Intellian’s Flat Panel Series Complete as Enterprise Flat Panels Go Live on Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO Network
Legrand, Schneider Electric and Siemens launch interest group for the NR+ connectivity standard
ETSI Launches New Group on Multiple Access Techniques for 6G Networks
Zoom Phone Now Available in India
Mouser Explores the World of 5G with Extensive Technical Resource Center and New Products for Engineers
WiTTRA Launches Innovative Ultra-Wideband RTLS Solution, Revolutionizing Asset Tracking
Research breakthrough could enable future 6G communications networks
pureLiFi Unveils Next-Gen Connectivity That Breaks Through Barriers with LiFi at MWC 2024
WiTTRA Unveils the WiTTRA Standard for IoT Innovation
VidOvation and Celona Unleash the Power of Private Wireless for Large-Scale Facilities and Venues
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Smart Teknik, TH1NG, and WiTTRA Networks Join Forces to Drive Innovation in Smart Technologies
Smart Teknik, TH1NG, and WiTTRA Networks are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership aimed at revolutionizing the smart technology industry. By leveraging their combined expertise and cutting-edge solutions, the collaboration will unlock new possibilities and enhance the delivery of innovative smart systems. Smart Teknik, a renowned technology company specializing in advanced control systems and installations, is committed to delivering tailored solutions to a diverse range of industries. With a focus on security, fire protection, smart home and business automation, audio and video, and more, Smart Teknik has built a solid reputation for its technological prowess and customer-centric approach. TH1NG, a leading provider of IoT solutions, brings its expertise in connectivity, software development, and project management to the partnership. Their IoT platform IoT Open and network of partners enable seamless integration and communication among various devices, creating a foundation for the services of the future. WiTTRA Networks, a trailblazer in location intelligence technology, offers cutting-edge solutions for asset tracking between indoor and outdoor environments. With their patented technology and commitment to open standards, WiTTRA Networks ensures reliable and secure transmission of IoT data, enabling real-time monitoring and optimization of assets. "We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with TH1NG and WiTTRA Networks," said CEO Emil Smådahl at Smart Teknik. "This collaboration allows us to combine our strengths and resources, ultimately delivering innovative smart solutions that exceed customer expectations. Together, we will revolutionize the way industries integrate and utilize technology." The partnership between Smart Teknik, TH1NG, and WiTTRA Networks will facilitate seamless integration and implementation of smart technologies across various sectors. From IoT connectivity to advanced control systems and location intelligence, the collaboration will empower organizations to create smarter, more efficient, and sustainable solutions. "We are excited to join forces with Smart Teknik and WiTTRA Networks," said Klas Westerholm, CEO Th1ng at TH1NG. "By combining our expertise in IoT, connectivity, and software development, we will unlock new possibilities in smart technologies. Together, we will create a strong foundation for a connected future." "We are proud to be part of this partnership with Smart Teknik and TH1NG," said Hakan Dackefjord, CEO at WiTTRA Networks. "Our location and asset monitoring intelligence technology complement their solutions perfectly, enabling organizations to achieve comprehensive asset tracking and optimization. Together, we will shape the future of smart technologies and revolutionize industries."
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LiFi ready to make WiFi better with new global standard - IEEE 802.11bb
Global LiFi technology firms pureLiFi and Fraunhofer HHI welcome the release of IEEE 802.11bb as the latest global light communications standard alongside IEEE 802.11 WiFi standards. The bb standard marks a significant milestone for the LiFi market, as it provides a globally recognised framework for deployment of LiFi technology. LiFi is a wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data. By harnessing the light spectrum, LiFi can unleash faster, more reliable wireless communications with unparalleled security compared to conventional technologies such as WiFi and 5G. The Light Communications 802.11bb Task Group was formed in 2018 chaired by pureLiFi and supported by Fraunhofer HHI, two firms which have been at the forefront of LiFi development efforts. Both organisations aim to see accelerated adoption and interoperability not only between LiFi vendors but also with WiFi technologies as a result of these standardisation efforts. The IEEE 802.11bb standard defines the physical layer specifications and system architectures for wireless communication using light waves. This new standard sets the foundation for the widespread adoption of LiFi technology and paves the way for the interoperability of LiFi systems with the successful WiFi standard. Ratification of the standard was concluded in June 2023. Richard Webb, Director, Network Infrastructure at industry analyst firm CCS Insights, “The IEEE 802.11bb standard is an important milestone for LiFi technology placing LiFi as a complementary and integrated technology alongside the highly successful WiFi standard. This opens-up exciting new opportunities for LiFi to work seamlessly with WiFi and make communications better in a range of applications, from high-speed, secure internet access in the home and office to expanding next generation experiences to wider markets such as XR and spatial computing.” "The release of the IEEE 802.11bb standard is a significant moment for the wireless communications industry," said pureLiFi’s VP of Standardisation, Nikola Serafimovski, who chaired the 802.1bb Task Group. “Through the activity of the 802.11bb task group, LiFi attracted interest from some of the biggest industry players ranging from semiconductor companies to leading mobile phone manufacturers. We worked with these key stakeholders to create a standard that will provide what the industry needs to adopt LiFi at scale. I would like to thank the support of Tuncer Baykas as Vice-Chair, and Volker Jungnickel as technical editor for helping make this process so successful.” Volker Jungnickel from Fraunhofer HHI, technical editor of the task group, commented on the importance of a global LiFi standard: "The IEEE 802.11bb standard is a critical step to enable interoperability between multiple vendors. It allows for the first time LiFi solutions inside the WiFi ecosystem. This is essential for the development of new and innovative applications. LiFi can replace cables by short-range optical wireless links and connect numerous sensors and actuators to the Internet. We believe that this will create a future mass market. Fraunhofer HHI