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 to promote the deployment of femtocells worldwide.

Earlier this year, U.S. wireless carrier Sprint launched a trial in Denver and Indianapolis to test femtocell hardware and service called Airave, which is designed to provide subscribers with enhanced cellular coverage in their homes and home offices. The technology works similarly to T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home service. However, instead of using Wi-Fi to extend coverage, Airave uses femtocells.

Carriers are expected to install femtocells to make their networks more efficient and to provide better cellular coverage indoors. Traffic will be routed using the Internet Protocol, which means carriers will be able to offer additional services like voice over IP and IPTV to their subscribers.

Alcatel-Lucent posts loss, deepens job cuts

2007-11-01T15:59:00.000Z

Alcatel-Lucent SA, the world's largest telecommunications-equipment company, on Wednesday said it will cut a further 4,000 jobs and replace its chief financial officer as part of a turnaround plan unveiled as it posted its third straight quarterly loss.

The additional job cuts bring total workforce reductions to 16,500 and will help save an extra 400 million euros ($577 million) by the end of 2009. Jean-Pascal Beaufret, the group's CFO, is stepping down to "pursue other opportunities" and will be replaced by the current head of the enterprise division, Hubert de Pesquidoux.

The moves announced Wednesday are part of a much anticipated turnaround plan requested by the board and signal Alcatel-Lucent's determination to accelerate its restructuring. But the initiatives received mixed reviews from analysts who had called for much larger job cuts and for the sale of parts of the company's portfolio.

News of the reorganization came as the gear maker posted an adjusted net loss of 258 million euros, or 0.11 euros a share, in the third quarter. It earned 532 million euros, or 0.23 euros a share, a year earlier. An exact comparison with last year's third-quarter results can't be made as the two companies had not yet merged.

Revenue fell 11% year-over-year to 4.35 billion euros. However, it rose 2% sequentially. The average forecast of eight analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires was for a net loss of 223 million euros and sales of 4.4 billion euros. Gross margin improved to 34.2% from 33.4% in the second quarter.

Turning to the fourth quarter, the group said it expects a "solid ramp up" in revenue from the third quarter. It also said revenue would be flat this year, updating an earlier prediction that sales would be unchanged to slightly up.

The company confirmed it's on track to achieve pre-tax cost savings of 600 million euros this year.

Alcatel-Lucent shares, in New York trading, rose 22 cents to $9.61. See Europe Markets.

Some slowdown in North American spending

Alcatel-Lucent shares have lost roughly 40% so far this year. The company, created from the merger of France's Alcatel and Lucent Technologies of the U.S., has struggled to bring about the promised scale benefits and to become a more formidable competitor to Sweden's Ericsson
and aggressive Chinese vendors such as ZTE Corp.

Alcatel-Lucent has issued three profit warnings since its merger in December 2006.

But its competitors haven't been immune to operational hiccups either.

A profit warning from rival Ericsson earlier this month sent its shares down roughly 25% in a single day and cast doubt on the level of demand for mobile-network upgrades, particularly from North America. See archived story.

Alcatel-Lucent Chief Executive Patricia Russo on Wednesday said market conditions remain difficult, "with continued pressure on revenues and margins due to intensified competition and some slowdown in spending in North America."

Analysts fret over CFO's departure

The news of Beaufret's departure wasn't cheered by analysts.

Richard Windsor of Nomura, who has a neutral rating on Alcatel-Lucent, said the executive is widely regarded as the best CFO in the industry.

His departure, he said, "is a blow upon a bruise" and he warned that the executive's "steady hand and pragmatic approach will be sorely missed at a time when Alcatel-Lucent needs him the most."

ABN Amro analysts also expressed concern at Beaufret's departure, calling the news "a bit worrying" and saying it hurts the credibility of the new financial targets.

Beaufret is the third senior executive to leave the company since the end of the summer.

Regarding the additional 400 million euros of cost savings unveiled Wednesday, Bear Stearns analysts noted that the challenge will be to realize them rather than reinvest them, given current market conditions and the company's growing footprint. The company has been forced to reinvest most of its cost savings to date to remain competitive.

As part of its organizational revamp, Alcatel-Lucent said it has set up a seven-member management committee that will report directly to Russo and replace a group of 21 executives.

The committee will be charged with assuring execution and business performance, creating a "more focused and efficient operating model."

Russo said she selected "every member" of the team, which includes regional and divisional heads.

Turning to individual divisions, revenue rose 5% to 1.52 billion euros at the fixed-line carrier business. It dropped 24% to 1.28 billion euros at the wireless division. The company attributed the decline in wireless sales to strong comparisons in the year-ago quarter.

Russo said in a conference call that the company has no intention of exiting any significant parts of its portfolio of products and will remain both in wireless and wireline.

At the convergence unit, revenue fell 41% to 346 million euros. While it has gained market share in next-generation products, that business is still not big enough to offset the declines in demand for traditional equipment, the company said.

Sales at the enterprise unit rose 5% to 380 million euros.

Russo said Alcatel-Lucent has no intention of selling the division

WJ Communications Expands Family Of Second Source Frequency Mixers To Provide Broad Range Wireless Applications

2007-10-22T12:44:00.000+01:00

WJ Communications, Inc., a leading designer and supplier of radio frequency (RF) products and solutions for the wireless infrastructure and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader markets, recently announced its expansion of the high-dynamic range, low-cost WJZ diode mixer series, a family of second source frequency mixers created as pin-for-pin drop in replacement for popular diode-based frequency mixers. Seven new products; WJZ1030H, WJZ1050H, WJZ1070H, WJZ3000, WJZ3010, WJZ3020, and WJZ3030 provide a wider selection and greater flexibilities for different needs and applications. The attractiveness of the WJZ family centers in the ability to provide a stable supply of devices, particularly during a cost reduction or redesign phase of a customer’s product lifecycle. These new low-cost mixers can be used in a wide variety of applications such as frequency up/down conversion, and modulation/demodulation for receivers and transmitters while delivering superior performance.

"Market response to our second source family of products, in particular the WJZ diode mixer family, has been tremendous. The growing customer demand for cost-sensitive and highly reliable RF mixer solutions has prompted us to develop more products in this category." said Morteza Saidi, Vice President of Engineering at WJ Communications. “Continuing the excellent performance with the current WJZ products, the new WJZ devices have extraordinary features in high linearity, and lower signal attenuation for reduced conversion loss.”

Product Overview

The WJZ mixer products are passive double-balanced diode-ring mixers that provide high dynamic range performance in a RoHS-compliant surface mount package that require no matching. The family include models with a wide-range of RF, LO, and IF ranges, optimized for LO levels from +7 to +17dBm.

Value proposition

Utilizing WJ's RF expertise and leadership in wireless infrastructure, WJ developed the WJZ diode mixer family. The key product features include:

Broadband performance – requires no matching

High linearity: Improved IIP3 performance

Reduced Conversion Loss: lower signal attenuation

Lower CL also means lower NF: critical for receiver sensitivity

High LO-RF isolation

No internal solder connections

Lower cost than competition

No external bias circuitry – consists of all passive components

Surface mount RoHS-complaint Package

Positive Market Feedback
WJ has shipped over 1.5 million of the current diode mixers to a wide range of customers targeting an array of applications. The new WJZ diode mixers are presently sampling with key strategic customers; customer feedback has been very positive with special emphasis to the high performance and cost-saving benefit. In addition, numerous customers appreciate that the WJZ family is pin-to-pin compatible with Mini-Circuits’ SYM, RMS and ADE series mixers, providing an alternative resource with a steady flow of product.

Target Applications

Ideally for broad range of wireless applications

Up/down frequency conversion

Modulation and demodulation for receivers and transmitters for 2.5G and 3G GSM/CDMA/W-CDMA

Test/Medical Instruments

Phase Detection

Image Rejection

Current Controlled Attenuator

Radar, Satellite, Avionics, and Navigation markets

Alcatel-Lucent and Sagem to Jointly Develop 3G Femto Cell Base Stations

2007-10-09T11:41:00.000+01:00

Alcatel-Lucent and France's Sagem say that they are collaborating on the commercial development of a3G femto cell base station platform. Based on Alcatel-Lucent's "flat IP (Internet Protocol)" architecture, the UMTS/HSPA BSR Femto flattens the mobile network by integrating and collapsing the UMTS/HSPA radio access network elements, including the base station and radio network controller (RNC), into a single, small unit about the size of a TV set-top box.

"The UMTS/HSPA BSR Femto offers significant advantages over competing solutions due to the fact that it combines all radio access functions into a single, compact device, eliminating the need to deploy additional RNCs," said Alain Biston, president of Alcatel-Lucent's W-CDMA activities.

"By taking advantage of Sagem Communications' expertise in the development of consumer electronics products to help package and manufacture the BSR Femto for mass market consumption, we will realize significant time to market and cost benefits," Biston added.

Through this collaboration, Alcatel-Lucent and Sagem Communications have already achieved significant milestones in the BSR Femto development effort, including the completion of voice and data calls, lab demonstrations with key customers and the establishment of a program of field trials (to be conducted in the fourth quarter of this year).

Under the collaboration agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its flat IP and UMTS/HSPA expertise, networking equipment and software and end-to-end integration and support for the development of the BSR Femto. Sagem Communications will lend its enhanced home networking capabilities and expertise in developing IP, VoIP and DSL solutions for the mass market. The BSR Femto uses a DSL connection in a home or office building to backhaul voice and data traffic onto an operator's existing UMTS/HSPA network, enabling operators to offload traffic from the macro-network. It supports circuit-switched voice and data applications, packet-switched data applications, HSPA and IP-Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based networks. It also works with all 3GPP-compliant UMTS/HSPA handsets.

Two versions of the BSR Femto are planned for UMTS/HSPA networks -- a standalone 3G unit with Ethernet connectivity to a DSL modem and an integrated unit that supports UMTS/HSPA, DSL and WiFi. Alcatel-Lucent is also developing a CDMA/EV-DO based BSR Femto.

Posted to the site on 9th October 2007

Alcatel-Lucent Losing 3G Business to Ericsson

2007-10-08T13:57:00.000+01:00

Alcatel-Lucent shares fell by more than 2% in early trading this morning after a report in the Financial Times said the telecom networking company is losing business to rival Ericsson. The paper reported that AT&T was doing more business with Ericsson.

In 2004, AT&T awarded a $2 billion infrastructure contract to Ericsson, Lucent and Siemens to upgrade its U.S wireless network. Under the original terms of the deal, Ericsson was to get about $900 million, Lucent $700 million and Siemens $400 million, but according to the paper, Alcatel-Lucent delayed delivering the 3G technology and Ericsson "stepped in." Ericsson's portion of the contract now exceeds 50%.

The report also said that AT&T had considered dropping Altactel-Lucent from the contract entirely, but so far has kept the network supplier.

In the report, Alcatel-Lucent responded by saying "We continue to be a critical WCDMA supplier to AT&T."

Z-Communications Launches Wideband Fractional-N PLL Synthesizer

2007-10-08T13:50:00.000+01:00

an Diego -- Z-Communications, Inc. announced the release of PSA1450FLF, the first of a new series of state-of-the-art, fast switching and wide band Fractional-N PLL Synthesizers in a small surface mount package (0.8”x0.6”). These new high performance synthesizers from Z-Communications use the latest technology. This design scheme enables the achievement of very low spurious levels as low as 80 dBc.

The PSA1450FLF provides a phase noise with 90dBc/Hz @ 1 kHz offset and 100dBc/Hz @ 10 kHz offset when operated with a low phase noise reference of 32 MHz. Above all, it has a switching speed of <>

JMD Awarded European Patent For Organic Passive Components

2007-10-04T13:33:00.000+01:00

Jacket Micro Devices, Inc. (JMD) has received notification of issuance of a European patent for “liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) and multilayer polymer-based passive signal processing components for multi-band applications.”

The patent covers fabrication of organic passive components, including bandpass filters, baluns, diplexers, multiplexers, couplers and combinations of these devices made using LCP and other multilayer polymer substrates. Modules are manufactured using one or more LCP layers with integrated passive components formed directly on the substrate, allowing for better density and performance.

“This technology is key to enabling the design and fabrication of multi-function, multi-band devices, such as mobile phones with cellular, WiFi and WiMAX capabilities,” said George White, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, JMD. “This patent further strengthens JMD’s intellectual property position related to the passive components needed to empower the next generation of communication devices. As consumers demand more from their mobile devices, this technology will offer new solutions and better meet the challenges of this fast-growing market segment.”

The patent, listed under European patent number 1 731 006, is JMD’s sixth patent related to Multi-Layer Organic (MLO) design and technology. It will be validated in Germany and the UK.

IBM promotes open standards in RFID sphere

2007-10-03T14:14:00.000+01:00

IBM has convinced eight leading RFID device manufacturers to implement the Eclipse open source device model to interface their wares with the IBM Premises Server 6.0. Separately, GS1 EPC Global has certified the IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center version 1.1 as fully compliant with the EPCIS standards for tracking the progress of items as they move through the supply chain.

