RF Micro Devices Inc. (RFMD) announced the expansion of its 5 GHz WiFi product portfolio to include two new 5 GHz high-band WiFi front-end modules (FEM) with integrated power amplifiers (PA). The two new 5 GHz FEMs – the RF5506 and the RF5516 -- deliver industry-leading high power and high linearity and are optimized for the rapidly growing smartphone and tablet markets.

The global WiFi market is growing rapidly and is forecast to represent a greater than $1 B total addressable market (TAM) by 2014. Adoption of dual-band WiFi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) in handsets is estimated to increase from approximately 25 percent of all handsets in 2011 to approximately 50 percent of all handsets in 2012, with increasing emphasis on the 5 GHz band for use in 3G/4G smartphones. The anticipated growth in tablet devices is also forecast to support 5 GHz FEM adoption, as mobile WiFi chipsets for tablets increasingly adopt dual-band functionality.

To satisfy the growing market demand, RFMD has developed industry-leading FEMs with high levels of integration, small package sizes and best-in-class linearity performance. RFMD offers a broad portfolio of highly integrated FEMs that include the PA, the switch, filtering, baluns and an optional low noise amplifier (LNA) for both single-band (2.4 or 5 GHz) and dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) operation. RFMD’s WiFi product portfolio also includes discrete PAs, switches and switch/LNA products that support integrated chipset solutions.

Bob Van Buskirk, President of RFMD’s Multi-Market Products Group (MPG), said, “RFMD forecasts the WiFi market will expand significantly as dual-band adoption increases and as volume expands across a variety of end markets, including smartphones, tablets, home automation, WiFi TV, automotive and personal computing. Because carrier requirements continue to demand higher power levels, this is placing an even greater focus on product performance and increasing the reliance on RFMD’s core technology and product development capabilities.”