is looking forward to work with LiFi vendors from lighting and communication industries to make this a reality." pureLiFi, a pioneering company in the development of LiFi technology, has already developed the world's first standards-compliant devices including the recently released Light Antenna ONE. Analogous to the antenna chain in a radio frequency (RF) system such as WiFi, Light Antenna ONE inherently enables 802.11bb compliance. It can be integrated with existing WiFi chipsets that ship in the billions annually. With Light Antenna ONE, LiFi simply appears to the system as if it were another band of WiFi. "pureLiFi is delighted to see the release of the IEEE 802.11bb standard," said Alistair Banham, CEO of pureLiFi. "This is a significant moment for the LiFi industry, as it provides a clear framework for the deployment of LiFi technology on a global scale. We are proud to have played a leading role in its creation and to be ready with the world’s first standards-compliant devices. The existence of a global standard gives confidence to device manufacturers who will deploy LiFi at scale.” With the release of the IEEE 802.11bb standard, pureLiFi believes that LiFi as a complimentary and additive solution to RF communications is now poised to take its place in the wireless communication market, offering unprecedented speed, security, and reliability to users around the world.” Fraunhofer HHI is a world leader in the development of mobile and optical communication networks and systems as well as processing and coding of video signals. HHI has studied use cases for indoor and outdoor applications with early adopters and made sustainable contributions to standards. HHI offers all building blocks for state-of-the-art LiFi systems, tailors prototypes for special applications and conducts field trials in real scenarios. “Fraunhofer HHI welcomes the new IEEE Std 802.11bb.”, says Dominic Schulz, lead of LiFi development at Fraunhofer HHI.“ LiFi offers high-speed mobile connectivity in areas with limited RF, like fixed wireless access, classrooms, medical, and industrial scenarios. It complements or serves as an alternative to WiFi and 5G. 802.11bb integrates easily with existing infrastructures. Operating in an exclusive optical spectrum ensures higher reliability and lower latency and jitter. Light's line-of-sight propagation enhances security by preventing wall penetration, reducing jamming and eavesdropping risks, and enabling centimetre-precision indoor navigation.” With IEEE Std 802.11bb, LiFi has a first solution addressing mass-market requirements, such as low cost, low energy and high volumes. Industry can fully reuse WiFi protocols over the light medium. This will bring traffic offloading, security and navigation capabilities of WiFi to the next level.”
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5G Team Taiwan Debuts With Success at COMNEXT Tokyo 2023
Under the support and guidance of the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB), the Institute of Information Industry (III) led a handful of Taiwanese leading 5G companies including Askey Computer Corp. (ASKEY), LITE-ON Technology Corp. (LITEON), Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT), REIGN Technology Corporation (G REIGNS) in participation of COMNEXT Tokyo 2023 exhibition from June 28th to 30th. The event not only showcased the leading capabilities of Taiwan's 5G network system solutions, but also created a new opportunity for technical exchanges and cooperation between Taiwanese and Japanese industries. At the beginning of this year, a GSM Association (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association, GSMA) report predicted that the number of 5G connections will grow to 1.5 billion in 2023, eventually reaching 2 billion by the end of 2025, with more than 30 countries/regions carrying out technological innovation and cooperation. With successive 5G network deployment, the number of connections is expected to double within two years. In response to this business opportunity, the IDB and the III organized the '5G Team Taiwan National Pavilion' (5G TEAM TAIWAN) at the 2023 COMNEXT exhibition, expressing its value in the global 5G supply chain, where Taiwan is a reliable partner for international operators to engage with in next generation 5G deployments. Its participation has received considerable attention from international media including, Dempa, ASCII.jp, ZDNet Japan, and others, while also attracting about 160 potential customers. - The Taiwan Team Showcased Flexible, High-Performance 5G O-RAN Solutions The 5G private network solutions exhibited by ASKEY can directly accelerate 5G AI+IoT integration in smart factories; for example, a smart manufacturing site can adopt ASKEY 5G devices, allowing data collection by autonomous mobile robots (AMR), for operators to perform real-time collaboration and remote maintenance, maximizing factory efficiency and capacity. LITEON displayed its latest FlexFi Sub-6 and FlexFi Sub-6 O-RU small cell base stations that can be deployed directly on walls or ceilings, as well as ultra-low power FlexFi AIO & Femtocell micro base stations with 5G SA FR1. Quanta Cloud Technology showcased its latest QuantaEdge server system that offers new 4th Generation Intel Xeon® Scalable processors with vRAN Boost technology and supports single-site and multi-site deployments with QCT's end-to-end private network OmniPOD Enterprise 5G solution. The G REIGINS 5G private network provides a highly reliable and flexible system for private 5G network applications and deployments. It offers both high-power outdoor stations and low-power indoor stations and provides advanced QoS and packet-scheduling technologies that ensure end-user performance meets requirements. - Taiwan and Japan Deepen Exchanges and Cooperation in Next-Generation Communication Technologies Taiwan and Japan are inseparable strategic partners in the information and communication industry. In order to promote growth of Taiwan's day-to-day technical exchanges, the IDB and the III gave special attention to the prospects of the next-generation communication industry between the two countries prior to the exhibition. During the event seminar, esteemed Japan colleagues shared their local 5G development status and insights of future trends. Meanwhile, Taiwanese manufacturers exhibited at COMNEXT displayed their latest 5G/O-RAN technologies and application solutions, while partnering with Japanese companies to create 5G open networks that can build a vibrant ecosystem. The seminar attracted more than 200 international industry professionals participating in the grand event. At COMNEXT Tokyo 2023, Taiwanese manufacturers showcased their leading 5G application technologies. The event allowed the world to see the importance of Taiwanese innovations and products in the information and communication supply chain, and comprehensively demonstrated its value as the most important place for international players to engage with when considering 5G smart solutions.
