Pat Hindle, MWJ Editor

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ABI Research released a new report last week that looked interesting to me. They stated that the global market for antennas for wireless infrastructure, including base station, fixed and active types, is set to reach almost $2.0 billion in 2016. So-called “active” antennas are the hot segment of this market. Widespread installations of active antennas, which combine the base station’s RF electronics in the antenna housing mounted at the top of the tower, have only begun quite recently. According to research director Lance Wilson, “Active antennas offer a solution to the problem of rapidly growing wireless data traffic. Conventional...

Strategy Analytics reported that after a strong rebound in the first part of 2010, revenue growth in the microelectronics segment of the compound semiconductor industry flattened in the final quarter. The recently published Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductors Service (GaAs) viewpoint, “Compound Semiconductor Industry Review January 2011: Microelectronics,” captures product, financial, contract and technology announcements for microelectronic companies such as RFMD, Skyworks Solutions, Hittite Microwave, ANADIGICS, Freescale Semiconductor, Microsemi and Cree for January 2010. “Overall, the compound semiconductor industry rebounded strongly in 2010, thus slowing growth at some of the major suppliers in the fourth quarter should not...

Of course, the biggest news at CTIA is the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. The keynote auditorium at CTIA Wireless was packed as everyone wanted to here what AT&T and T-Mobile executives had to say about their proposed $39 billion deal which would create the country’s largest wireless operator. AT&T understandably did not say much and T-Mobile was not there. But CEO Dan Hesse of Sprint expressed concern as he said there would be 79% market share in the top 2 providers so he has concerns it would stifle innovation if that much power was in the hands...

To celebrate and highlight the beloved oscilloscope, Tektronix is introducing a “Scopes, Camera, Action” contest to showcase the many different uses for the instrument. Engineers, technicians, students and even electronic hobbyists will be invited to upload short 1-5 minute videos to MyTektronixScope .com about their most brilliant, novel, ingenious or fun use of a Tektronix oscilloscope. Community members will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite “Scopes, Camera, Action” videos throughout the 8-week duration of the contest which started Feb 28. The person uploading the video that receives the most votes will receive a new Tektronix MSO 2024 oscilloscope...

According to a release this morning, the 30 th annual SATELLITE Conference has record attendance this year. More than 10,000 satellite communications professionals from 70 countries are at the event which continues today and tomorrow at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center located in Washington D.C. The SATELLITE 2011 Exhibition has grown to include 325 companies, more than 60 of which are exhibiting at SATELLITE for the first time. In addition to enjoying the variety of products and services available on the show floor, attendees have enjoyed the outdoor exhibit area featuring large antennas, truck- and car-mounted satellite systems...

About a year ago Kosta Grammatis contacted Microwave Journal about satellite and communications experts he might contact to start an effort to supply Internet to everyone in the world for free. A huge challenge but a great idea and if anyone can pull it off, he can. He is now part of BuyThisSatellite.org which says it'll take $150,000 in contributions to take the first step toward a successful bid on the bankrupt Terrestar-1 satellite (they will probably need over 10 times that much to purchase the satellite plus costs to supply modems and maintain the whole system). After obtaining the...

The upcoming Apple iPhone 5, due this summer, will be powered by TriQuint and Skyworks PAs. While it is disappointing that it will not have 4G LTE capability, according to an article from The Street about TriQuint, the Apple iPhone 5 will be a full featured world phone equipped with "seven power amplifiers" to improve the wireless reception on the full array of WCDMA and EVDO frequencies in the U.S. and Europe, says Rodman Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar. This is good news for power amp supplier Triquint, which was left out of the Verizon iPhone 4 this year. The...

ABI Research has commented on the fact that Nokia has announced this sweeping and profound change in its strategy. Accepting that the Symbian operating system cannot meet the needs of today’s smartphone consumer, Nokia has opted to throw in its lot with Microsoft and use the Windows Phone 7 operating system in future Nokia smartphones . In addition, the Nokia devices unit has been split into two business units that will address smartphones and low cost phones separately. I have heard rumblings about this partnership but thought it would take more time to pull it off with these two...

Although spending on RF power semiconductors in wireless infrastructure markets has continued to stagnate, according to ABI Research other markets – notably the military – are seeing increased activity. Also, according to a new study from ABI Research, Gallium Nitride – long seen as a promising new “material of choice” for RF power semiconductors – is continuing to gain some market traction. Gallium Nitride (GaN) increased its market share in 2010, and is expected to do the same in 2011. Although its adoption hasn’t been as rapid as originally expected, it is nonetheless forecast to be a significant force by...

According to ABI research, Surging sales of netbooks, media tablets, and other “always connected” consumer and industrial electronics products mean equally robust performance in markets for wireless connectivity ICs. ABI Research expects that when the final numbers for 2010 are gathered, shipments of wireless connectivity chipsets will reach a total of approximately two billion units, a 22% shipment increase compared to 2009. "Market demand for wireless connectivity chipsets has been increasingly robust in recent years, a trend that will continue in the medium term," says industry analyst Celia Bo. “Total shipments of wireless connectivity chipsets are forecast to reach seven...