IBM shipped the newest version of WebSphere Premises Server, version 6.0, in March this year, and introduced an open-standards-based RFID device-support model for RFID device vendors to deliver data to IBM’s middleware.

IBM has approved devices from Alien Technology, Arcom, Feig Electronic, Intermec, Motorola, Reva Systems, Sirit and Tagsys with the IBM WebSphere RFID device-validation program. In order to help speed RFID equipment manufacturers' time-to-market, embedded systems integrators Apogee Software and MicroDoc have been trained to build device adapters using the Eclipse device toolkit. Both companies are working with RFID equipment manufacturers to build device adapters or intelligent reader controller platforms that are compatible with WebSphere RFID data capture.

Also, IBM is providing support for EPCglobal’s newly ratified Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) reader-interface standard. IBM plans to contribute the new adapter to eclipse.org, and is working with Impinj to validate the LLRP compatibility of Impinj’s Speedway reader.

Standards organization GS1 EPCglobal's EPCIS standard provides a data model for events, including shipping and receiving of uniquely identified objects. The standard also defines interfaces for capturing product-movement data and for sharing that information with trading partners.

The newest version of the software includes an optional ePedigree feature that provides all participants in the pharmaceutical supply chain with secure and on-demand access to historical data on individual bottles or packages of medicine to enable compliance with current and emerging regulations. The EPCIS standard was ratified in April, and conformance testing began in September. IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center passed the tests conducted on EPCglobal’s behalf by MetLabs.

RFMD Announces Expansion To Accommodate Rising Demand For Compound Semiconductors

2007-10-02T11:54:00.000+01:00

Greensboro, NC -- RF Micro Devices announced plans to expand its compound semiconductor manufacturing capacity to support growth expectations in the Company's Cellular and Multi-Market product groups.

RFMD anticipates increased demand for its compound semiconductor process technologies as a result of favorable market trends in the Company's primary markets. In the cellular handset market, the increasing adoption of highly integrated, multi-chip transmit modules and the migration to 3G multimode devices are expected to drive increased demand for RFMD's GaAs pHEMT and RFMD's GaAs HBT (both AlGaAs HBT and InGaP HBT). These market trends require greater quantities of compound semiconductor content and are expected to underpin a five-year compound annual growth rate of greater than 20% from 2007-2012 in the market for cellular front ends.

Additionally, in markets served by RFMD's Multi-Market products group, it is anticipated the migration to 802.11n (GaAs HBT and GaAs pHEMT) and the increasing adoption of WiMAX (GaAs HBT and GaN) will be among the primary drivers of increased compound semiconductor content and accelerated market growth. RFMD's GaN process technology is quickly being recognized as a superior process technology for applications that require high power, linearity and bandwidth, as compared to existing technologies, such as silicon LDMOS.

Asif Anwar, Director of Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies (GaAs) service, said, "RFMD has consistently been the world's largest supplier of GaAs devices for several years as a result of its leadership in the cellular handset PA space. The Company continues to move in line with the requirements of the cellular handset market, and this will continue to drive the volume at RFMD. RFMD has also developed a coherent multiple market strategy to target higher value segments with the rollout of its GaN and GaAs pHEMT technologies as well as the expansion of its IP and product portfolios through the proposed Sirenza acquisition. This dual 'high volume-high value' strategy will help the Company remain at the forefront of the compound semiconductor industry."

Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, said, "The markets served by RFMD are growing, and RFMD is growing its compound semiconductor content within these markets. The addition of our third fab will enable us to capture a greater percentage of this growth while also reducing manufacturing costs and driving continued improvement in operating profitability. Once complete, our third fab, in conjunction with our second fab, will focus on high volume cellular and WLAN front end products that utilize GaAs HBT and GaAs pHEMT. The new fab will also provide capacity for the production of wafer-level packaged SAW filters and the development of new, next-generation process technologies that provide highly integrated front end functionality. Our first fab will focus on high value multi-market products that utilize specialty GaN, GaAs pHEMT and GaAs HBT technologies."

RFMD is currently increasing its manufacturing levels of both GaAs HBT and GaAs pHEMT in order to satisfy immediate forecasted demand.

Alcatel-Lucent, Kyocera work on WiMAX mobile broadband

2007-09-27T12:53:00.000+01:00

PARIS – Alcatel-Lucent and wireless handset manufacturer Kyocera Wireless Corp. (San Diego, California) have extended their collaboration with the signature of an agreement on the development of end-to-end WiMAX mobile broadband solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, both parties said they aim to accelerate the development of WiMAX devices with enhanced mobility features, as well as multi-mode terminals that can enable seamless interoperability between WiMAX networks and cellular or Wi-Fi networks.

Their collaboration includes the establishment of specifications, the development and integration of WiMAX solutions and the creation of an interoperability testing (IOT) program to make sure that Kyocera's WiMAX devices "can operate smoothly" on Alcatel-Lucent’s infrastructure, the two partners agreed.

Intel, Nokia, Nokia Siemens cooperate on WiMax

2007-09-27T12:49:00.000+01:00

Intel, Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks on Wednesday said they are working together to ensure interoperability across their WiMax products. Additionally, Nokia said it plans to use Intel's semiconductors, codenamed Baxter Peak, in its Nseries Internet devices scheduled to ship next year.

The three companies said they are testing interoperability across Intel's upcoming processors for notebooks and mobile Internet devices, Nokia WiMax devices and Nokia Siemens' infrastructure equipment, the companies said in a statement released at the WiMax World conference in Chicago.

"Intel, Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks all recognize our collective responsibility in ensuring that people can take full advantage of WiMax," Raviv Melamed, general manager of Intel's Mobile Wireless Group, said. "Simply put, the infrastructure behind the networks and the devices that access those networks must work together seamlessly."

The three companies are also testing their equipment and devices with other products from dozens of other vendors for interoperability and conformance with industry standards. The work is being done at Sprint Nextel's Herndon, Va., labs. Intel is helping Sprint and its partner Clearwire build a WiMax network in metropolitan areas across the nation.

The Nokia Nseries Internet tablet, which is based on the open source Linux operating system, is expected to ship with a Mozilla-based Web browser, e-mail capabilities, and many popular applications, such as Internet telephony from Skype and streaming music from RealNetworks' Rhapsody service. The device is expected to work on Sprint's upcoming Xohm WiMax network.

Intel's Baxter Peak chipset is based on the same WiMax technology in Intel's MiniCard module, codenamed Echo Peak, for notebooks and ultra-mobile PCs. Echo Peak is scheduled for release in the first half of next year.

WiMAX bids to cover world with broadband

2007-09-26T08:44:00.000+01:00

Chicago/San Francisco (dpa) - From the remotest villages of Vietnam to Silicon Valley offices and Chicago's cavernous convention centre, a new mobile telecommunications technology is set to take the world a lot closer to the age of the ubiquitous internet.

WiMAX technology has long been tipped to transform the way people communicate with computers and hand-held devices. But some key developments in the run up to the WiMAX world convention that began Tuesday in Chicago indicate that the technology is set to take off into the mainstream.

If it all works out as planned, WiMAX will allow users to tap into wireless broadband internet services at the speed of DSL or cable. Because WiMAX has a range of 8 kilometres up to 50 kilometres, the technology has the capability of blanketing entire cities with a broadband cloud.

With base stations linked via satellite, WiMAX can also be used to link remote regions to a state-of-the-art communications systems - even in places where simple telephone access had been impossible until now.

US technology giant Intel proved the feasibility of such projects earlier this month when it hooked up the remote Vietnamese village of Ta Van with a WiMAX hotspot that blanketed the village with broadband. Users in Ta Van now enjoy free internet access.

Intel reckons that on a commercial basis, the service could be offered for about 25 dollars a month per end user, still a fortune in many developing countries.

However, costs will fall as the technology is rolled out in the developed world. Users in remote regions will also find huge economic benefits to their internet connections, which should help them defray the costs.

The US will be the first to enjoy the WiMax experience, which its backers call 4G to differentiate it from the 3G wireless networks currently available. Mobile phone company Sprint has spent 5 billion dollars building out WiMAX networks in some 30 US cities with combined populations of 100 million, which it expects to hook up in 2008.

Sprint could have faced the old chicken-and-egg problem, if not for an initiative announced last week by Intel.

The world's dominant maker of chips that power PC's announced that starting in November, it will roll out a new line of chips named Penryn that will be Intel's first using 45-nanometre technology.

They are expected to quickly become the industry standard for laptops and desktops and will be the smallest, most powerful and most efficient chips the company has ever made. Penryn chips will also all include built-in WiMAX receivers.

"Mobile users have an insatiable appetite for and want even more mobility, connectivity and a full internet on their smaller devices," said Intel executive David Perlmutter. "Intel will satisfy those needs and also use some of these technologies to bring an affordable computing and Internet experience to emerging communities and economies around the world."

Motorola, the world's second-largest cellphone manufacturer, is also betting on the new technology, announcing a new WiMAX chipset Tuesday and calling the technology "the most cost-effective, fastest and easiest-to-deploy option in the market today, often providing an economical way to provide telecom service where previously there was none."

Intel sees the technology spreading around the world within five years, and technology consultant Carmi Levy has little doubt that Intel's stance will make WiMAX the broadband technology of the future.

"Intel's Centrino chips legitimized Wi-Fi," said Levy. "This will do the same for WiMAX - it will become a basic feature of any computer you will buy."

Tyco and OATSystems Announce Agreement

2007-09-20T13:07:00.001+01:00

Tyco Electronics and OATSystems announced an alliance to offer a RFID solution targeted for industrial manufacturers to quickly realize the business benefits of RFID by automating asset management processes. Asset management across multiple facilities and trading partners has never been more complex. RFID is an obvious solution to automate these processes, but technology adoption has often been hampered due to a lack of proven solutions and by the cost and time of developing, testing and deploying custom applications.

Combining Tyco Electronics tag solutions with OATSystems Asset Tracking software will enable businesses to realize an ROI much more quickly. By providing integrated software and hardware solutions, proven at real customers, Tyco Electronics and OATSystems can quickly give industrial manufacturers tangible business benefits such as better control and less loss of reusable assets (shipping containers, for example) and improved supply chain visibility, which allows for better planning and improved customer service. Customers can be up and running in weeks, instead of months, enabling them to respond immediately to mis-shipments and delivery errors, increasing both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

“Clients want hardware and software solutions with the added value experience to bring scalable, low-risk RFID capabilities to their operations,” said Eric Freid, director RFID Solutions at Tyco Electronics. “By working with OATSystems, Tyco Electronics can now offer its customers the best of both worlds: applications from the leader in RFID enabled software and a selection of active, passive and semi-passive tags combined with our extensive Services and hardware.”

“Tyco Electronics and OATSystems are committed to providing integrated RFID solutions, reducing the time-to-value from the shop floor to the corner office,” said OATSystems’ CEO Michael George. “We are focused on delivering proven solutions that provide benefits out-of-the box, without requiring significant investments in testing, Training and infrastructure. Our staff looks forward to our continued alliance with Tyco Electronics and to continue building on its success.”

UK Regulator to Reclaim Radio Spectrum - Allow 3G at 900Mhz

2007-09-20T13:03:00.000+01:00

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- The UK's telecommunications regulator Thursday unveiled plans to liberalize parts of the country's mobile phone radio spectrum to accelerate mobile broadband usage, and in the process generate an additional UK£6 billion (US$12 billion) for the economy.

Ofcom is proposing that two of the UK's mobile phone operators, Vodafone Group and Telefonica's O2, give up part of the radio spectrum they currently use, which it will auction to other phone companies.

02 and Vodafone were given sole rights to use the 900 megahertz frequency in 1985.

In return, Ofcom says that the two operators will be able to use the freqency - over which they currently provide voice calls and text messaging - for other services, including high-speed mobile broadband that the regulator currently restricts them from offering over the 900 MHz spectrum.

Until now, Ofcom has only allowed the 900MHz spectrum to be used for second generation, or 2G, voice and text messaging services. In lifting this restriction, the regulator will give Vodafone, O2, and other potential bidders the right to use this prime piece of radio spectrum to improve mobile reception in rural areas and inside buildings. Operators will also be able to use the spectrum to offer third generation, or 3G, data services, such as Internet browsing, and music and video downloading.

Significantly, operators can roll out 3G services in rural areas on the 900 MHz frequency much more cheaply than using existing 3G technology, as fewer radio masts are required because the 900MHz spectrum can carry signals across greater distances than the current 3G services operating at 2100 MHz that are offered by Vodafone, 02, the U.K. arms of Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile and France Telecom's Orange, and Hutchison Whampoa's operator 3.

The European Commission in July issued a directive proposing that operators across Europe should be allowed to "refarm" the 900MHz band for other uses. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding argued that by doing so operators will be able to cut the costs of running a wireless network by 40% over five years.

"We estimate that each existing 3G operator in the U.K. could stand to save GBP1.25 billion each in the cost of rolling out a mobile broadband network by using the 900MHz spectrum," said an Ofcom spokesman Thursday.

