ANADIGICS Inc., announced its AWB7220 power amplifier (PA), the first in the company’s new line of products targeted at the 3G and 4G femtocell markets. ANADIGICS’ new AWB7220 PA is a highly isolated, fully matched, multi-chip module (MCM) designed and engineered specifically for use in femtocell and customer premises equipment (CPE) worldwide.

Femtocells solve the problem of weak or nonexistent wireless broadband signals in SOHO environments by connecting users’ mobile devices to their carrier’s network through a high-speed Internet link. Because they are inexpensive and easy to install and operate, sales of femtocells are expected to ramp up significantly in 2009. Industry analyst firm ABI Research sees the femtocell market increasing to double-digit millions in volume during 2010. ABI’s Stuart Carlaw, vice president and research director, states, “We expect cellular-based femtocells to take the baton from UMA- and SiP-based Wi-Fi solutions by 2013, seizing 62 percent of the 103 million unit access point market.” ABI Research also expects femtocell prices to drop to the range of wireless routers in 2010.

“The femtocell market is an exciting place to be right now,” explains Joe Cozzarelli, director, Wireless Infrastructure and 4G Products, ANADIGICS. “It’s a milestone in the convergence between consumer electronics and commercial network infrastructure. We’re leveraging ANADIGICS’ proven, core GaAs technology and our engineering expertise to design and manufacture a comprehensive product line with the exceptional linearity, high power, optimized performance and integrated functionality required by femtocell equipment designers and manufacturers.”