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IDTechEx Reports on 6G's Fusion of Sensing and Communicating
6G is the next generation of wireless technology that promises to go beyond mobile communication and revolutionize how people interact with the world around them. According to IDTechEx’s latest 6G research, 6G could be with us in 2028 at the earliest. With its unparalleled capabilities in sensing, imaging, precise positioning, and even energy harvesting, 6G is poised to unlock a plethora of potential applications. These applications range from smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and virtual reality to healthcare, energy, and more. Of all of these possibilities, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) stands out as one of the most interesting. 6G - An overview of key applications. Source: IDTechEx - "6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players" Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is a concept that combines wireless communication and sensing technologies seamlessly. It involves the integration of various sensors, such as temperature, particles, pressure, and motion sensors, with wireless communication systems to enable real-time monitoring and control of physical systems. By combining these two functionalities, ISAC creates a system that can both communicate and sense its environment, providing a wealth of new opportunities for applications in various fields, making 6G much more than just a communication platform. ISAC has been an active area of research, and Huawei's latest publication on ISAC highlights the vast range of applications enabled by this technology. The potential applications can be broadly categorized into four types, each with its unique benefits and use cases. Firstly, high-accuracy localization and tracking is a key area where ISAC can make a significant impact, specifically in factory environments where precision is crucial. ISAC has the potential to enable subcentimeter-level accuracy in localization, which is critical for robotic applications in these settings. This can result in more efficient and optimized operations, reducing the need for human intervention and improving overall productivity. The second category of applications ISAC enables is simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). This technique utilizes multipath information to reconstruct 2D images and 3D models of the environment, allowing for more reliable and accurate positioning services. As an example, with SLAM, robots can navigate their environment and deliver targets to humans with greater precision and efficiency, thanks to the integration of sensing functions as well as AI. This feature will be particularly relevant for city mapping and environmental image construction. The third category is augmented human sensing capabilities enabled by ISAC, which can significantly impact various areas, including medical diagnosis and monitoring, enhanced sensing in vehicular devices, etc. ISAC's sensing devices can be integrated into mobile phones, wearables, and implanted medical equipment to provide millimeter-level image resolution and facilitate information collection even in low-visibility environments. Based on identifying targets through their electromagnetic or photonic characteristics, spectrogram recognition is another potential application of ISAC enabled by higher frequencies such as THz and NIR. This technique has the potential to understand the composition of materials, such as metallic oxides, and can play a crucial role in various fields. Finally, ISAC can be applied to gesture and activity recognition using base stations as sensors to sense the surroundings, leading to better-fused sensing performance. This approach can enable various use cases, such as a smart hospital that automates patient supervision. In this scenario, every base station would act as a sensor, allowing for comprehensive monitoring and analysis of patient activities and gestures. In conclusion, the ISAC paradigm is expected to play a significant role in the development of 6G networks. With its ability to integrate multiple sources of data obtained from sensing, ISAC has the potential to transform many aspects of our daily lives, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and smart cities. By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, ISAC can enable autonomous decision-making, proactive maintenance, and real-time optimization, leading to a more efficient, secure, and sustainable future. However, the successful implementation of ISAC in 6G networks requires significant research and development efforts, including the design of new hardware and software architectures, the development of advanced sensing and processing algorithms, and the creation of new standards and protocols. To learn more about 6G’s technology, applications, and market, please refer to IDTechEx's newly released 6G market research report. "6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players". This 6G report is built on IDTechEx's expertise, covering the latest 6G technology development trend, key applications, player activities, and market outlook, aiming to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of 6G technology and the market. For the full portfolio of 5G and 6G -related research available from IDTechEx please visit here. https://www.idtechex.com/en/reports/5g-6g-rfid-and-iot/9
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Anritsu Company Extends Frequency Range of Field Master MS2080A Up to 6 GHz to Support 5G FR1
Anritsu Company expands its Field Master™ MS2080A, a multi-functional spectrum analyzer that combines nine instruments into a single solution, to operate up to 6 GHz. With extended frequency coverage, the MS2080A addresses growing congestion in the 6 GHz spectrum caused by rapid growth in satellite services; cellular, commercial and LMR networks; radio location services; and industrial scientific and medical networks. The compact and portable spectrum analyzer provides insights into interference and intermodulation that degrade network performance through its best-in-class performance and features, bringing distinct benefits to base station installation and maintenance (I&M) applications. At 6 GHz, the MS2080A features fast sweep speed of 45 GHz/s for greater insight over wider spans. It also has advanced user features, such as AM/FM audio demodulation, and best-in-class RF performance, including +/- 1 dB amplitude accuracy. Additionally, it supports a cable and antenna analyzer, power meter, and 5G/LTE analysis to make it an ideal general-purpose instrument that