E-Plus, the mobile arm of Dutch KPN in Germany, has previously estimated that it could save up to EUR300 million in operating costs by running its 3G network on the 900MHz frequency. ...continued

STMicroelectronics Announces RF Synthesizer With Integrated VCOs

2007-09-18T16:21:00.001+01:00

/17/2007 Geneva, Switzerland -- STMicroelectronics recently unveiled its new RF synthesizer with integrated voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). ST claims its STW81103 is the first single-chip device that operates up to 5 GHz, meeting the increasing demand of equipment manufacturers for space and cost-efficient solutions in radio applications with frequencies in the microwave range. Among the applications in which these devices may find application are wireless network infrastructures, CATV systems, instrumentation, and test equipment.

Frequency synthesizers form the basis of most radio designs, and their performance largely affects the operation of the overall system. The leading requirements for signal-generating components in today’s communications equipment include minimized phase noise and broadband frequency coverage.

To address these requirements, ST’s STW81103 exhibits strong phase-noise performance for single-chip RF synthesizers, with measured values of 0.27 degrees RMS (Root Mean Square) at 1.16 GHz, 0.6 degrees RMS at 2.33 GHz, and 1.5 degrees RMS at 4.67 GHz with a frequency step of 200 kHz. Outstanding suppression of random frequency fluctuations in a signal provides more design margin, and the low phase noise also satisfies the stringent requirements of system manufacturers for minimized bit-error rates in voice and data transmission.

In addition to broad spectrum coverage of up to 5GHz, the STW81103’s embedded VCOs with automatic center-frequency calibration provide outstanding multi-band functionality. A single device spans frequency bands from 625 to 762.5 MHz, 1087.5 to 1525 MHz, 2175 to 3050 MHz, and 4350 to 5000 MHz, allowing wireless system suppliers to use the device in wideband and multi-band applications. Among competing solutions, ST’s family of integrated RF synthesizers has three devices (STW81101, STW81102, and STW81103) to cover the largest frequency range, from 625 MHz to 5 GHz.

“ST’s unparalleled combination of a world-class RF technology, solid design skills, and leading-edge components results in dramatic savings in material costs and board space, which are the key concerns of wireless equipment manufacturers today,” said Guillaume Pertinant, RF technical marketing manager at ST’s Communication Infrastructure Division. “With the broadest band-coverage in the market, our single-chip synthesizers are set to spearhead the development of cost-efficient applications in the microwave range.”

Pin-to-pin compatible with other members of ST’s STW8110x family, the STW81103 is supplied in VFQFN-28 lead-free packages. Samples are available now, with volume production slated for early Q1 2008.

Customers can order evaluation kits that include the STWPLLSim software.

ANADIGICS Expands R&D Through Acquisition of Fairchild’s RF Design Group

2007-09-17T14:14:00.000+01:00

ANADIGICS Inc., a provider of semiconductor solutions in the rapidly growing broadband wireless and wireline communications markets, has announced that it has acquired from Fairchild Semiconductor, for $2.3 M, the RF team, fixed assets, certain leases, software and licenses to intellectual property in connection with Fairchild’s exiting of its RF Group business in Tyngsboro, MA.

The acquisition, which included the hiring of 23 highly experienced RF design and engineering professionals, will further accelerate the company’s design and development of RF active semiconductor devices for the 3G cellular, WiFi and WiMAX markets.

“Highly specialized RF talent is rare in the semiconductor industry and is a differentiating factor in our fast growing markets,” said Bami Bastani, president and CEO of ANADIGICS Inc. “The establishment of the Massachusetts design center not only fulfills our planned 2008 resource requirements, but further consolidates the industry and provides ANADIGICS with a knowledgeable and exceptionally experienced RF team, which will accelerate our new revenue growth opportunities for our 3G Wireless, WiFi and WiMAX product lines.”

“While this transaction will increase our anticipated R&D expenses for the fourth quarter of 2007, customer demand forecasts and fourth quarter momentum for our products remain robust, which is expected to partially offset the incremental expenses,” said Tom Shields, executive vice president and CFO of ANADIGICS Inc. “Additionally, for fiscal year 2008, our business model had already planned comparable R&D expenses and, consequently, does not need to be further adjusted for this acquisition.”

As a part of the agreement, ANADIGICS will provide business and technical transitional support Services to assist Fairchild as it exits the RF business.

Nokia Siemens and Airvana to Cooperate on 3g Femto Home Access

2007-09-17T14:07:00.000+01:00

Airvana and Nokia Siemens Networks say that they plan to work together to provide an end-to-end 3G femto-cell solution for mobile operators worldwide. Femto cells are small cellular access points that utilize a broadband Internet connection to provide consumers with enhanced mobile voice, video and data services, especially in the home. They enable operators to provide mobile broadband services in-building by leveraging existing broadband connectivity.

In a recent report, ABI Research forecasts the market for femto cell equipment will grow 95% per year, to more than $4 billion by 2012.

Airvana's UMTS Home Base Station femto cell leverages software-based functionality and off-the-shelf silicon to accelerate feature development and reduce product cost. The product is being certified to interoperate with Nokia Siemens Networks' Femto Gateway. As the first milestone in this effort, the companies have successfully completed simultaneous end-to-end calls utilizing Airvana's femto cell and Nokia Siemens Networks' Femto Gateway to connect to a 3GPP core network.

The two companies will cooperate in the marketing and sales of the joint solution to mobile operators worldwide. Each company will independently supply its respective products to the operator. Initial trials of the joint solution are expected by the end of 2007, with deployments starting in 2008.

Ericsson Continues to Gain Market Share

2007-09-13T14:45:00.000+01:00

Ericsson shares rose early Tuesday after Chief Executive Carl-Henric Svanberg said the company continues to gain market share and to outperform the competition.

"We will continue to drive profitability growth and gain further market share. We are in a good market position and we continue to gain market share and outperform the competition," Svanberg said at a strategy day for investors and analysts.

Svanberg said Ericsson was benefitting from integration issues at rivals Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture between Nokia and Siemens.

Ericsson has well over 40% market share in the GSM/WCDMA third-generation wireless technology sector, Svanberg said, while he said new reports from analysts say it may be as much as 45%.

At 0940 GMT, Ericsson shares were up 3%, or SEK0.74, at 25.22.

Commenting on the strategy presentation, Enskilda Bank said there was little new in the presentation, describing it as largely a reiteration of previous comments. But given that Ericsson has been under pressure recently, analysts said, management's confident tone could account for the share strength.

Ericsson's scale and operational excellence plans would help it continue to grow, Svanberg said.

"We can live with fairly limited cost advantage that the Chinese (manufacturers) have, but not if they work smarter than us. This is why we're working with operational excellence," Svanberg said.

Cash-flow conversion is also expected to improve slightly in 2007, as the company improved how it managed large infrastructure projects in Asia and the Middle East, chief financial officer Karl-Hendrik Sundstrom said.

Ericsson, the world's largest wireless infrastructure company by revenue, earlier reaffirmed it expects the GSM and WCDMA market to show mid-single-digit growth in 2007.

It also earlier said, in material prepared ahead of the strategy day, that it expects the professional services market to continue to show good growth.

Sony Ericsson's outgoing President Miles Flint also told Dow Jones Newswires that he expects the global mobile phone market to reach 1.1 billion handsets by the end of 2007.

Sony Ericsson is a joint venture between Ericsson and Sony Corp. (SNE)

Foxconn expands Vietnam investments

2007-09-13T14:42:00.000+01:00

Hanoi (dpa) - Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn said Wednesday it will built a 1.1-billon-dollar industrial centre in northern Vietnam as part of a plan to invest a massive 5 billion dollars into the country, local media reported.

The bold move into Vietnam by Foxconn, the world's largest electronics manufacturer for such brands as Nokia, Apple and Sony, is the latest sign that low-wage Vietnam has become a new magnet for manufacturing investment.

The company, officially titled Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., has said it will eventually employ 300,000 workers at its planned Vietnamese factories.

Currently, Foxconn makes 80 per cent of its products in China, where it employs 450,000 people. Foxconn's 1.1-billion-dollar industrial zone in Vietnam's Vinh Phuc province, 60 kilometers north of Hanoi, is to house two factories making mobile phones, expected to produce 84 million units per year, according to Thanh Nien newspaper online.

The manufacturing giant also is building a plant in nearby Bac Ninh province to produce camera modules, computer main boards and connects, the paper said.

Vietnam's low labour costs and its youthful, highly literate population have made it a popular new manufacturing magnet, drawing from its proximity to China and even lower wages of around 55 dollars per month vs. more than 100 dollars for parts of China.

Intel Corp., the world's largest computer chip-maker, is building a billion-dollar chip-assembly factory in Saigon's High-Tech Park and other

Canon and Panasonic have established printer factories in Vietnam, with Canon projecting 1 billion dollars in export revenue this year. dpa kj jh

2007-09-13T14:41:00.000+01:00

9/12/2007 Scottsdale, AZ -- The cellular M2M market will be impacted by the growing momentum behind the deployment of WiMAX as a next-generation WWAN communications technology. WiMAX is even more spectrally efficient and cost-effective to operate in carrier networks when compared with W-CDMA and CDMA EV-DO, making WiMAX very suitable for low data rate, low ARPU M2M applications — when and where WiMAX connectivity is available.

Sam Lucero, ABI Research senior analyst, states, “Sprint and Clearwire are the two most significant service providers deploying WiMAX in the United States. Sprint, a CDMA-based operator, has selected WiMAX as its path to 4G service offerings. Sprint will work with Clearwire — a Craig McCaw startup that has received $600 million in venture backing from Intel and $300 million from Motorola — to provide joint coverage to each other’s respective customers on the nationwide WiMAX networks deployed by the two companies.

“Sprint is rapidly deploying WiMAX infrastructure in North America, and believes WiMAX is well-suited to deliver cost-effective, wide area M2M services: a viewpoint borne out by ABI Research analysis.”

There is also growing interest in Europe in the deployment of WiMAX. Furthermore, there are indications suggesting an interest in employing WiMAX for M2M applications such as AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure). ABI Research continuously monitors and evaluates these trends.

Sprint and Clearwire are only two among a number of interested parties. Lucero adds, “Intel is a key member of a developing WiMAX ecosystem that includes network infrastructure equipment vendors, Motorola and Samsung, as well as CPE vendors such as ZyXEL and Accton. Intel expects nearly a few dozen operators to have deployed WiMAX by 2012.”

Additionally, municipal Wi-Fi can be deployed at a very low cost and is well-suited for select M2M applications, such as AMI, public safety telematics, and video surveillance.

The recent ABI Research study, “3G Machine-To-Machine (M2M) Communications,” examines the market for cellular 3G M2M from the perspective of cellular embedded module vendors, and analyzes the impact that WiMAX and municipal Wi-Fi will have on market development. It forms part of three annual ABI Research Services: M2M, Mobile Operators, and Mobile Devices.

SOURCE: ABI Research

Fairchild Announces Sale Of RF Business Assets To Anadigics

2007-09-13T14:39:00.000+01:00

9/7/2007 San Jose, CA -- Fairchild Semiconductor announced that it has closed a transaction to sell selected assets of its RF Group to Anadigics, Inc., for cash.

The RF Group assets include licenses to intellectual property, customer and vendor lists, equipment and selected leases. Anadigics has hired 23 RF design and engineering professionals from the RF Group and will maintain the design center in Massachusetts. As part of the transaction, Anadigics has agreed to assist Fairchild transition out of the RF business by providing both business and technical support for a period of time.

The divestiture of the RF Group and assets allows Fairchild to more sharply focus its resources on the design and manufacturing of power semiconductor products that drive energy efficiency in the communications, computing, industrial, ultra portable and automotive market segments, and analog and mixed-signal products for signal path applications in ultra portable segments. Fairchild expects the hiring by Anadigics of the RF employees will provide the employees and Aanadigics with new growth opportunities. The transaction is not expected to have a material impact on Fairchild’s financial statements.

SOURCE: Fairchild Semiconductor

Growing use of millimeter waves for communications, imaging, and automotive radars are providing increasing opportunities for component and test-equip

2007-08-16T13:36:00.000+01:00

Millimeter-wave frequencies offer a “new frontier” for communications. Realizing the overcrowding taking place at RF and microwave frequencies, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other regulatory agencies have looked to higher frequencies as a way to add bandwidth and services. All that is missing is low-cost millimeter-wave components to assemble affordable communications infrastructure and user devices to take advantage of the “wide-open” bandwidth.

