Southern Africa
Prism Holdings has become the eighth member of the global SIMalliance, joining the world's leading SIM card manufacturers to ensure that SIM technology supports open and interoperable solutions for mobile services.
Spescom has announced that Spescom DataVoice has signed a distributorship agreement that will see DataVoice products marketed worldwide by voice recording giant, Dictaphone Corporation. Spescom DataVoice CEO, Viv Crone says the agreement is effective immediately and confirms that Dictaphone has already launched the DataVoice product range onto US markets. "This is not only a major business achievement for Spescom DataVoice but is also powerful acknowledgment of South African technology as globally competitive and cutting edge," said Crone.
South African ICT provider Grintek Telecom has entered into a strategic teaming agreement with Marconi Communications South Africa, to offer a trial system using the TETRA digital radio network technology to the South African Police Services (SAPS) in Port Elizabeth. TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) combines the features of digital cellular, mobile radio, wireless data and paging with national coverage, high voice quality, fast call set-up and support for private workgroups of users. Grintek said the new TETRA digital radio network will be evaluated by the SAPS for a year. Other emergency services and metropolitan authorities, from around South Africa and neighbouring countries, will be able to observe the trial network in action. TETRA is a TDMA (time division multiple access)-based standard developed by ETSI for a new generation of digital trunked radio networks.
South Africa's major financial institutions are accelerating their preparations to enable a mass rollout of EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) compliant smartcards. According to secure e-payments company Prism Holdings, in the past six months it has delivered and implemented Thales' e-security EMV Host Security Modules (HSMs) and EMV smartcard personalisation software valued at over R4,5m to SA's major banks. It expects to double this figure by the end of June as the move to chip technology steps up a gear. The EMV standard was developed by a joint industry work group to facilitate the introduction of chip/smartcard technology into the international payment systems environment. Thales' EMV smartcard personalisation system is designed to either reduce or eliminate the need for card issuers (banks) to alter their existing magnetic-stripe-based card management systems when issuing smartcards to customers. It produces composite files in a format ready for the creation of personalised chip cards.
Spescom Software, the US subsidiary of Spescom, has announced that Leicester City Council in the UK has purchased a site-wide licence for its eB software suite. The Spescom-based integrated document management and workflow solution facilitates eGovernment by allowing paper documents to be scanned, indexed, stored, retrieved and distributed electronically while providing cross-reference access to Council's main database.
Hi-Q Electronics has been appointed sole distributor for Wurth Elektronik in South Africa. Wurth offers a range of inductors, filters, ferrite beads, toroidal line chokes, suppressors as well as baluns for wireless applications like Bluetooth and GSM.
Spectrum Concepts has been appointed as an agent for ODU Connector Systems (sole) and as an agent for Assmann Electronic Components.
Mantech Electronics, a subsidiary of the Mobicon Group, has acquired the businesses of Andon Components, effective 1 March 2003. Both parties will continue supplying their existing range of products, and the continuity of supply, agencies, distributorships, etc, will not be interrupted. Mantech says that its customers will now benefit from Andon's range of industrial and power capacitors and components. Contact details - Jhb: 011 493 9307, [email protected]; KZN: 031 303 4222, [email protected]; Cape: 021 535 3150, [email protected].
Overseas
Business
In reporting disappointing first quarter 2003 results, Agilent Technologies also announced that it intends to lay off a further 4000 employees. Agilent reported a net loss of $369m on sales of $1,41 bn. The company's first fiscal quarter loss included a $12 million cash amortisation charge, $42 million of restructuring expense and a $257 million one-time goodwill write-off related to new accounting practices. Sales revenue was 1% down on the same quarter a year previously and the loss slightly increased. Agilent said it expects to make a loss on second fiscal quarter revenues in the range of $1,4 bn to $1,5 bn. Ned Barnholt, Agilent chairman, president and CEO, said: "Orders were weaker than expected due to a general climate of uncertainty. In addition, margin pressures continued to impact several of our businesses. Based on these results, we are taking additional aggressive cost-cutting actions to return Agilent to profitability during the second half of this year."