addresses measurement requirements for legacy and emerging wireless networks. Options Expand Measurement Capability Simultaneous with the launch of the MS2080A 6 GHz frequency model, Anritsu announces a new AM/FM modulation quality measurement option for all instruments in the Field Master family. The option enables full characterization of broadcast transmitters, as required by national regulators and transmitter owners. It provides a single screen display of RF spectrum, audio spectrum, and audio oscilloscope, alongside modulation quality and distortion values. An optional real time spectrum analyzer (RTSA) provides real-time spectrum analysis with 2 µs probability of intercept (POI). The RTSA has up to 40 MHz analysis bandwidth and DANL of <-150 dBm, making it well-suited for capturing intermittent and digitally modulated signals that can be hard to identify. Spectrograms allow irregular and drifting signals to be captured, recorded, and displayed. The MS2080A conducts a full range of measurements for 5G FR1 radios to support I&M of 5G New Radio (NR) and LTE base stations. Gated sweep analysis for transmitter quality measurements to accurately verify FR1 carriers with 100 MHz bandwidth is provided. The MS2080A offers full-channel, power-based, and 5G/LTE modulation quality measurement-based coverage mapping for accurate Over-the-Air (OTA) testing. Rugged Design for Any Environment The MS2080A is a highly durable analyzer that performs in the most challenging environments. It is the only instrument in its class to provide 5 watts of continuous RF input overload protection, preventing costly damage to the instrument’s front-end when used close to high power transmitters or in high signal level environment. A large 10-inch 1280 x 800 resolution display meets the demanding IK08 specification for direct knocks and drops. Common functions are always accessible from the MS2080A display, and side menus collapse to maximize graphical results. A soft case provides IP52 environmental protection to safeguard the instrument during transport or rain. Weighing less than 4 kg, the MS2080A is small, compact, and easy to carry.
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NTT and SES to Deliver Satellite-based Edge and Private 5G Network Solutions to Enterprises
NTT Ltd., a leading global IT infrastructure and services company, and SES, a leading global content connectivity service provider via satellite, today announced a multi-year partnership to use SES satellites to deliver NTT's Edge-as-a-Service to enterprise customers. The collaboration will bring together NTT's expertise in networking and enterprise managed services with SES's unique satellite capabilities to deliver reliable connectivity to enterprises that must meet surges in connectivity demand or are based beyond the reach of fixed terrestrial networks. The unique offering combines NTT's fully managed Private 5G and Edge Compute with SES's second-generation medium earth orbit communications system - O3b mPOWER - to provide expanded and reliable connectivity. This solution is intended for companies operating in regions where terrestrial networks are lacking and enterprises wanting to leverage high-performance connectivity to increase their efficiency and grow revenue. Through the combined versatility of Private 5G networks and satellite technology, this end-to-end solution is expected to propel industries - such as energy, mining, maritime, manufacturing, industrial, etc. - that have otherwise been limited by connectivity today and will need to ramp up their digital transformation plans and increase revenue streams. "We are excited to embark on this journey with SES, combining our collective expertise to help businesses digitally transform and scale," said Miriam Murphy, CEO Europe at NTT Ltd. "As organizations grapple with the challenges of a rapidly changing world, it is now more important than ever to leverage the power of technology to drive growth and innovation." Putting control and ownership back into the hands of the customer, the joint solution will deliver coverage to over 190 countries with public-private roaming. In addition to NTT's Private 5G and Edge Compute capabilities, NTT will also provide use-case consulting and design, application development, system integration, implementation, and managed services, while SES will provide end-to-end satellite networks via O3b mPOWER that will be seamlessly integrated with NTT's offering. "Private 5G is a transformative power that enables enterprises to build upon existing network infrastructure and deliver reliable, high bandwidth, and low latency connections for multiple use cases operating on a single Private 5G network," said Olivier Posty, Country Managing Director Luxembourg, NTT Ltd. Posty adds, "As our customers continue to innovate, network partners with the right skills and expertise will be critical to success in today's competitive market. NTT's robust Private 5G network-as-a-service full stack solution, delivered on-premises, at the edge, or as a cloud service, is complemented by NTT's 24/7 remote monitoring services and a CIO self-service portal, ensuring that NTT's full stack of managed Edge Compute services delivers real-time actionable intelligence to drive processing efficiency and accelerate business performance." NTT's Edge-as-a-Service offering includes IoT, Edge Compute, and Private 5G connectivity delivered by NTT across its global footprint. NTT's Edge-as-a-Service is a unique, fully managed, integrated solution that accelerates business process automation, enabling enterprises to quickly deploy their applications more securely and monitor them closer to the edge, thereby reducing downtime, improving user experience, and optimizing costs. "This partnership between NTT and SES is an industry-first milestone at the whole industry level, combining massive amounts of expertise that both companies are bringing in each field, and the joint value proposition is ahead of the curve in terms of added value that will be provided to customers. This will open great opportunities also in countries where 5G spectrum is not yet ready, enabling the transformation of companies at a global scale." Alejandro Cadenas, Associate Vice President of EMEA Telco Mobility Research, IDC. According to John-Paul Hemingway, Chief Strategy Officer at SES, the partnership is one of its kind as both companies jointly provide comprehensive and resilient connectivity solutions for customers around the world. "In addition to its predictable low latency capabilities, O3b mPOWER's best throughput and full flexibility on asymmetric or symmetric services will result in the seamless integration and extension of terrestrial and satellite networks, enabling our customers to unlock the full potential of emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and cloud computing, and drive digital transformation across industries," he said. The partnership between NTT and SES comes as organizations are increasingly turning to technology to drive growth and innovation. Organizations recognize the positive impact of high-speed connectivity and resilient networks on business operations, driving demand and fueling widespread digital transformation. By leveraging their respective strengths, NTT and SES are well positioned to provide customers with the innovative Edge as a Service solutions they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