Millimeter-wave frequencies are so named for the wavelengths of the signals, ranging from about 10 to 1 mm and covering frequencies from about 30 to 300 GHz. They have traditionally seen use in military radar and missile seeker and guidance systems. But in 2003, the United States FCC, seeking to open millimeter-wave frequencies to commercial communications use, adopted a Report and Order establishing service rules or non-Federal development of certain portions of the millimeter-wave spectrum, notably 71 to 76 GHz, 81 to 86 GHz, 91 to 94 GHz, and 94.1 to 95.0 GHz. Frequency bands were made available in 1.25-GHz blocks on a non-exclusive basis. Coordination of the spectrum use would be performed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

As a followup, the Wireless Communications Association International (WCA) filed a Petition for the FCC to reconsider certain aspects of the Report and Order but only for the 70- and 80-GHz bands. Among these considerations, all new 70- and 80-GHz users would have to verify in advance that their systems would not cause harmful interference to any existing link and meet a series of requirements related to antenna and power specifications.

Given the tremendous crowding of bandwidth taking place at lower frequencies (consider the number of communications and heating applications in the 2.4-GHz band alone), the bandwidth represented by millimeter-wave links is attractive for secure data links, video links, backhaul connections between cellular communications stations, and more. One of the companies taking note of the available bandwidth was GigaBeam (www.gigabeam.com), driven by the shared vision of Lou Slaughter (CEO and chairman) and long-time microwave-industry visionary Doug Lockie (CTO and president). The company’s WiFiber® Wireless Fiber product lines employ millimeter-wave transceivers capable of providing high-speed (to 10 Gb/s) and reliable communications links at distances to 1 mile for secure campus-to-campus and building-to-building wireless connections.

Endwave (www.endwave.com) produces compact E-band transceivers at frequencies from 71 through 86 GHz with receiver noise figures to3 dB and transmit output power to 2 W. The company’s designs are available with options for waveguide and coaxial connections as well as with hermetic packaging.

The GigaLink Series of millimeter-wave transceivers from Proxim Wireless (www.proxim.com) operate at unlicensed frequencies from 57 to 64 GHz and in the licensed band from 71 to 76 GHz. Designed as a high-speed alternative to fiber-optic links, the E-band transceivers feature an integrated parabolic antenna with 44-dBi gain, Gigabit Ethernet data rate of 1.25 Gb/s, and extended range in excess of 8 km. Similarly, the WiFiber™ Wireless Fiber solution from GigaBeam Corp. (www.gigabeam.com) is a millimeter-wave alternative to fiber using the FCC-approved 71- to 76-GHz, 81- to 86-GHz, and 92- to 95-GHz bands.

Of course, establishing short-range millimeter-wave links that can be competitive with fiber optics and other technologies requires cost-effective components, a long-time stumbling block for widespread use of millimeter-wave technology. Bringing the technology to “the masses” requires a combination of intelligent design and skillful machining processes. Millitech (www.millitech.com), for example, carries those capabilities in two different divisions to provide both standard and custom components from 18 to 300 GHz. The firm produces a variety of building-block components, which can be used for subsystems or complete systems, including antennas, oscillators, amplifiers, control components and various passive waveguide components. Balanced mixers can be specified from 18 to 100 GHz while subharmonic mixers are available from 50 to 200 GHz. Cassegrain reflector antennas range from 18 to 220 GHz, while standard feed horns are available from 18 to 220 GHz. Gunn oscillators can be ordered with electrical or mechanical tuning from 26.5 to 100 GHz, while LNAs provide high gain from 18 to 110 GHz.

Spacek Labs (www.spaceklabs.com) provides most of the building-block components needed to assemble a millimeter-wave system, including the new model AW-8X, an eight-times multiplier for generating W-band signals. The multiplier accepts input signals from 9.35 to 13.75 GHz at levels from +5 to +10 dBm and provides output signals from 75 to 110 GHz at typically +3 dBm output power. Spurious levels are typically controlled to –20 dBc.

Merrimac Industries (www.merrimacind.com) has applied its innovative Multi-Mix® multilayer circuit technology to the fabrication of high-performance filters and other components for millimeter-wave applications. For example, the firm's model FBMM-42.0G Multi-Mix bandpass filter offers a 3-GHz passband centered at 42 GHz with typical passband insertion loss of 3.5 dB. The typical input/output return loss is 15 dB, while minimum rejection is 60 dB at 38.5 GHz and 30 dB at 46 GHz. In spite of measuring just 0.620 3 0.296 3 0.020 in. and weighing just 0.2 g, the filter handles power levels to typically 1 W.

Channel Microwave (www.channelmicrowave.com) developed the model WR28 three-way power divider for use from 34 to 36 GHz. Designed to handle 10 W average power and 500-W peak power in military systems, it exhibits better than 60 dB reverse isolation. To minimize lost energy due to heating effects, insertion loss is help to typically 1 dB.

Farran Technology Ltd. (www.farran.com) offers the PLO Series of phase-locked Gunn oscillators for generating signals from 60 to 325 GHz. The sources operate with an external 100-MHz reference for stability and provide as much as 50 mW output power from 60 to 90 GHz and 2 mW output power from 250 to 325 GHz.

Insight Product Co. (www.insight-product.com) offers a broad line of millimeter-wave and submillimeter-wave components, including amplifiers with as much as 30 W output power at frequencies through 140 GHz, monolithic balanced mixers for applications through 178 GHz, and solid-state and tube-based signal sources through 370 GHz. The firm’s recently developed line of Terahertz frequency synthesizers includes frequency coverage from 120 to 180 GHz with more than 30 mW output power and options for frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM).

The Millimeter Wave Division of ELVA-1 Ltd. (www.elva-1.com) provides components and subsystems through 180 GHz frequency range, as well as semiconductor devices at frequencies to 1200 GHz. The company’s line of zero-biased detectors includes models from 26.5 to 170 GHz with typical video sensitivity of 3500 mV/mW at 26.5 GHz and 500 mV/mW at 170 GHz.

Dorado International (www.dorado-intl.com) supplies a wide range of millimeter-wave components from international sources, including attenuators, directional couplers, phase shifters, switches, and waveguide sections. The waveguide components are constructed of copper with gold plating on electrically active surfaces. For example, the company’s W-band directional couplers provide full-band coverage from 75 to 110 GHz with coupling of 3, 6, 10, or 20 dB and directivity from 15 to 40 dB.

In the active-device area, Mimix Broadband (www.mimixbroadband.com) recently introduced the model XU1004-BD GaAs MMIC transmitter for applications from 32 to 45 GHz. Based on PHEMT device technology, the transmitter delivers an output third-order intercept point of +14 dBm with 5 dB conversion gain when operating with +4 dBm local oscillator (LO) drive power. According to Product Manager Paul Beasly, “The high level of integration in the XU1004-BD allows our customers to reduce the number of components on their board, facilitating a smaller design area and fewer interconnects.” The transmitter is ideal for point-to-point radios and satellite communications.

For even higher-frequency applications, Virginia Diodes, Inc. (www.virginiadiodes.com) produces lines of detectors, mixers, and frequency multipliers for applications from 18 GHz through 2 THz. Based on in-house-fabricated GaAs Schottky diodes and advanced filter structures, the firm makes devices, components, and systems for commercial and military customers. Because of their products’ high operating frequencies, the company developed a revised extension of the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) waveguide designations, for example, using the WR-1.2 designation for frequencies from 600 to 900 GHz, and other designations for products that don’t exactly match the EIA frequency bands.

Once millimeter-wave components have been manufactured, they must also be tested. The 65th Automative RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) conference, held June 17, 2005 in Long Beach, CA, addressed measurements for millimeter-wave applications, including the use of vector network analyzers (VNAs) and active-device measurements. In support of major VNA suppliers, OML, Inc. (www.omlinc.com) offers modules for extending the frequency range of a customer's VNA to cover 50 to 325 GHz in waveguide bands. Modules are available with a multiplier source, dual directional coupler, reference downconverter, and test downconverter to generate and receive test signals. Additional modules are designed with a downconverter to receive signals only. Combining modules allows all four S-parameters to be measured at millimeter-wave frequencies.

The company has also posted a useful application note on its website, “Using a Millimeter Wave Harmonic Mixer to Extend the Frequency Coverage of a Spectrum Analyzer.” The literature details the use of harmonic mixing to translate millimeter-wave frequencies to the range of commercial RF and microwave spectrum analyzers for testing. OML has also manufactured several frequency block downconverters through 40 GHz for test equipment original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Damaskos, Inc. (www.damoskisinc.com) offers a variety of testing services, for antennas, RCS targets, dielectric materials, absorbers, and printed-circuit boards (PCBs) through millimeter-wave frequencies.

Of course, all millimeter-wave applications are not in communications systems, as automotive manufacturers have embraced the technology for adaptive-cruise-control (ACC) applications. A number of different frequencies are currently in use, including narrowband (200-MHz bandwidth) and ultrawideband (UWB with 3-GHz bandwidth) versions at 24 GHz in Europe and the United States, narrowband use at 47 GHz in the US, and UWB use from 77 to 81 GHz in Europe. Because of potential interference with radio astronomy, 24 GHz is a temporary allocation (until 2013) for automotive radar use. Roke Manor Research (www.roke.co.uk) has been an innovator in low-cost MMIC-based 77-GHz radar modules as part of the European RadarNet project (www.radarnet.org) to develop a low-cost radar network for automotive applications. Additional partners in the project include Volvo, DaimlerChrysler, Jaguar, BMW, and Siemens VDO Automotive Technology. As part of developing a practical 77-GHz MMIC radar module, Roke Manor employed commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) MMICs and low-cost PTFE substrate materials.

For evaluating the performance of automotive radar systems, Anritsu Co. (www.us.anritsu.com) developed the ME7220A Radar Test System (RTS) for characterizing radar modules from 76 to 77 GHz. Ideal for checking ACC and collision-warning/avoidance radar components, the test system provides a simulated radar target response at set target ranges and an adjustable radar cross section (RCS). Doppler shifts can be introduced to simulate the speed of a moving target. The system can measure the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of a transmitter as well as its bandwidth, spurious content, and other spectral characteristics.

In pursuit of a less traditional application for millimeter-wave technology, the Harmonix Division of Terabeam Corp. (www.terabeam-hxi.com) and Walleye™ Technologies (www.walleyetechnologies.com) formed an alliance to develop a hand-held portable imaging device capable of looking through solid objects. The design uses millimeter-wave energy to see into and through objects and capture digital images. The “camera” being developed by Walleye employs a millimeter-wave transmitter and receiver from Terabeam. Potential uses include Homeland Security, inspection of construction integrity, and medical applications.

For a complete listing of millimeter-wave component and test suppliers, please consult the online version of the Microwaves & RF Product Data Directory at www.mwrfpdd.com

The Next Wireless Wave is a Millimeter Wave

2007-08-16T12:50:00.001+01:00

The Next Wireless Wave is a Millimeter Wave

The past few years has witnessed the emergence of CMOS-based circuits operating at millimeter-wave frequencies. Integrated on a low cost organic packaging, this is the promise for high volume fabrication, lowering the cost and opening huge commercial impact opportunities. As standardization efforts catalyze the interest and investment of the industry, one can count on the spreading of millimeter-wave technology in the consumer electronic market place in the near future.

From: Vol. 50 l No. 8 | August 2007 | Pg. 22

by J. Laskar, S. Pinel, D. Dawn, S. Sarkar, B. Perumana and P. Sen, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

In the past few years, the interest in the millimeter-wave spectrum at 30 to 300 GHz has drastically increased. The emergence of low cost high performance CMOS technology and low loss, low cost organic packaging material has opened a new perspective for system designers and service providers because it enables the development of millimeter-wave radio at the same cost structure of radios operating in the gigahertz range or less.

In combination with available ultra-wide bandwidths, this makes the millimeter-wave spectrum more attractive than ever before for supporting a new class of systems and applications ranging from ultra-high speed data transmission, video distribution, portable radar, sensing, detection and imaging of all kinds.

While at a lower frequency the signal can propagate easily for dozens of kilometers, penetrate through construction materials or benefit from advantageous reflection and refraction properties, one must consider carefully the characteristics (in particular strong attenuation and weak diffraction) of the millimeter-wave propagation, and exploit them advantageously. The free-space loss (FSL) (after converting to units of frequency and putting them in decibel form) between two isotropic antennas can be expressed as¹

Fig. 1 Average atmospheric gaseous attenuation of millimeter-wave propagation at sea level.

FSL = 92.4 + 20 log F + 20 log D

where

F = frequency in gigahertz and
D = line-of-sight distance in kilometers

As an example, at 60 GHz the free-space loss is much more severe than at the frequencies usually used for cell phone and wireless applications. The link budget at 60 GHz is 21 dB less than the one at 5 GHz under equal conditions.² In addition, other loss and fading factors increasingly affect the millimeter-wave transmission, such as gaseous (see Figure 1), rain, foliage, scattering and diffraction losses.

Fig. 2 Average storage capacity trends.

Beside the huge and unexploited bandwidth availability and the perspective of multi-gigabit to terabit networks, the potential of the millimeter-wave spectrum has many others attributes: enabling densely packed communication link networks, from very short range to medium range; leveraging frequency reuse to its paroxysm while increasing the security level of each link; integrating high efficiency radiating elements at the millimeter scale, leading to compact, adaptive and portable integrated systems; exploiting quasi-unlimited and unique electromagnetic signatures for detection, diagnostic or imaging.