Companies
Infineon Technologies and Saifun Semiconductors have founded Infineon Technologies Flash GmbH & Co KG, marking a significant expansion of their flash memory business. With this move, Infineon said it is continuing to develop in line with its 5-to-1 strategy agenda.
Cambridge Positioning Systems has announced it is working with Samsung to integrate its enhanced observed time difference (E-OTD) high accuracy location technology into Samsung's mobile phone handsets. The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see them work together on solutions for GSM, including 50 meter accuracy for North America in line with the FCC E-911 requirements for emergency call location.
Honeywell's Automation and Control Solutions (ACS) unit has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Sensotec, a supplier of sensors for measuring pressure, torque, load, temperature, force, acceleration and displacement. Other Sensotec products include wireless digital acquisition systems, instrumentation and digital gauges. Sensotec is also a leading supplier of telemetry systems for gathering, transmitting and receiving sensor data from rotating machinery.
Samsung is acquiring a 5% stake in Symbian for £17 million. Symbian writes operating system software for mobile phones.
PolarSat, a new privately-held Canadian satellite communications equipment company, has purchased the assets and product lines of the former broadband division of NSI Global. PolarSat is chiefly involved in the Very Small Aperture Terminal segment of satellite communications.
Industry
While current expectations are for significant growth in the semiconductor industry this year, the growing possibility of military actions in Iraq could lead to a detour and impact momentum. This is according to Databeans, a US semiconductor and electronics market research group. Its industry outlook estimates that total semiconductor industry revenue for 2003 will be $164,6 bn - an increase of 17,4% over 2002. In the communications segment, infrastructure enterprise will continue to recover slowly from prior over-investment, but demand for personal communications devices will likely track with the other segments. Automotive and industrial segments are projected to perform in line with the general economy. Within the semiconductor industry, Databeans says that analog ICs are expected to outperform the total market by at least seven points, with estimated 2003 revenue of $28,2 bn, up 18% over 2002. Analog is one of the fastest growing 'volume' IC segments, and is expected to constitute almost 20% of the entire semiconductor market by 2007, it states. Sensors and optoelectronics are growing faster than other product categories, and combined, will constitute up to 10% of the total market by 2007. Revenue shares for logic, memory, and other microcomponents are expected to remain relatively stable, supporting the recently introduced theory of a slowing IC market.
Semico Research has lowered its 2003 worldwide semiconductor industry growth forecast for the second time in recent months. Citing a 'state of Iraqnophobia' in the worldwide economy, Semico lowered it forecast from November's 25%, to 23%, due to lingering uncertainties in the market.
Dataquest has downgraded its estimate for 2003 semiconductor market growth to 8,9%, which sees the worldwide chip market hitting $167 bn in value in 2003, up from $153,4 bn in 2002.
Probe Research reports that the global undersea optical transmission market will remain in a downward cycle in 2003 due to oversupply of capacity. In 2004 it will slowly rebound, for a total projected growth of 39% between 2002 and 2007, according to its latest report.
The Western Europe electronics market accounts for 19% of the global electronics production, on par with Japan, and will remain a significant electronics market, maintaining a global market share around 20%. A recent report published by Reed Electronics Research finds that, even though the region is expected to lose further ground in terms of production - as companies migrate manufacturing to low-cost countries - the region will continue to be a major producer with a large number of small and medium-sized companies benefiting from the increased use of electronics in an ever-increasing range of products. The shift from OEM to CEM/EMS is expected to be a contributing factor in the move from high to low cost manufacturing. The research also found that: radio communications equipment (which includes mobile communications - handsets and infrastructure), radar and navigation and public broadcasting, has been a key driver in its electronics production growth - from 11% in 1997 to 19% in 2001. Germany, the UK and France dominate the West European electronics industry, and account for 57% of its market for 2001, and a similar percentage for electronic production. Ireland, due to strong investment from primarily US companies, has a strong position in the production of computer equipment, accounting for 18% of the total West European EDP production and 8% of the total.
