Yes, I had Tapas. And Paella. Some Sangria as well. But there was much more than good food and drink to be had in Barcelona, Spain last week during the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress event. This show has become the global event for the mobile ecosystem, and it lived up to expectations once again. International editor Richard Mumford and I spent the week meeting with some of the leading semiconductor and test solution providers in our industry, hearing about the latest news and products to hit the market. With more than 1,800 companies from 32 countries and 85,000 visitors, this show was jammed packed with people and excitement. MWC is a great example of how live events can bring people together with the latest technologies and products to drive business to new heights.
While the major press at MWC goes to announcements like the new Samsung Galaxy S5 and the latest “Wearables” from Sony and others, the innovations that were announced from the semiconductor component and test and measurement providers is what drives the mobile wireless industry forward and provides the latest solutions for the complex issues that come with increased data capacity. Agilent, Anritsu, Rohde & Schwarz, and others announced new test sets for LTE/LTE Advanced and Aeroflex presented solutions for Cellular-to-WiFi Handoff. Skyworks, RFMD, TriQuint, Peregrine and Spirent all had major announcements, with the blockbuster news of a merger between RFMD and TriQuint starting the week off with a bang. Richard Mumford provides a detailed look at these product announcements and much more in his wrap-up of the show.
On a smaller scale, but with many of the same players mentioned above, the second annual EDI CON event will take place next month in Beijing, China. At this event, Peregrine will debut its impressive UltraCMOS Global 1 Power Amplifier to the China market and many other companies will follow suit with their own new product launches. Technical papers will be presented, practical workshops will be held and lively panel discussions will take place. Engineers will scout the exhibition for new solutions to their design challenges, relationships will be made and business will get done. I’m looking forward to the trip.
This month brings us SATELLITE 2014 in Washington, DC, another solid event. Editor Pat Hindle and Sales Manager Mike Hallman will be in attendance, finding out about the latest happenings in this sector. Keep an eye out for Pat and Mike or contact them ahead of time to set up a meeting.
Of course June brings the annual microwave event, with the IEEE MTT-S IMS taking place in Tampa, Florida. Microwave Week brings many from our community together every year to learn, network and collaborate. The May issue of MWJ will again serve as our IMS show issue, with bonus distribution in the delegate bags and on the show floor. Show Daily sponsorships and other electronic marketing opportunities are available but the supply is limited. As always, your MWJ sales representative can provide you with all of the details.
This month has us working on the April issue, which has an editorial focus on “Amplifiers and Oscillators.” The cover story features several experts reporting on “Maximizing Efficiency in High Power Amplifiers.” The deadline to reserve ad space is March 12th.
With many industry events on the horizon, it’s a great time to kick your company’s marketing plan into high gear. I encourage you to consult with your MWJ sales representative on ways to enhance your presence at these events and to deliver your message to the RF/microwave community. I hope to see many of you in the months ahead.
Regards,
Carl Sheffres