Recently, the availability of standard CMOS technology enabling the design of MMIC circuits operating efficiently up to 100 GHz has revived the interest and investment in the 7 GHz of bandwidth unlicensed band in the 60 GHz spectrum. The specificity of the 60 GHz spectrum is the attenuation characteristics due to atmospheric oxygen absorption in the order of 10 to 15 dB/km over a bandwidth of about 8 GHz.

This attenuation precludes long-range communications, but provides an extra spatial isolation that is beneficial for frequency re-use in an indoor dense local network, reduces co-channel interference and provides extra safety for secure short-range point-to-point links. In addition to supporting multi-gigabit networks, this makes the 60 GHz spectrum a great opportunity for indoor ultra-high speed short-range wireless communications, targeting multimedia applications and others.

Fig. 3 Uncompressed video data rates.

Similarly, extremely fast growing opportunities for low cost commercial millimeter-wave systems are exploited at even higher frequencies, such as 77 GHz for automotive radar, 71 to 76 and 81 to 86 GHz for outdoor 10 Gbps networks, and 94 GHz for medical and security imaging. This just preludes terabits systems operating beyond 120 GHz and above.

The Multimedia Trend

The emergence of a multitude of “bandwidth hungry” multimedia applications has definitely had a leading role in the renewal of interest in the millimeter-wave spectrum. The conventional WLAN systems (802.11a, b and g) are limited to a data rate of, at best, 54 Mb/s. Alternative solutions such as UWB and MIMO systems will start becoming available to extend the speed up to 600 Mb/s, targeting 1 Gb/s and above in the near future. It is noteworthy that wireless networks tend to lag at least one generation behind wired LAN interconnect technology.^3-4

Fig. 4 Uncompressed video data rates.

Two primary types of applications are driving the requirement for even higher data rates: ultra-fast file sharing and uncompressed high definition video streaming. Figure 2 illustrates the projected average storage capacity of PCs (desktop and laptop), reaching nearly 300 Gbytes in 2010, as well as the average storage capacity of embedded hard-drives and flash products. In the case of portable devices, especially in the case of smart cell phones, one can note a clear migration from micro-hard-drive toward high speed flash memory technology, exhibiting capacity up to 100 Gbytes and access speed exceeding the Gb/s in the horizon of 2010. It is obvious that today high speed wireless systems will lead to prohibitive synchronization time.

Fig. 5 4G seamless connectivity including millimeter-wave systems.

Figure 3 illustrates the data throughput requirement for uncompressed video streaming. It appears again that the data throughput requirement is well in excess of 1 or 2 Gbps, following a progression from 5 to 10 Gb/s and above.

This demand has since pushed the development of technologies and systems operating at millimeter-wave frequencies, while maintaining a cost structure similar to the one of conventional WLAN systems. These throughput requirements of multimedia systems are dictated by interconnect and interface technologies such as PCI-express, High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Display Port (DP) or Unified Display Interface (UDI), as shown in Figure 4.

Two major standardization bodies, IEEE 802.15.3c and Ecma International TC32-TG20,^5-6 are specifically considering these requirements, in the particular case of the 60 GHz spectrum, for applications ranging from very low cost peer-to-peer interface up to high performance Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN), including high definition uncompressed video streaming. Back-compatibility should also be considered to provide seamless connectivity across the technologies that will support the coming 4G communications infrastructure (see Figure 5).

Fig. 6 Module, CMOS MMIC, signal processing and high efficiency PHY-MAC technologies convergence toward low cost high performance millimeter-wave systems.

CMOS-FR4: A Low Cost Millimeter-wave Radio Platform

Since the mid-90s, many examples of MMIC chipsets have been reported for millimeter-wave radio applications using GaAs FET and InP PHEMT technologies.⁷ More recently, SiGe BiCMOS technology has also been demonstrated to be a viable alternative.⁸ Despite their commercial availability and their performance, however, these technologies struggle to enter the market because of their prohibitive cost and their limited capability to integrate advanced baseband processing.

The steadily increasing frequency range of CMOS process technologies has now made the design of low cost, highly integrated 24 and 60 GHz millimeter-wave radio possible in silicon.^9-10 Proof of concept has been validated using CMOS 130 nm technology; however, CMOS 90 nm is the first technology node that enables high performance and power efficient implementation of 60 GHz transceivers suitable for high volume products.

Fig. 7 Millimeter-wave optimized transistor test structure, passive and active (S-parameters) modeling.

In addition, the optimum combination and co-design of CMOS technology with low cost FR4-based packaging technology is a requisite to ensure the minimal cost structure possible, the key for the successful deployment of ultra-high speed, high capacity, 60 GHz WPAN and video streaming applications.

Finally, innovative PHY, MAC, ADC and signal processing approaches are required to provide simultaneously ultra-high bandwidth, very high PHY-MAC efficiency at an affordable price and an acceptable power budget. As depicted in Figure 6, the convergence of module, CMOS MMIC, signal processing and high efficiency PHY-MAC technologies are the necessary key enablers of the coming generation of low cost, high performance millimeter-wave systems.

Fig. 8 V-band CMOS 90 nm chipset for multi-gigabit short-range multimedia applications.

Millimeter-wave CMOS Technology

The CMOS technology has advanced to a point that a complete chipset for millimeter-wave applications can be implemented using silicon. In a standard 90 nm CMOS technology it is now possible to achieve an F_t and F_max beyond 150 GHz. Proper transistor geometry and layout, as well as complete and accurate modeling and optimized parasitic extraction methods up to the millimeter-wave frequency of interest are the entry point for such designs (see Figure 7).

The use of millimeter-wave low loss micro-strip line and micro-inductors for matching purposes are very characteristic of this new generation of millimeter-wave designs leading to more compact area and higher performance than its co-planar waveguide (CPW) counterpart. Power gain is in excess of 8 dB at 60 GHz and at a current density of 0.2 mA/mm enables reliable and low power circuit design. In addition, noise figures of 5.5 dB are achievable for similar biasing conditions, which make the optimization of low noise amplifiers easier. P1dB compression points of 4 to 7 dBm are reachable with fairly straightforward power amplifier designs. Fundamental frequency cross-coupled VCOs exhibiting phase noise better than –95 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset guaranties proper transmission and demodulation of multi-gigabit/s modulated signals. Figure 8 shows an example of a V-band CMOS 90 nm chipset developed for multi-gigabit short-range multimedia applications.

Fig. 9 A large panel area FR4-LCP multi-layer substrate, compact IWG filters and a wideband millimeter-wave feed-through transition.

Comparable figures of merit are also achievable at higher frequencies with the introduction of high volume production 65 and 45 nm CMOS technology, enabling now the design of low power E-band transceiver and targeting a high level of integration for systems such as 77 GHz automotive radar, 71 to 76 and 81 to 86 GHz 10 Gbps outdoor links, and 94 GHz imaging.

The research efforts at the Georgia Electronic Design Center have been focused on the development of a millimeter-wave CMOS fully integrated single chip radio suitable for multi-Gb/s applications. A super-heterodyne architecture using high IF frequency has been chosen and optimized to support wideband modulated signals. In addition, low power mixed-signal circuit techniques and innovative high speed analog-to-digital conversion are used to enable the integration of very low power PHY operating at multi-gigabit and multi-giga samples/s.

FR4-LCP-Based Module and Antenna Technology

Liquid Crystal Polymer has emerged as a promising low cost alternative for millimeter-wave module implementation. It combines uniquely outstanding microwave performances at low cost and large area FR4 PWB processing capability. It appears as a platform of choice for the packaging of the future 60 GHz gigabit radio. 24 x 18 inch FR4-LCP multi-layer substrates are fabricated using high volume standard PWB production lines. An example of a large panel area FR4-LCP multi-layer substrate is shown in Figure 9.

Fig. 10 LCP planar antenna array example for broad beam short-range and narrow beam medium range applications.

Compact filter designs using planar and integrated waveguide (IWG) techniques have been validated and measured, exhibiting less than 2 dB minimum insertion for a relative bandwidth of 8 percent at 61.5 GHz, and a rejection greater than 20 dB at 6 GHz offset.^6-11 A wideband millimeter-wave feed-through transition exhibiting less than 0.2 dB insertion loss has also been implemented.

One of the obvious attractiveness of the millimeter-wave is the small wavelength, allowing the integration of multiple radiating elements in an array configuration while occupying a minimum space (see Figure 10). Numerous antenna array solutions have been developed to address various application scenarios ranging from VSR (very short reach) omni-directional to point-to-point link.^12-13

Such generic packaging platforms provide a path of choice toward the low cost integration of scalable SISO-MIMO radio systems (SM radio) using compact multi-sector phased-array architecture that overcomes simultaneously the fundamental limitations of millimeter-wave signal propagation and CMOS technology. The multi-sector architecture can either be integrated on a single large panel or in a compact 3D integrated millimeter-wave module, including an embedded filter and antenna phased array, as shown in Figure 11. Extended azimuth and elevation coverage, provided by conformal multi-sector configuration, and extended range (including non-LOS scenario) provided by high gain adaptive phased-array technology, are the breakthrough attributes of future commercial millimeter-wave systems.

Fig. 11 Compact 3D integrated millimeter-wave modules, including embedded filter and antenna phased arrays, to be integrated into a multi-sector phased-array architecture.

15 Gbps and HD-Video Millimeter-wave Test-bed

The GEDC has established an experimental millimeter-wave wireless test-bed, using 60 GHz as a demonstrator vehicle to study the channel characteristic of a real indoor environment. Researchers recently established a new world record for the highest data rate transmitted wirelessly at 60 GHz, achieving a peak data transfer rate of 15 gigabit/s at a distance of 1 meter, 10 Gigabit/s at a distance of 2 meters and 5 gigabit/s at a distance of 5 meters. In addition, high definition video streaming running at 1.485 Gb/s has been demonstrated through a one-inch thick wood table. Special efforts have been dedicated to the complete transceiver module implementation operating at a power budget well below the one hundred pico-joules range. Figure 12 shows the demodulated transmission of the multi-gigabit signal and the experimental set-up of the video transmission through a one-inch thick wood table.

Conclusion

Fig. 12 The demodulated transmission of a multi-gigabit signal and experimental set-up of the video transmission through a one- inch thick wood table.

The development of millimeter-wave radios at the same cost structure of radios operating in the microwave region opens a new field of innovation for system designers. The convergence of a FR4-based module, CMOS MMIC, signal processing and high efficiency PHY-MAC technologies becomes today’s reality, enabling the coming generation of low cost high performance millimeter-wave systems. The feasibility of ultra high speed wireless transmission beyond 10 Gbps has been demonstrated on a low power, low cost platform. A power budget well below the one hundred pico-joules/bit range has been achieved, already looking at the next level of innovation targeting 100 Gbps transmission and the femto-joule/bit power budget.

The spreading of millimeter-wave technology in the consumer electronic market place is on its way, leveraging bandwidth availability at various frequencies, ranges and levels of system complexity. Peer-to-peer ultra fast synchronization and adaptive WPAN, for data and video distribution, will drive the cost down and further eases the adoption of low cost CMOS-based millimeter-wave platforms for automotive radar, outdoor point-to-point/point-to-multi-point links, portable radar, security, sensing and imaging systems, including numerous medical applications.

Businesses will prefer Wi-Fi/WiMAX to cellular, says Forrester

2007-08-16T12:07:00.000+01:00

A combination of Wi-Fi and WiMAX will ultimately provide ubiquitous mobility for enterprises, particularly as the cost benefits for WiMAX are realized and coverage is rolled out, says Forrester Research.

For enterprises WiMAX will eventually emerge as the replacement for cellular data services based on 2.5G and 3G technologies because of its potential for lower-cost deployment, higher bandwidth and a lower end user price tag, Forrester says. However, the technology is not expected to gain traction in the enterprise for at least two years.

Forrester, which surveyed 1,033 telecom decision makers at North American and European enterprises in 1Q07, found that despite the huge delay in WiMAX adoption 39 percent of those surveyed expressed some level of interest in WiMAX adoption.

"Expect WiMAX to see wider deployment than cellular data, which is currently relegated to large urban areas," Forrester says. "Cellular data networks, which are currently relegated to filling in the gaps between WLAN access locations, will ultimately be outmoded by WiMAX, which will offer wider swaths of connectivity and will be more cost-effective, despite its minuscule 6 percent adoption by enterprises."

In North America and Europe, the public sector is the unrivaled leader for in-house WLAN adoption, with 68 percent of firms already using it, Forrester says. WLAN adoption is particularly strong in the North American enterprise market, where it boasts a 59 percent adoption rate. European enterprises lag behind, with a 46 percent adoption rate, though the data suggests a continued trend toward more widespread adoption.

Far from going away, WLANs will increase in complexity, becoming more widely deployed in enterprises, Forrester says. "The resiliency of these networks will also increase as mobile operations professionals begin to plan for voice and real-time location-based services, using these services as justification for infrastructure expenditures in the near-term," the research firm states.