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The “Hidden” Opportunity in Low-loss Materials for 5G, Reports IDTechEx
When thinking of the applications of low-loss materials in 5G devices, the first that comes to mind for most is 5G smartphones. After all, low-loss materials are integral in enabling advanced 5G antennas-in-packages (AiP) for smartphones, and high-profile smartphone manufacturers like Apple have gone back and forth about which low-loss material they chose for their 5G antennas in their flagship phones like the iPhone. However, another 5G application for low-loss materials hiding in plain sight will act as an important driver for this US$1.8 billion market as forecast by IDTechEx: 5G customer premises equipment (CPEs). - 5G Fixed Wireless Access (5G FWA) and CPEs This application area is based on the increasing deployment of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA). FWA offers wireless internet access to homes and businesses without requiring the laying of fiber or cables to facilitate connectivity. FWA enables customers to get high-speed internet access with speeds comparable to wired broadband connections in places where fiber or cable installation is too expensive or difficult. While fixed wireless technologies based on 4G/LTE do exist, they cannot match the speeds of wired broadband and are also not economically viable to deploy. However, this changes with the takeoff of 5G technologies. Next-generation 5G FWA products are expected to offer data transfer rates competitive with fiber broadband connections without the complexities introduced by fiber installation. The improvements in performance with 5G FWA can be partly attributed to the expected use of mmWave 5G frequency bands (greater than 24GHz) plus advanced antenna technologies such as massive MIMO and beamforming. IDTechEx expects that the total revenue for 5G FWA will reach nearly US$300 billion by 2033, as forecast in their report, “5G Market 2023-2033: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players”. Importantly, the implementation of 5G FWA requires customer premises equipment (CPEs) - devices in residences and businesses that can connect to a 5G access unit and create a high-speed Wi-Fi network within the building. CPEs are less comparable to base stations and more analogous to Wi-Fi repeaters. They receive 5G cellular signals from 5G base stations and then transform those cellular signals into Wi-Fi signals so more devices within the building, like laptops, can connect to the 5G network. It is clear that CPEs are integral for the future expansion of the 5G and FWA network into homes and businesses. - The Challenges of 5G FWA and CPEs While 5G FWA sounds incredibly promising, it still faces challenges in its real-life application. The biggest challenge is that mmWave 5G radio transmission struggles with high transmission losses, which decreases its coverage area. Additionally, mmWave 5G signals are susceptible to disruption from environmental factors like rain and foliage. While advanced antenna technologies can help alleviate these issues, they are often expensive to implement, which is undesirable for a technology with limited commercial deployment, like 5G FWA. Clearly, the high transmission losses inherent with mmWave 5G present barriers to the global installation and propagation of 5G FWA. - Low-loss Materials’ Opportunity in 5G CPEs Given the need to decrease transmission losses for 5G CPEs, low-loss materials will need to be extensively utilized in the PCBs and RF componentry of CPEs to reduce signal loss, especially for mmWave 5G CPEs. While sub-6GHz 5G CPEs using incumbent dielectric materials like epoxy-based laminates exist, their performance is inadequate for mmWave 5G CPEs, whose higher data speeds are needed for the broader implementation of 5G FWA. Incumbent materials are also less suitable for the miniaturization of RF components, which are needed in CPEs to keep their smaller footprint. This presents a strong opportunity for emerging thermoplastics and ceramics to grab market share in a growing market. Such emerging low-loss materials will still face challenges; while vendors will want to utilize ultra-low-loss materials to increase their CPEs’ performance, said materials are also quite expensive. This could make installing 5G CPEs in every home or business economically unviable for the vendor. Still, there is a reason why so many major 5G vendors, like Samsung, Nokia, and Huawei, are launching their own CPEs. With millions of potential CPE installations in future years, 5G FWA may grow to be a hundreds-of-billions dollar market. 5G CPEs, with installation numbers closer to 5G smartphones and materials usage closer to small base stations, are a major underrated application for low-loss materials. - Market Forecasts for Low-loss Materials for 5G and 6G IDTechEx’s latest report, “Low-loss Materials for 5G and 6G 2023-2033”, explores the major application areas driving the growth of the low-loss materials market for 5G and 6G, like 5G CPEs. IDTechEx forecasts future revenue and area demand for low-loss materials for 5G while carefully segmenting the market by frequency (sub-6 GHz vs. mmWave), six material types, and three application areas (smartphones, infrastructure, and CPEs) to provide sixty different forecast lines. For further information on low-loss materials for 5G and 6G, including material benchmarking studies, player analysis, market drivers and barriers, and granular 10-year market forecasts, see the IDTechEx report - www.IDTechEx.com/LowLossMats. For the full portfolio of 5G related research available from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/5G
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Comba Has Been Appointed by China Mobile Hong Kong to Provide 5G Indoor Coverage Solution
Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited ("Comba Telecom" or "the Group", SEHK stock code: 2342 and SGX stock code: STC), - Comba Network Systems Company Limited ("Comba Network"), a subsidiary of the Group, today announced that it was appointed by China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) for the design, building, and supply of a 5G Indoor Coverage Solution for LAWSGROUP's flagship technology property KTR 350, facilitating 5G Smart City development in Hong Kong. As the first large-scale project under the strategic partnership between CMHK and LAWSGROUP to accelerate industrial transformations and the building of a digitalized society, KTR 350 is a new 29-storey smart commercial building with a gross floor area of 200,000 sq ft located at 350 Kwun Tong Road, Hong Kong. Comba Network will design and build an integrated indoor 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G New Radio (NR) System, operating in the new 5G 700 MHz band and the 3300 MHz to 3600 MHz golden spectrum band, as well as the traditional frequency bands for 2G, 3G and 4G. With a 300 MHz bandwidth, this integrated system will support 4x4 MIMO technology to deliver enhanced broadband user experience in the 5G NR network. Comba ComFlex Pro Distributed Antenna System (DAS) Solution will be deployed to meet all the advanced system requirements and help LAWSGROUP expand and deepen the 5G indoor network coverage for KTR350. Comba ComFlex Pro DAS platform is a unique, highly flexible, and scalable solution featuring advanced capabilities to ensure high-quality indoor network coverage and performance for all building types. It enables flexible system deployment and capacity allocation, as well as savings on power, cost, and rack space to meet the rapidly growing demands of IoT applications and optimal indoor network coverage, capacity, and performance in high-traffic areas. As a tier-one trusted partner of local mobile operators in providing both passive and active 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G DAS infrastructure and professional service in Hong Kong, Comba Network has successfully deployed ComFlex Pro Solutions in prominent landmarks in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) (public 4G system), the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), and the Olympian City for CMHK. Mr. Tao Sun, Deputy General Manager and General Manager of International Sales Center of Comba Network said, "We are excited to support the strategic move LAWSGROUP have taken to transform industrial buildings into smart buildings with the integration of 5G smart technologies in Hong Kong. As a trusted indoor distribution system supplier with a dedicated and professional engineering team, Comba Network will continuously innovate to compete, grow and remain relevant in the field of information and communications." Mr. Rico Lau, IT Director of LAWSGROUP said, "We are pleased to further deepen the cooperation with our strategic partners, to integrate 5G smart solutions and infrastructures in our flagship 5G-enabled smart building KTR 350. As a corporate that places great emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development, one of the main purposes of adopting 5G smart solutions is to enhance our overall environmental performance complementing the "1.5°Campaign" we rolled out earlier. We look forward to the continued collaboration to further the goal of our business digitization and sustainability development."
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Telecoms will be fastest growing African business sector
The telecoms sector will be the fastest-growing industry in Africa over the next five years as internet connectivity improves, new research* with business leaders for blockchain-based mobile network operator World Mobile shows. When asked to pick the three sectors that they believe will see the strongest growth over the next five years, three out of four (75%) senior executives selected telecoms in the study. It was comfortably ahead of the healthcare sector which emerged as the second choice selected by 61% of survey respondents as one of three industries that will see the strongest growth ahead of tourism at 44% Senior executives at companies with combined annual revenues of more than $6.75 billion based in Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa were interviewed for the study. Improvement in internet connectivity was identified as central to growth in the economy and across all sectors. Around two-thirds (66%) say it is important while 20% believe it is very important. The table below shows which sectors senior business executives believe will be the fastest-growing over the next five years. World Mobile is helping to revolutionise internet connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa and is already working with the government in Zanzibar where it is launching a unique hybrid mobile network delivering connectivity supported by low altitude platform balloons. Its blockchain-based network vastly reduces capital expenditure and cuts costs compared to traditional telecom operators. World Mobile is in discussions to expand in Tanzania and Kenya, as well as other territories underserviced by traditional mobile operators. Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile said: “The expansion of telecoms across the African continent is central to driving economic growth and senior business executives clearly agree as they rank it well ahead of other major sectors of the economy.” “To a great extent, growth in telecoms spurs growth in other sectors as societies become more digital and technology focused and that applies very much to financial services, healthcare, retail and education.” “Not all parts of Africa however have strong internet connectivity and we want to help by providing a service which is affordable and reliable and look forward to working with governments across the continent.” World Mobile’s balloons will be the first to officially launch in Africa for commercial use, offering a more cost-effective way to provide digital connection to people and is the first step in its mission to help bring nearly four billion people online before 2030 in line with the UN and World Bank’s SDGs. The World Mobile approach is more sustainable, in environmental, social and governance terms. Environmental impacts are mitigated using solar-powered nodes, second-life batteries, and energy-efficient technology. World Mobile creates a positive societal impact through the application of its circular economy model – a “sharing economy” where locals share in the ownership and rewards of the network.
