RF power amp vendors looking to new markets and technology

14 June 2006 News

A new ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) study of the wireless base station RF power amplifier market has concluded that three factors will determine the shape of the sector over the next five years. According to Lance Wilson, wireless infrastructure research director, the study identifies three developments that all vendors in this market will need to take into account.

Market consolidation, as predicted by ABI Research in 2004, has altered the industry landscape: falling prices, cost pressures and reduced overall market demand have resulted in a cut-throat competitive business environment. This trend is set to continue.

Second, "The realisation that the total available market (TAM) is decreasing is really starting to hit home with players in this market," says Wilson. "Depending on their market position, companies will need to take a hard look at their commitment to remaining in this business. Indeed, some companies' very survival may depend on their ability to diversify to new sectors beyond wireless infrastructure."

Some vendors are trying to work around this difficulty by offering more vertically-integrated base station semiconductor product lines, but, Wilson observes: "it is a tough sell because of the small size of this extremely competitive market."

Finally, a new technology looks set to change the nature of the market. Gallium Nitride (GaN) is a good choice for use in certain types of switch-mode high-efficiency amplifiers. In 2004, such products were "just a glimmer on the horizon," notes Wilson. Designs lacked refinement, and there were questions around GaN's reliability and ease of manufacturing. However, the past two years have seen significant progress on all those fronts, and according to the research group's analysis, GaN looks as though it could pose a very credible threat to the dominance of silicon LDMOS by 2011.

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