IT vendors that take an early lead in offering devices with 802.11 and Wi-Fi radios or those that offer WiMAX-enabled devices when they become available will emerge as favorites of the well-connected enterprise, Forrester says.

Femtocells critical for mobile triple-play, In-Stat says

2007-08-14T12:55:00.000+01:00

MUNICH, Germany — Market researcher In-Stat regards the deployment of femtocells as critical for the mobile triple-play market. According to the analysts, subscriber figures will explode over years to come.
While the wireless market in the industrialized world is approaching saturation and carriers do not have the possibility to offer differentiating features, triple-play mobile services would be a possibility to regain the initiative. However, this type of service presently faces signal coverage and capacity issues, In-Stat finds in a study.
Nevertheless, if mobile operators succeed in solving this problem, they can expect rising subscriber numbers and, thus, higher profits. An adequate technology is presently at the starting blocks. "Femtocells are a practical, near-term cure for these problems, with not practical limitation", explained In-Stat analyst Allen Nogee. And what is even better: "Femtocell is unlikely to be superseded by another technology in the foreseeable future."
According to the market research, the installed femtocell base is expected to grow to 40.6 million from virtually zero within the next four years. The number of users will reach more than 100 million within five years, the analysts believe.
The pricing scheme for femtocell devices as well as for services will be a major challenge for the short term and likely require operator subsidization, In-Stat writes.

RFMD To Acquire Sirenza Microdevices For $900 Million

2007-08-14T12:48:00.000+01:00

Greensboro, NC and Broomfield, CO -- RF Micro Devices, Inc. (RFMD) and Sirenza Microdevices announced they have signed a definitive merger agreement.

Under the terms of the merger agreement unanimously approved by the respective boards of directors of the two companies, each outstanding share of Sirenza's common stock will be exchanged for a combination of 1.7848 shares of RFMD common stock and $5.56 in cash. Outstanding options to purchase Sirenza stock will be assumed by RFMD and converted into options to purchase RFMD stock. Based on RFMD's closing stock price on Friday, August 10, 2007, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the transaction, the consideration is valued at $16.64 per share, which represents a 17% premium over Sirenza's closing stock price on such date, and an offer value of approximately $900 million comprised of $300 million in cash with the balance in stock. The transaction is intended to allow all or a portion of the consideration receivable in RFMD stock to be tax-free to Sirenza stockholders. Upon completion of the transaction, current RFMD and Sirenza stockholders will own approximately 67 percent and 33 percent, respectively, of the combined company on a fully diluted basis.

The transaction is expected to be completed in RFMD's third fiscal quarter, ending December 29, 2007, and is subject to approval by the stockholders of both companies as well as regulatory approval. RFMD expects the transaction to be accretive to non-GAAP EPS within six months of closing, with modest synergies assumed.

The management teams of RFMD and Sirenza will be combined to address the expanded opportunities created by the merger. Bob Van Buskirk, president and CEO of Sirenza, will relocate to North Carolina and will lead RFMD's new Multi-Market Products Group. Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, will continue as president and CEO of the combined company. The post-closing board of directors of the combined company is expected to consist of nine members from RFMD and two members from Sirenza.

"This strategic acquisition brings together two companies with leadership positions and considerable expertise in RF systems and solutions," said Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD. "It creates the world's largest, most diversified and best positioned RF company, with a broad set of customers and a diversified product portfolio of high performance components and systems- level solutions. The transaction will allow RFMD to capitalize on the RF integration and systems-level design expertise we continue to pioneer in the cellular world and apply those capabilities across Sirenza's broad footprint in multiple high-growth RF markets, including broadband/CATV, wireless infrastructure, WiMAX and aerospace and defense. Similarly, the transaction will allow Sirenza to expand its revenue stream beyond component-level solutions and drive supply chain and procurement efficiencies, as a result of RFMD's leadership in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. Our two businesses are highly complementary in terms of customers, markets, products and manufacturing expertise, and our combination will create an RF market leader with breadth, scale and capabilities that are unrivalled."

"We are very pleased to be announcing this transaction, which we believe clearly serves not only best interests of the shareholders of Sirenza, but also the interests of the shareholders of RFMD as well as the customers and employees of both companies," said Bob Van Buskirk, president and CEO of Sirenza. "We have great potential to accelerate revenue growth and expand margins by leveraging the technology base, supply chain and leadership position RFMD has achieved. There is a tremendous opportunity to apply the highly integrated, systems-level design expertise demanded by RFMD's cellular handset customers to the markets that Sirenza currently serves. RFMD and Sirenza serve customers representing a combined total addressable market of greater than $20 billion, and our very complementary companies can deliver more highly integrated solutions that will enhance the quality, efficiency and performance of our customers' end-products."

Nokia Siemens Networks positioned to deliver best-in-class solutions for 700 MHz spectrum band in the United States

2007-08-13T13:18:00.000+01:00

Atlanta, Georgia, USA, August 08, 2007

Nokia Siemens Networks today announced its support for the 700 MHz spectrum band that will be auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in early 2008.

The FCC set the much anticipated auction rules on July 31. The rules adopted for this auction create unique opportunities in mobile broadband. New build-out requirements for the spectrum demand that winning bidders make thoughtful and informed decisions regarding their network technologies and solution providers.

Nokia Siemens Networks is positioned to support the 700 MHz band with its flagship Flexi platform for radio access networks. The Flexi is a base station platform highly acclaimed for its innovative modular design that enables Nokia Siemens Networks to quickly support various wireless technologies at new radio frequencies. The Flexi currently supports GSM, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA, and WiMAX and in the future will support Long-term Evolution (LTE). In addition, the Flexi’s design and light weight provides significant savings in operating and capital expenditures for site acquisition, installation, operation, and maintenance.

“Interest in the 700 MHz spectrum, the last major U.S. spectrum auction for some time, is high across the industry,” said Sue Spradley, Region Head for Nokia Siemens Networks in North America. “To meet the FCC’s requirements and deliver cost effective wireless service, potential bidders are already evaluating their business plans and identifying partners with global scope and scale to enable fast time to market. Nokia Siemens Networks is the only company that can deliver an end-to-end network solution incorporating the Flexi, a platform that is unmatched in the industry.”

In addition to traditional WCDMA/HSPA, Nokia Siemens Networks is a pioneer and leader in Internet-HSPA, a pre-LTE flat network architecture based on the 3GPP Release 7 flat network architecture option that is compatible with HSPA devices and provides an optimized transition to LTE. Internet-HSPA is an option for broadband wireless high speed data delivery with a flat all-IP architecture.

Network planning and professional services will also be critical to a winning bidder’s ability to effectively deploy wireless networks using the 700 MHz band. Nokia Siemens Networks provides a full range of services from hosting to managed services, and systems integration and consulting – all optimized for this specific spectrum band.

Tyco Extends DTx Performance to Multiple Modes

2007-08-13T12:48:00.000+01:00

Tyco Electronics has announced successful demonstration of its innovative multi-mode DTx technology, which provides a single transmitter solution for GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 and UMTS. The DTx technology is a radio architecture that enables true multi-band, multi-mode operation from 2.5G to 4G with a single closed loop digital polar design. Having demonstrated power efficiency in all the 2.5G and 3G standards, the DTx technology provides an ability to extend the benefits of a polar architecture to WiMax, LTE, EVDO and High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks.

Based on novel circuit and signal processing techniques, DTx technology includes a full transmitter subsystem with robust calibration and corrections algorithms."The DTx technology platform that is now in demonstration brings significant innovation to support true multi-mode capability, creating a preferred path to a common radio architecture for the multiplicity of voice and data modes and bands," said Finbarr McGrath, director, DTx Technology, Tyco Electronics. "The DTx technology extends the benefits of closed loop Polar Modulation from GPRS/EDGE through W-CDMA, HSPA, EVDO and beyond to LTE and WiMax. This will allow for cost effective production of multimode radios as well as providing additional space and reduced power consumption for the features that will be required in smarter mobile devices for today and the future."

NSN #1, Ericsson #2, Huawei #3

2007-08-08T08:14:00.000+01:00

Redwood City, CA, July 17, 2007: The global base station market grew by19.1% in units in 2006, down from strong growth of over 50% in 2005, according to the latest report from EJL Wireless Research titled “Global Base Station Market Analysis and Forecast, 2006-2011, 3rd Edition.” “The base station market grew slightly faster than we had predicted a year ago with GSM technology continuing to drive the market,” says founder and President, Earl Lum. The report provides a unique perspective on the global shipments and demand for mobile base station equipment covering all major OEMs including Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei Technologies, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, LG Nortel Co. Ltd., and ZTE.
“The newly formed Nokia Siemens Networks, coupled with NEC 3G, was the number one ranked OEM globally in terms of total base station shipments with long time leader Ericsson just slightly behind at number two. The surprising top three OEM was Huawei.” says Lum.
“The GSM market continues to have remarkable resiliency and strength with continued strong demand in 2007 and beyond as emerging markets in China, India and Brazil continue to upgrade and deploy GSM/EDGE technology. In the CDMA market, Chinese OEM ZTE remained the top supplier with Huawei second.” says Lum.

EJL Wireless have a teardown of an Ericsson basestation

2007-08-08T08:11:00.000+01:00

Table of Content

Pipex Wireless details UK's first WiMAX service

2007-08-07T16:17:00.001+01:00

Pipex Wireless has confirmed its first deployment of WiMAX in the UK with Intel. As we reported last month, Milton Keynes will become the first major location with blanket WiMax coverage.

The deployment will begin in December with trial base stations sited around the town, where DSL broadband is limited or unavailable. Up to 500 residents or businesses will evaluate the WiMAX service, receiving connection speeds of between 2Mbps and 10Mbps. After six months, the rollout will be extended to provide wider coverage across Milton Keynes.

'WiMAX is an exciting opportunity for Pipex and we're delighted that we are now able to trial the technology in a customer environment,' said Mike Read, CEO of Pipex. 'This will be the first such trial in the UK and positions Pipex Wireless as the lead WiMAX provider in the market.'

Based around the proposed IEEE 802.16 wireless standard, WiMax holds out the promise of ultra-fast broadband. Compared with the Wi-Fi standard it can provide increased bandwidth and range. As such it is being seen as a way of delivering a new generation of data and video services to mobile devices such as notebooks and PDAs in high density urban environments.

In its official announcement, Pipex has fleshed out technical details of the rollout. Specifically, base station equipment and subscriber terminals will be provided by Airspan Networks and Ericsson will create and operate the radio network and required roof-top infrastructure.

Intel partnered with Pipex in April 2006, to push WiMax (Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology in the UK. Intel's venture capital investment organisation, Intel Capital, and Pipex Communications jointly formed Pipex Wireless as a wireless operator providing broadband services in major metropolitan areas.

While Intel Capital is investing $25 million in the new company, Pipex has transferred its 3.6GHz UK spectrum licence to Pipex Wireless to enable it to deploy services based on WiMax.

WiMAX to lead $13bn capex boost in 2007-2012, but with LTE in pursuit

2007-08-07T12:51:00.000+01:00

Capex investment on pre-4G wireless systems will reach a cumulative total of $13bn by 2012 if new spectrum allocations, and technology roll-outs, stay on schedule. The main systems attracting this global spend will be 802.16e and its successor 802.16m, and LTE, but while the latter will see a strong uptick in growth from the turn of the decade, it will not overtake WiMAX in capex terms until 2014.

If either or both technologies experience severe delays to their development and certification processes, and especially if new spectrum fails to materialize as quickly as promised in both mature and emerging economies, the level of spending could be reduced by as much as $3bn cumulatively between 2007 and 2012, while a similar scale of upside is possible if global regulators act quickly and reform their processes earlier than currently seems likely, and if other systems such as Ultra Mobile Broadband and China FuTURE Network also come quickly to market.

These are key findings from Rethink Research's latest in-depth survey of wireless service providers worldwide, entitled 'The Road to 4G: operator deployment plans and vendor prospects 2007-2012'. This report is based on feedback from a survey of almost 400 providers worldwide, all of which are planning to trial or deploy one or more '3.9G' technologies with the implementation to start before the beginning of 2013. The respondents range from tier one converged telcos, wireline telcos and cellcos through major regional carriers and international ISPs, to broadcasters, broadband wireless start-ups, media players and major WISPs.

In a broader survey of the operator base, it was found that almost two-thirds of providers intend to commit to some form of 3.9G trial or deployment within the period, with the remaining third having no plans, or believing they can wait until after 2012. Within the base of 386 providers that do plan to invest in 3.9G in the study period, about 45% will kick off their trials before 2011 (or have even done so already).

Before the end of the decade, WiMAX takes the lion's share of this capex spend (including RAN and core infrastructure and associated softwarea and services) because of its earlier availability, even in pre-certified form, and it retains its capex lead throughout the period, even though this narrows with the acceleration of the LTE community's development plan, and the strong uptake of LTE by UMTS operators. In terms of numbers of deployments, LTE overtakes 802.16e in 2011, mainly driven by telco and cellco investments, although in many sectors - start-ups, WISPs, cablecos - WiMAX remains dominant throughout the period.

