25 August 2011

Wireless infrastructure GaAs devices to reach $320m in 2015

With mobile data consumption continuing to skyrocket, operators are refining their wireless infrastructure network architecture to support the increasing data demand. Also, developments like MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) antennas, heterogeneous networks, remote radio heads and small cells will increase the number of base-station sectors, but reduce the transmit power required from each sector, according to the Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service (GaAs) Forecast and Outlook ‘Wireless Infrastructure RF Power Device Demand: 2011 – 2015’. Both trends should lead to a consistent growth rate for gallium arsenide devices, boosting the wireless infrastruture GaAs device market to $320m in 2015.

The report forecasts that the number of base-station sector shipments will increase to slightly more than 9.2 million in 2015, and more than half of these sectors will be for lower-power, smaller cells. The report also details the history and latest trends for antennas, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, transceivers and front-end components.

“Mobile data consumption is rapidly pushing the wireless infrastructure market to an inflection point,” comments Eric Higham, director of the Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service. “Operators are implementing networks that rely on smaller, lower-power cell footprints to ensure that consumers continue to embrace data applications. This architecture expands opportunities for GaAs components,” he adds.

“4G technologies, like LTE, are forcing the network evolution to larger numbers of lower-power infrastructure sectors, which will increase the opportunity for GaAs amplifiers,” says Asif Anwar, director in the Strategy Analytics Strategic Technologies Practice.

The report segments the wireless infrastructure amplifier market by function (power, driver, low noise) and technology. It also forecasts the number of base station sectors by geography, frequency and output power. It also addresses trends in subscriber growth, antenna technologies and power amplifier designs.

Tags: Wireless infrastructure GaAs devices

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