The field-configurable standard product (FCSP) market represents one of the very few semiconductor product segments that posted year-over-year dollar growth in both 2001 and 2002, according to In-Stat/MDR. The research firm reports that, in total, this market is forecast to grow from $14,6m last year to $669,2m by 2007. Unlike its ASIC cousin, which will grow primarily via high-complexity, high price, system-level design applications, the FCSP market will see growth primarily from cost/performance sensitive applications. However, according to Jerry Worchel, a senior analyst, "To a moderate degree, the use of the FCSP product will have some similarities to its customer-specific, high-complexity relative, most notably in meeting multiple system design requirements and/or applications via the use of a single device." The FCSP approach will find many of its applications in space-limited situations, such as cellular handsets. From a programming architecture perspective, In-Stat says that currently, anti-fuse architecture will dominate FCSP shipments. However, in the longer term, by late 2005, anti-fuse will be surpassed by the more common SRAM architecture, although, all architectures will grow throughout the forecast period, with flash-based architecture projected to enter the picture during the second-half of 2004.
Market research firm Databeans has issued revised statistics showing that STMicroelectronics remains the top global analog supplier in 2002 followed closely by Texas Instruments. Databean's revised 2002 analog supplier ranking (Y/Y%) is: STMicro $3360m (4,6%); TI $3100m (5,1%); Analog Devices $1524 (-2,1%); Philips Semi $1438 (-8,5%); NatSemi $1250m (7,7%); Infineon $1202m (-3,9%); Maxim $814m (-1,9%); Motorola $813m (-8,4%); Toshiba $783m (0,4%); Intersil (includes Elantec) $683m (69,5%).
The 2003 edition of the European Information Technology Observatory (EITO) was released in Brussels last month. Its figures show that market evaluations for ICT for 2002-2003 have been completely revised at world level, with zero growth in Europe in 2002 and the prospect of limited development in 2003 (2,5%). Carrier services, however, are expected to grow at an annual rate of 4 to 5% in 2002-2004 and Internet penetration continues to strengthen, from 44% of the European population in 2002 to 66% expected in 2006. Broadband connections (DSL and cable) show a high growth rate and are expected to more than quadruple by 2006. As the EITO states, the Western European market for information technology and telecommunications is gradually showing signs of recovery. In 2002 growth fell to an historic low of only 0,2% however, overall, the European ICT industry should achieve a growth of 2,5% in the current year. For 2004, growth of 4% is forecast. According to Bernhard Rohleder, managing director of EITO, the ICT industry has come to the end of the first of two growth life cycles. The first was characterised by market liberalisation, the diffusion of mobile telephone and stationary Internet applications - the second wave would be characterised by convergence of technologies.
National Semiconductor has announced a series of strategic profit-improvement actions. The company is seeking to sell its Information Appliance unit, consisting primarily of the Geode family of products, as well as its cellular baseband business. National has also entered into a new long-term manufacturing agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) as its supplier of wafers for products below 0,15 micron. National also said that part of its realignment entails cutting about 5% of its workforce.
Due to an uncertain industry outlook, IDT has announced several cost-cutting measures, including a reduction in workforce of approximately 150 positions worldwide, or 5% of its workforce. IDT also plans to close its design centre in Dallas and five sales offices worldwide, among other cost-cutting measures. It said it hopes to reduce its planned fiscal 2004 spending by approximately $30 million.