Although there has been market questioning of whether UMB - Qualcomm's OFDM/CDMA successor to EV-DO Revs A and B - will see the commercial light of day, this study found considerable interest in the technology among the CDMA community, and a belief that it would support competitive edge in terms of efficiency and multimedia performance. We believe it is highly likely that Verizon will commit to the technology (no doubt under very favorable terms and with the chance to shape its future directions) and this would send a strong signal to the rest of the market. So, while UMB plays mainly among CDMA cellcos and converged telcos, and some media players, we believe it will form part of the 3.9G picture, though with a lesser share of the total capex than EV-DO has in 3G.

China is aiming to create its own pre-4G platform in order to reduce its dependence on western IPR and vendors, and even export it to be part of international standards. The focus of this effort is the so-called FuTURE Network, which should become a reality early in 2008. Its future looks highly unstable, and although Chinese technologies will almost certainly become part of the wireless mainstream at the 4G stage, the report's findings are that the Chinese operators will trial other systems as well as FuTURE, and only adopt it if it genuinely outperforms LTE and WiMAX (government permitting). It also finds that there will be very limited interest outside China, except in a few smaller central and south east Asian nations, and a few trials elsewhere, conducted for political as much as technical reasons.

Metro area Wi-Fi will be part of the 3.9G picture too, although its license exempt spectrum means its share of the capex will be small and it will mainly be used as an early foothold in new wireless markets, and then as an adjunct to LTE or WiMAX, rather than standalone. Its impact, then, (except as a client-end and in-home technology) wanes after 2010 as the other networks start to mature, but it will remain a disruptive influence in the hands of some WISPs and in some regions where there has been little allocation of new spectrum as yet.

In 2008-2010, the leading investors will be converged or wireline telcos, and the key regional drivers will be European and Asian roll-out of WiMAX and the start of LTE trials in western Europe. After 2010, the cellcos account for the largest single percentage of investment, and there is high regional growth from Europe as LTE starts to kick in, north America as the major carriers battle for a foothold in pre-4G, and south Asia, especially Indian WiMAX.

The vendors are already jostling for position in 3.9G. On the infrastructure side, it will be hard for newcomers to make much impact against the wireless giants, although Cisco remains a possible disruptive factor. Ericsson is committed to making LTE dominant, Motorola and Samsung are the leading lights behind WiMAX, while others like Nortel are aiming for a unified R&D platform that can be applied easily to all the options. While the vendor map may not change significantly, the same will not be true of other parts of the ecosystem. The move to all-IP will bring in new device makers, largely from the CE sector; new service models and applications from internet giants like Google; and will create a major stand-off between the large chipmakers as Intel pushes the PC/internet view of the world, against the cellular heritage of Qualcomm and TI.

The report, 'The Road to 4G: operator deployment plans and vendor prospects 2007-2012', is published this week by Rethink Research Associates. For a summary or more details, please contact Linda Elisha on Linda@rethinkresearch.biz or +44 (0)777 618 6180; or Caroline Gabriel on caroline@rethinkresearch.biz.

New job cuts likely for Nokia Siemens

2007-08-07T12:41:00.000+01:00

MUNICH, Germany — Despite good figures for the entire Nokia group, the company's infrastructure joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks will have to swallow some bitter pills over the next months. The parent company's latest cost cutting programs make new job cuts probable, especially in the German locations that joint venture Partner Siemens brought into the company.

During the presentation of the quarterly figures, Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasuvo announced a new cost cutting program for Nokia Siemens Networks which provides for an additional synergy effect of €500 million (about $680 million) annually. In addition, Kallasuvo now plans to reach the goal of reducing costs by €1.5 billion already by end of 2008. Hitherto, the plan had earmarked the 2010 to reach that goal. As the reason for the move, the company quoted the cut-throat price competition in the market for telecommunications equipment. "This development requires determined action", he said.

Indeed, the price war in the telecommunications industry apparently has increased. Nokia Siemens competitor Alcatel Lucent this week had to announce a hefty loss.

4G race is on for 700 MHz market

2007-08-07T12:35:00.001+01:00

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Chip designers for cellular and WiMax networks are sharpening their pencils on plans for 700 MHz support after getting new guidance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the spectrum last week. A race is on to determine who will have what chips with what performance dynamics ready when new spectrum owners start planting towers as early as February 2009.

Qualcomm is working to characterize its current and future CDMA technologies for 700 MHz with initial chips shipping next year. WiMax players are doing the same. And the proponents of the Long Term Evolution version of cellular are still finishing their specification.

"One of the things I lose sleep over is whether the technology road maps will slip, and I will have to deploy an interim solution before one of these 4G technologies is ready," said Stagg Newman, chief technology officer for Frontline Wireless, a startup that hopes to buy some of the new spectrum rights.

Tetra books

2007-08-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

TETRA: The Advocate's Handbook

Pages : 290, Chapters : 30, Words : 100,000+, Illustrations : 60+, 80+ Tables, ISBN : 0-9544651-0-5

The book contains 30 Chapters with more than 100,000 words supplemented with 60+ illustrations and 80+ tables of information to provide a detailed overview of TETRA using eight logical chapter groupings:

Back to Basics
TETRA
Network Design
The User
Technology Comparisons
Marketing
Challenges
Summary

Where relevant at the end of each chapter, a list of TETRA Advocacy points are provided with additional space for personal notes or comments, if required by the reader, to form an aide memoir.

A last time buy discount of 40% is offered for books ordered by e-mail, fax or post as long as book stocks remain. The new discount price is:
GBP: 17.95 / EUR: 27.00 / USD: 31.80

To take advantage of this offer, place your order via e-mail to dougray@tiscali.co.uk
Or by fax to +44 (0)1503 273003.
Alternatively orders can be placed by post to:
TETRA Advocate
The Barn
Ashen Cross Farm
Pelynt
Looe
Cornwall
PL13 2JX
UK

Strategy Analytics Presentation on RF markets April 2007

2007-08-02T10:57:00.000+01:00

Presentation

Femtocells mobilize to fight Wi-Fi in the home

2007-08-01T17:09:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of EE Times (07/23/2007 9:00 AM EDT)

LONDON — The past few weeks have seen frenetic activity in the still largely untested business of femtocells--also known as home basestations or 3G access points. A group of about 25 companies--including chip suppliers, mobile network operators and the developers of these mini basestations--have joined together to form the Femto Forum. Only seven have publicly acknowledged their participation in the Femto Forum, but several operators have revealed they have put out requests for proposals to equipment vendors, however, and hardly a day goes by without some of the key players announcing they are partnering to bring femtocells to market. Earlier this month, one of the first international congresses focusing on the technology was held in London and attracted more than 250 attendees. Still, it is clear there are technical, regulatory and commercial hurdles to be cleared before the widespread deployment of femtocells, which can provide enhanced voice and data coverage in the home for up to six users on their existing 3G handsets. Femtocells represent the first real threat to the increasing dominance of Wi-Fi routers in the home and offer the prospect of an all-IP approach to increasing coverage, while backhauling cellular traffic over a broadband connection. As such, they could pave the way for cellular operators to offset any loss of revenue from voice over Wi-Fi, where calls are handed off to a Wi-Fi network and then carried back to the mobile network over a cable broadband or DSL connection. It would seem that cellular network operators should be beating a path to the femtocell vendors. But apparently they are not yet convinced of the cost efficiencies femtocells offer and are confused by the many options for integration into the core network--with the three key versions being Iub over IP, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access), or based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Session Internet Protocol (SIP) standards. Nor are they in agreement as to whether the business case is predicated on expectations for much higher data usage or better voice coverage. Industry analysts and vendors, not surprisingly, are convinced femtocells will make their mark by the middle of 2008, then soar to large volumes quickly. Vincent Poulbere, principal analyst at Ovum, projects a slow buildup in 2008 in Western Europe and about 7 million units shipped in 2009, rising to 17 million in 2011. Meanwhile, Stuart Carlaw, research director at ABI Research, said: "It's a high-risk, high-reward environment for now, but we see 102 million users by 2011 on 36 million femtocells. But that depends on operators' converting the trials they tell us they are conducting to major deployments. "If things do not go as smoothly as anticipated . . . things could turn out badly, particularly for the many innovative, startup companies that are currently driving the technology," he said. Carlaw added that the introduction of open standards will be key to success, and thus welcomed the Femto Forum's target of focusing on that in the first instance. "The industry needs to focus on economies of scale and not get fragmented," he said. From a semiconductor perspective, he said, the risks are high right now. "We are seeing a lot of price pressures even before there is any meaningful volume out there. But despite this, companies such as picoChip, ST Microelectronics, ADI and Xilinx are pretty active in the market. Most are focusing on total solutions, while others such as picoChip are partnering for the radio side. Still others, such as Texas Instruments, Broadcom and Freescale Semiconductor, are looking on and waiting for volumes, and will either acquire the expertise or dive in and commoditize the market," Carlaw said. The analyst's "conservative" estimate is that the semiconductor opportunity for femtocells will be $50 million by 2008, rising to a "robust" $935 million by 2012. Peter Claydon, COO and one of the co-founders of picoChip, which claims to be the only company shipping baseband chips specifically for femtocells, said, "A typical chip for a femtocell costs about $10 million to design, including software." With the projected numbers for first-generation femtocell baseband chips, the company would need a $2 margin per unit to recover costs, he estimated. Claydon noted that picoChip is already designing a second-generation femtocell chip. ABI's Carlaw, however, suggested a more realistic design cost for a femtocell chip is in the region of $25 million to $30 million. "That is a big investment for the startups that are active now for a market that has yet to prove itself," he said. TI thinks any significant volume for both its DSPs and analog parts in femtocells will not materialize until 2009, "and that is if all goes well with significant outstanding issues such as standardization and field trials," said Josef Alt, business development manager for communications infrastructure products at TI Europe. "Cost is bound to be a big issue, and some of the figures I am hearing for femtocells, say $70, are just not realistic, not even when we get to big volumes in, say, 2012," Alt said. More realistic numbers, he said, are between $150 and $200. Alt added that TI is working with customers on femtocell designs, "but we are looking very carefully at the business case, as are our big OEM customers, who we think will have the advantage in the long run--the likes of Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks and Alcatel Lucent." That sounds like an ominous warning to the early pioneers developing and supplying femtocells to network operators. Those pioneers include companies such as Ubiquisys Ltd., ip.access, 2Wire, Airvana Inc. (recently acquired 3-Way Networks), RadioFrame Networks Inc. and Tatara Systems, which already have the likes of NEC, Samsung, Motorola ZTE Corp. and Huawei to contend with, in addition to the ones mentioned by Alt, as well as likely contenders from the consumer space such as Netgear Inc. Ubiquisys, for one, is not sitting on its laurels. The Swindon, England-based group has been one of those setting the agenda, but Will Franks, CTO, admits "it is not a foregone conclusion this market will succeed." "Wi-Fi dual mode continues to evolve and grow and we--that is, the femto- cell ecosystem--probably have a two-year window to make our mark, ensure we come up with standard interfaces, and, above all, avoid fragmentation," said Franks. For now, the ball is very much in the court of the carriers, and they are at last beginning to make positive noises about the technology. Most observers believe the first to commit to a commercial network will be Japanese group Softbank, which has been conducting proof-of-concept tests and trials with equipment from Motorola, ip.access, Ubiquisys and others. "It is the perfect storm for them. They have the spectrum, the 3G coverage and the traditional Japanese strategy of early adopters," said ABI's Carlaw

3G Femtocell Agreement Between Nokia and Thomson

2007-08-01T17:08:00.000+01:00

(07/06/2007 8:21 AM EDT)

PARIS " Seeking to enhance the user's experience of 3G services at home, Thomson and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) announced they have concluded a collaboration agreement on the development of a 3G femto cell home access solution. Home base station solutions, also called femto cells, have recently attracted much attention. The concept is to provide the mobile user with a small box similar to wireless routers, which guarantees mobile cellular coverage at home. The femto market could reach ten to twelve million units by 2010, according to market research firms ABI Research and Ovum. The terms of the agreement call for the combination of both parties' technologies. They indeed explained Thomson's femto cell-enabled residential gateway would be coupled with NSN's 3G Femto Home Access network solution so as to "allow operators to seamlessly deliver compelling 3G multimedia services such as music downloads and video available in the home on any WCDMA 3G handset, with unrivalled quality of service, network security and manageability." The two partners agreed that trials of the 3G Home Access solution, including Thomson's residential gateway, would begin early 2008. Commercial deployments are expected during the third quarter of 2008.