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The Next Stage in Thermal Materials for 5G, Discussed by IDTechEx
5G is already a common feature of modern smartphones, with the small logo making its way into the top corner of our screens. You could be forgiven for thinking that 5G is here and now old technology, but 5G encompasses several frequency bands and these have not yet been equally deployed. Whilst much of the “5G” infrastructure is a moderate upgrade on existing 4G technology, there is still plenty of scope for higher frequency deployment such as mmWave devices and very different station types such as small cells. Each of these new developments presents its own technological evolution and with it, thermal challenges. IDTechEx’s recent research into Thermal Management for 5G has found innovations occurring within the semiconductor technology (CMOS, SiGe, GaN, etc.), thermal interface materials, and die attach technology. - mmWave 5G: Densification of electronics leads to thermal challenges 5G can be categorized into several frequency bands with several of these being repurposed existing lower frequencies and some of the new bands reaching up to 6 GHz. This is where most of the deployment has occurred so far. But when people talk about the huge potential download rates and minimal latency times, they are usually referring to mmWave (>20 GHz) 5G. Here, there is still space for significant technological innovation and new deployment use-cases. 5G deployment consists of two new bands and existing low frequency bands. Source: IDTechEx – “5G Technology, Market and Forecasts 2022-2032” Given antenna spacing is equal to half the wavelength of the signal, the higher frequency means the antenna itself can be much more compact, with thousands of elements combined into a package a fraction of the size of previous antenna technology. However, this leads to a densification of the IC (integrated circuits) distribution, typically with the ICs directly on the back of the antenna board. The close packing of ICs leads to greater heat dissipation and hence thermal management challenges. IDTechEx research has found that whilst most thermal interface materials (TIMs) used today are below 4 W/m·K thermal conductivity, the demands of future 5G devices could push this value well into the 5-10 W/m·K range. - mmWave 5G: More antennas are required Another key challenge with higher frequency telecommunication infrastructure is the signal propagation. As frequency increases, the signal is more easily attenuated, with broadcast range significantly reduced and the signal easily blocked by walls or windows. One solution to this problem is the use of beamforming to directly “target” user devices. This greater control of the signal feeds into the above challenges around the compact nature of high-performance ICs on the antenna board. However, this only goes so far. To reach a satisfactory coverage over significant areas, many more of these antennas are required. IDTechEx is predicting a 41-fold increase in the yearly deployments of mmWave antenna by 2032 compared to their 2022 deployment. This is not as much of a problem as it appears at first, because, as mentioned previously, the antenna units are very compact. This means that they can be deployed more easily and in more integrated formats (on lampposts for example) compared to previous infrastructure. Thanks to the requirement for more mmWave antennas, the markets for thermal materials within them are expected to see a 5-fold growth in the next 5 years alone. mmWave antenna present the greatest TIM market by 2032. Source: IDTechEx – “Thermal Management for 5G 2022-2032” IDTechEx’s latest report on “Thermal Management for 5G” addresses the trends in 5G deployment and how this impacts the antenna design, choice of semiconductor technology, die attach materials, and thermal interface materials. Both technological aspects and market forecasts are included for the next 10 years. Additionally, it considers many smartphones and how the incorporation of 5G is impacting thermal materials (interface and heat spreaders).
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Wirepas and Nordic Semiconductor demonstrate the world’s first non-cellular 5G connection
Massive IoT is becoming a reality with the non-cellular 5G Mesh. A test network acts as the product proof of concept demonstration. It visually shows data connection in the DECT-2020 network – the technology standard behind the 5G Mesh. The 5G Mesh demonstration was jointly presented in the ETSI TC DECT#94 plenary meeting by Wirepas and Nordic Semiconductor on June 28th at Tampere. With DECT-2020, it will be possible for anyone to deploy and connect devices in license-exempt, private 5G networks for the first time. This represents a massive opportunity for connecting billions of devices easily and reliably. While the IoT market and connectivity issues have existed for quite some time, there hasn’t been a standardized solution. Previous solutions have not solved the problems cost-efficient and reliably on the required scale. For this reason, the prevalence of connected devices has been delayed. DECT-2020 NR is the first standard designed specifically to solve the IoT connectivity problem. Wirepas hosted the ETSI TC DECT#94 meeting at the end of June in Tampere, Finland. It’s an open event to all ETSI members from industries developing DECT-2020 NR and DECT technology. The 5G Mesh demonstration network shown at the meeting is a significant step in turning the DECT-2020 standard into a product. Based on our technical demo built on Nordic Semiconductor’s commercial hardware & DECT-2020 L1 modem software, and Wirepas Connectivity Suite software, we can confirm that specification is implementable, says Kristian Saether, Product Manager for cellular IoT and DECT NR+ in Nordic Semiconductor We were at the first time able to integrate DECT-2020 radio by Nordic Semiconductor, and Wirepas developed a DECT-2020 connectivity suite and visually demonstrate data connection. This is, in essence, the equivalent of the first GSM call during the mobile phone development programs, says Jouni Mikkonen, SVP Product and R&D of Wirepas. A wireless connection in a network is the steppingstone for the final stages of product development. The DECT-2020 demonstration, which is the first running non-cellular 5G network in the world, received well-earned attention and interest among the participants. “Today we achieved a great milestone in the development of DECT-2020, with the first public product demonstration. The standard has been developed in a very short time. We have shown already to ITU-R the properties via simulations. Nw we could prove that a real implementation is available and working properly. I expect that DECT-2020 is ready to support a big field of applications.” - Dr. Guenter Kleindl, Chairman ETSI TC DECT