Speaking at the Intel Developer Forum, San Jose, Intel CEO Craig Barret told around 4000 developers and engineers that the desire for advanced technology - enabled by silicon innovation and Moore's Law - remained as strong as ever. He announced Intel's plans to invest $2 billion to convert an existing manufacturing facility in Arizona to create the company's fifth 300 mm wafer fabrication. The new fab will run 65 nm process technology and is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. "Advanced silicon manufacturing capabilities like those planned for the converted fab will deliver on the promise of Moore's Law to enable products that combine computing and communications functions and provide outstanding value to customers," he said. "The global desire for advanced technology by consumers, businesses, governments and other organisations has not slowed. The last two years have shown more clearly than ever that innovation and technology continue to move forward, even in the face of a weak economy. Businesses and governments in both mature and emerging markets worldwide are viewing technology infrastructure as critical to their competitiveness over the long run."
Sun Microsystems has officially opened its expanded manufacturing facility in Linlithgow, Scotland. The company invested $57m in expanding the plant, which now offers 175% more manufacturing capability. The Linlithgow site is Sun's only manufacturing base outside the US.
New research from the UK's Department of Trade and Industry into radiation emissions from mobile phone masts indicate that exposure levels are well below that of recommended levels. The tests on 109 UK sites have shown that radiation emission levels ranged between 1/731 an 1/19 907 515 of the international exposure guidelines set by the International Commission for Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
Strategy Analytics estimates that 18 million embedded-camera phones were sold worldwide in 2002. 13 million of these were sold in Japan. The research group has forcast that the market will double in size during 2003 to reach 37 million units.
French President Jacques Chirac officially opened the new Crolles2 R&D facility at STMicroelectronics' plant near Grenoble. The joint R&D centre (between Motorola-Philips-STMicroelectronics) will pioneer CMOS technology from 90 nm processes to 32 nm over the next five years and also includes a 300 mm wafer semiconductor manufacturing pilot line, which is now beginning operation. The alliance was formed in March 2002. The Crolles2 alliance also includes an agreement made with Taiwanese wafer foundry TSMC, which is participating in process development and alignment efforts. The Crolles2 Alliance currently employs 450 engineers and researchers and it hopes to directly employ 1200 people and create a further 4500 jobs in the Grenoble region by the end of 2005.
Maxim Integrated Products and its subsidiary, Dallas Semiconductor, have issued a 'customer alert notice' regarding counterfeit products being sold in Asia. The counterfeit parts, specifically nonvolatile SRAM (NSRAM) modules, have package dimensions, markings, and trademarked Maxim/Dallas logos. Details are posted at www.maxim-ic.com/alert1.
Technology
RF Micro Devices has announced that its Polaris solution will provide key capabilities to Intel's recently-announced PXA800F cellular processor. According to the company, the Polaris' architecture of selectable channel filters and digital baseband interfaces provides a seamless interface with wireless baseband products. This compatibility means that RFMD and Intel will be able to provide handset developers with a complete, highly integrated GSM/GPRS Class 12 solution that minimises external components and power consumption while maximising performance, say the companies.
Infineon Technologies has announced a complete UMTS handset solution to facilitate the transition from today's GSM mobile phones to multimode 3G handsets. It supports 384 Kbps data transfer as well as high-speed data transfer via EDGE, which many operators are considering as part of the evolution to 3G. The FP1-Ux called platform is the result of a joint development with US-based companies Zyray Wireless and InterDigital Communications, in conjunction with Infineon wholly-owned subsidiaries Comneon and Danish Wireless Design.
Cisco Systems plans to license its wireless local area networking (WLAN) technology to chip makers at no cost in an effort to propel the technology in the marketplace.
Ocuity, a UK display start-up, has revealed intellectual property which enables a 2D LCD to display 3D images. Called 'polarisation activated microlens' the company claims that the brightness of the underlying display in 2D or 3D modes is hardly affected. The technology is based on novel micro-optical arrays which have different optical properties depending on which polarisation of light is passed through them. For light of one polarisation the microlenses are transparent and a 2D image is seen. If opposite polarisation is used, the microlenses focus light to the left and the right eyes from alternate columns of pixels. The brain fuses the two images to give the depth appearance.
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