WiMAX - General Information About The Standard 802.16

2007-08-01T16:46:00.000+01:00

This application note is one of three papers dealing with the WiMAX standard, covering the theoretical aspects of WiMAX. It gives a detailed overview of the basic concepts of WiMAX (FFT, OFDM, frame structures, etc.) and explains the physical standard parts of IEEE 802.16 standards 802.16/2004, corr1, and 802.16e. Article

An Introduction To WiMAX Measurements

2007-08-01T16:42:00.000+01:00

The new WiMAX radio technology -- worldwide interoperability for microwave access -- is based on wireless transmission methods defined by the IEEE 802.16 standard. WiMAX has been developed to replace broadband cable networks such as DSL and to enable mobile broadband wireless access. Rohde & Schwarz offers a complete test solution for WiMAX applications by combining its Signal Generator R&S SMU200A and Signal Analyzer R&S FSQ plus the appropriate options. Article

Understanding The Performance Of RF Amplifiers Used In Base Station Applications

2007-08-01T16:37:00.000+01:00

n order to properly configure a base station transceiver, designers must understand the performance parameters of the RF amplifiers being used. This not only includes the standard parameters such as gain, noise figure, P1dB, and IP3, but also includes more subtle parameters, including spectral re-growth and power efficiency. The performance of various types of amplifiers will be analyzed in this article to illustrate the advantages and tradeoffs of each type. Also, performance will be analyzed under various bias conditions to understand the tradeoffs between ACPR/ACLR (adjacent channel power) and power efficiency. The article will compare various types of RF amplifiers including GaAs MESFET, InGaP HBT, and GaAs HFET amplifiers. Article

Alcatel-Lucent posts net loss of €336 million in Q2

2007-08-01T16:32:00.000+01:00

PARIS – Impacted by merger costs and writedowns, Telecommunications equipment provider Alcatel-Lucent reported a net loss of €336 million for the second quarter of 2007, compared to a profit of €302 million for the same period last year.

For the second quarter of 2007, Paris-based Alcatel-Lucent announced revenues of €4.33 billion, up 0.5 percent year-over year at constant Euro/USD exchange rate, or a 4-percent decrease at current rate.

Commenting on the quarterly sales, Alcatel-Lucent's CEO Patricia Russo declared: "This quarter, our revenues sequentially grew by a solid 13 percent at a constant Euro/USD exchange rate, with the strongest performance in the wireline and services businesses. From a regional perspective, we saw strong growth in Asia Pacific."

Metro buy Reva RFID system

2007-06-27T15:57:00.001+01:00

One of the largest retailers in the world will deploy Reva Systems' Tag Acquisition Processor in what Reva say is the largest production-scale rollout of RFID in Europe.

Reva announced Tuesday that Metro Group, an E.U.-based retail company, has begun to install Reva's infrastructure to support current and future radio-frequency identification initiatives in about 200 stores and distribution centers.

"It's a coming of age of RFID use in the retail world in Europe. That's one way I would describe it," Ashley Stephenson, chairman and co-founder of Reva Systems, said in an interview.

Metro Group tested and evaluated RFID products for standards-based performance during pilot programs and chose Reva's Tag Acquisition Processor (TAP) products to manage its distributed network of RFID installations. The system will provide accurate data and rapid operator feedback, Reva said. Metro stores will use RFID to enhance distribution and receiving, using tags and data to improve efficiency, customer service, and inventory management.

Reva said its products provide a standards-based RFID network infrastructure layer that will help Metro Group move easily from pilot to production. TAP allows users to control all RFID readers in Metro's facilities, to process raw tag data into accurate and useful information, and to determine real tag locations in difficult environments, Reva said.

Metro Group required an infrastructure that eliminates duplicate tag readings and can determine tag relevance in places such as loading docks, where operators need quick and accurate feedback to confirm that goods have been shipped and received.

"By using this technology, we are moving RFID out of the innovation labs and into working retail stores," Gerd Wolfram, managing director of MGI Metro Group Information Technology, said in a statement. "The efficiency, manageability, and performance improvement we've demonstrated with Reva's technology as part of our RFID architecture allows us to realize our plan for utilizing RFID technology to optimize the supply chain."

Metro Group ranks as the fourth-largest retailer in the world. It reported sales of about $60 billion (Euros) in 2006. The company employs about 270,000 people and operates about 2,400 outlets in 30 countries. It owns Metro/Makro Cash & Carry, a cash and carry wholesale chain, Real hypermarkets and Extra supermarkets, Media Markt and Saturn, which sell consumer electronics, and Galeria Kaufhof department stores.

"Metro's decision to roll out RFID using Reva's products validates that standards-based RFID network infrastructure is critical to production-scale implementations," Tom Schuster, CEO of Reva Systems, said in a statement.

The rest here

Vodafone deploys fixed Wimax in Malta

2007-06-27T15:48:00.000+01:00

WiMax has finally crept into Vodafone Group's service repertoire. The mobile giant has just launched commercial fixed WiMax services in Malta, and has been busy acquiring licenses, testing, and investing in the technology worldwide.

While Vodafone's small-scale Maltese deployment is unlikely to cause meltdown in the mobile network infrastructure community, it could be seen as a shot across the bows of vendors perceived to be dragging their heels over the development of long-term evolution (LTE), or 4G, products -- especially as Vodafone is now involved in WiMax activities in Bahrain, France, Greece, New Zealand, and South Africa, too, either directly or through affiliates.

The rest here.

Weaknesses of WiMax

2007-06-27T15:29:00.000+01:00

Jha also stressed that Qualcomm’s own flavor of LTE, dubbed Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), being pushed by the 3GPP2 organization and seen as the route to faster data rates as will be based on OFDM and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technologies, but cautioned this does not mean compatibility between the two approaches or with mobile WiMAX. WiMAX, touted as potential rival to developing 3G mobile phone standards, is a bone of contention with Jha, and Qualcomm. “The bottom line is we don’t think it is exceptional technology and the business case is not convincing either.”

“As it stands, the standard is flawed; there are poor control channel structures, and the system will not do latency or hand off. Then there is the spectral efficiency. There are so many versions and radios that have to be supported – where is the scale, where is the economy, where is the ubiquity coming from? And if there is one thing that irks me more than anything about what its proponents and analysts say, it is that WiMax is and will be cheaper to deploy for an IP network than cellular. I have yet to understand why that should be so. From Release 7 on there is full support for IP and backhaul in HSDPA and HSPA, not to mention HSPAplus.”

- from EEtimes.eu, June 4 2007

WiMAX Forum Designates First North American-based Certification Lab

2007-06-26T16:34:00.000+01:00

The WiMAX Forum® announced the first North America-based certification test lab during the opening address at the WiMAX Forum Member Conference in Madrid, Spain. Established and operated by the WiMAX Forum’s lead certification testing partner, AT4 wireless Inc., the lab will be located in Virginia and is due to open this October. The North America-based lab becomes one of five test labs for WiMAX Forum Certified™ products worldwide.

"Establishing a WiMAX Forum designated test facility in North America is very important strategically because the WiMAX Forum and key Telecommunications Industry Forums are located in the US," said Luis Fernando Martinez, general director of AT4 wireless. “We plan to quickly open a lab in the United States to support global certification testing for both Fixed and Mobile WiMAX devices.”

The lab will initially be staffed by up to 25-30 employees and will conduct WiMAX Forum certification testing and radiated performance testing (RPT). AT4 wireless has the responsibility to develop and replicate the certification test beds to match other test beds globally so that interoperability for all WiMAX Forum Certified devices is assured. WiMAX Forum members in the Americas may submit devices for certification at the Virginia facility in October.

“A US-based lab is important to help meet the needs of member companies as the demand for mobile certification testing increases in the US market,” said Ron Resnick, president of the WiMAX Forum. “We have great confidence in AT4 wireless and know they will deliver the essential task of ensuring WiMAX Forum Certified products are interoperable and ready for commercial deployment.”

In the future, the North America lab may provide capabilities to support the convergence of emerging wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi with WiMAX™ and Bluetooth with WiMAX.

The WiMAX Forum plans to have five certification test labs located in the US, Europe, China, Korea and Taiwan by end of the 2007.

MIMO and Smart antennas explained

2007-06-26T16:20:00.000+01:00

MIMO: Multiple Input Multiple Output: use space-time diversity, transmitting different portions of the data from different antennas.

Smart antenna: targeted beamforming to focus antenna signal on a moving user.

details here, from High Frequency Mag, June 2007

Cree's GaN Wimax amps

2007-06-26T16:09:00.000+01:00

Cree release 4 new broadband amps for WiMax market.

The advantage of GaN is that it allows for broader band performance.

- from High Frequency Mag, June 2007

LNAs for Wireless Infrastructure from Sirenza

2007-06-25T15:52:00.000+01:00

Here

Two new LNAs released by Sirenza, 400-3000MHz, using E-mode PHEMT technology.

Future Outlook for RF Industry

2007-06-25T14:58:00.000+01:00

Here

From rfglobalnet.com

Agilent WiMax test brochure

2007-06-22T10:11:00.000+01:00

Here

Agilent Wireless standards poster

2007-06-22T09:59:00.000+01:00

Here

Agilent Wimax poster

2007-06-22T09:55:00.000+01:00

Here

2007-06-22T09:54:00.000+01:00

Tyco Electronics announced a strategic alliance with OATSystems to provide a series of radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions to a variety of vertical markets that include aerospace and defense, transportation, and industrial segments. - MJ Journal, June 14 2007

2007-06-22T09:48:00.000+01:00

Fri, June 15. 2007

Source: Sirenza Microdevices

Sirenza Microdevices announced the production release of two new additions to Sirenza’s line of high performance products for Mobile WiMAX (802.16 e) and WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) applications. The SZM2166Z and SZM3166Z are new, high linearity power amplifiers increasing the linear power for WiMAX and WiFi Terminals to over +27 dBm, enabling increased range and higher data throughput in consumer terminals and access points.

“Sirenza’s new SZM2166Z and SZM3166Z leverage Sirenza’s extensive experience in developing high power amplifiers, extending our portfolio of leading edge products for the Mobile WiMAX and WiFi markets,” said Jim Spear, Sirenza’s strategic business unit director for wireless access products. “Both devices are optimized to provide the highest level of linear power available thereby allowing our customers to extend the coverage range and increase data rates of Mobile WiMAX and WiFi terminals and access points.”

Produced with InGaP HBT technology, the SZM2166Z operates over the full 2.3 to 2.7 GHz frequency range with 36 dB of gain and provides over +27 dBm of linear power at 2.5 percent EVM. The SZM3166Z operates over the 3.3 to 3.8 GHz frequency band with 35 dB gain and also provides +27 dBm of linear power at 2.5 percent EVM.

Both products operate from a single positive supply and feature an adjustable on chip active bias circuit providing the designer with the flexibility to optimize performance for the specific application. Both products also feature power up/power down control to save power during receive modes and an on chip power detector. The devices are housed in a low cost surface-mount 6x6 QFN package, and have an ESD rating of class 1C (1KV HBM) in accordance with Sirenza’s 3R® program for reliable, rugged and robust performance.

The SZM2166Z and SZM3166 are available for immediate shipment in a RoHS-compliant, lead-free package.

2007-06-21T17:18:00.000+01:00

WiMAX In Europe Facing A Brighter Future Where Technology-Neutral Spectrum Is Available 6/20/2007 London -- WiMAX networks in Europe are being deployed in most countries using spectrum at 3.5 GHz. However these are mostly confined to offering fixed wireless services. The mobile version of WiMAX (IEEE802.16e-2005) is also being deployed at 3.5 GHz and has been trialed in The Netherlands using 2.6 GHz spectrum. This latter is earmarked as the UMTS extension band for 3G operators to use.

The European Commission and several national regulators, including Norway, Sweden, and the UK, want the situation to change, as does the WiMAX Forum. The ITU has now also agreed that OFDM-based technologies should be included in the IMT2000 standard. This will place mobile WiMAX on the same footing as 3G mobile when it comes to using the 3G extension bands and, potentially, existing 3G bands.

“This is a good sign for technology neutrality becoming the accepted approach for spectrum auctions in the future,” says ABI Research analyst Ian Cox. “Mobile WiMAX products will start to appear in 2007 and can be used in unpaired spectrum, giving them an opportunity not available to UMTS.”

Cox further comments that, “Mobile WiMAX could compete in the market against 3G, HSPA, HSPA+ and LTE, and provide an entry path currently only available to incumbent operators.”

Meanwhile fixed WiMAX applications are already being deployed to complement and compete with DSL and cable networks in rural and other underserved areas, particularly in the new EU member states.

For users, says Cox, WiMAX will enable broadband services, including VoIP, to be offered over SIP-enabled networks. All services will be IP-based, offering high data rates and low latency, along with mobile network data speeds comparable to those of fixed networks.

For vendors, WiMAX will allow development of a new market to replace declining 3G revenues.

A new ABI Research Brief, “WiMAX in Europe” reviews the European market for WiMAX. It examines the current use of 3.5 GHz spectrum along with the regulatory situation and prospects for the future. It forms part of ABI Research’s Mobile Broadband Research Service, which also includes Research Reports, other Research Briefs, Market Data, ABI Insights, and analyst inquiry support.

SOURCE: ABI Research

From RFGlobalnet