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Quest for Speed, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Unveils Wi-Fi 6E
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, a leading provider of digital age networks, communications and cloud solutions is developing its Wi-Fi portfolio enabling 6 GHz band with the launch of Wi-Fi 6E access points (AP) OmniAccess® Stellar 14xx series in September. In addition to the comprehensive and competitive Wi-Fi 6 OmniAccess Stellar AP13xx series, the new Wi-Fi 6E access points will deliver an extended access portfolio that can manage the ever-increasing wireless connectivity and bandwidth demands. ALE is first introducing a high-end premium Wi-Fi 6E Access Point which will be followed by a mid-range access point by the end of the year. Wi-Fi 6E extends Wi-Fi into the 6 GHz band, adding a substantial amount of unlicensed spectrum to address the exponential expansion of connected devices. Wi-Fi standards are driving the pace of evolution for ALE’s OmniAccess Stellar WLAN solutions, and the new access points boast a variety of market-leading capabilities. Through its flexibility and scalability, Wi-Fi 6E provides improved performance in dense environments, allowing a large number of clients to connect to one access point at the same time. With the rise of high-bandwidth, low-latency applications (such as augmented/virtual reality, 4K/8K Ultra-HD video and medical IoT), 6 GHz Wi-Fi now has seven super-wide 160Mhz channels available for enhanced performances. Public venues and crowded environments will strongly benefit from these advanced connectivity capabilities and offer significant Quality of Experience enhancements to enterprises and users. Based on a distributed intelligence WLAN control architecture, OmniAccess Stellar products eliminate the need for physical centralised controllers, delivering performances with maximum scalability and real operational simplicity. ALE has been a pioneer in introducing this distributed intelligence architecture. Stephan Robineau, EVP Network Business Division at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, comments: "As our customers’ needs keep evolving, we will continue to meet their ever-changing requirements and deliver exceptional service. Customers in Wi-Fi 6E approved countries can now take advantage of one of the largest unlicensed spectrum offerings, which will boost the performance of next-generation apps in Wi-Fi 6E enabled devices to deliver high quality of connectivity experience." ALE’s OmniAccess Stellar portfolio is developed and designed to meet all clients' needs, profiles, and budgets. Existing clients can choose from different purchasing models, including Network as a Service, to smoothly transition and evolve to new Wi-Fi standards at their own pace, with minimum investment and no financial risk.
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Black Box and Celona Team Up to Create Future-forward 5G Solutions for All Applications
Black Box®, a leading global solutions integrator, announced today that it has formed a partnership with 5G and OnGo™ industry innovator, Celona, to provide the most complete, bleeding-edge 5G and private LTE wireless networks available. The partnership enables Black Box to drive innovation in connectivity, giving superior wireless networking options to every market. Private networks using 5G/LAN technology — an even-licensed, low-band wireless spectrum that gives clients access to private wireless connectivity at a fraction of the cost associated with LTE — maintain the simplicity of Wi-Fi while providing superior outcomes in secure and cost-effective wireless coverage for high-volume wireless traffic and IoT applications. Commenting on the new partnership, Bill Holman, vice president and general manager of 5G technologies for Black Box, explained, "We're tremendously excited to work closely with Celona. They are true industry innovators." He added, "We are looking forward to working with such progressive individuals. By adding 5G LAN technology to our service mix, we are able to provide our customers with unique new solutions for outdoor, retail, supply chain, and other environments that need the coverage and reliability of LTE and 5G. Simple integration into existing and complex infrastructures is the way into the future. Celona agrees, and so our partnership is a very natural one." Ozer Dondurmaciouglu, vice president of marketing at Celona added, "5G network technology is at the forefront for enterprises building out their private network strategies, and Black Box will be a key strategic partner for us. Their deep expertise in this space and trusted relationships with Fortune 1000 enterprise companies make Black Box the ideal partner." Using a wide range of technologies, Black Box designs, builds and manages wireless networks to support the connected enterprise, delivering superior digital connectivity across multiple industries. Forward-thinking clients engage Black Box to incorporate OnGo/Private LTE and 5G into their existing networks and plan for future wireless networks. Celona accelerates the adoption for business-critical apps in the enterprise by taking advantage of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. Its 5G LAN architecture is designed to automate the deployment of cellular wireless by enterprises and managed service providers, and drastically simplify its integration with existing IT infrastructures. Essentially, Celona's innovative Edgeless Enterprise Architecture allows enterprises, for the first time, to own and operate their own private LTE/5G networks. For more information about Black Box and the company's global solutions integration services, see www.blackbox.com
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Prysmian Group to deliver cable for the fibre network of the future in Australia
Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, announces it will work with Telstra to build a new state-of-the-art intercapital fibre network in Australia. The national fibre network project is a multi-year project which will see Telstra build a new “state-of-the-art inter-city dual fibre path” that adds up to 20,000 route km of new fibre optic terrestrial cable, boosting inter-capital capacity, as well as capacity for regional areas. Prysmian Group is Telstra’s cable partner for this project. Prysmian and Telstra InfraCo undertook the development of a leading-edge optical cable system, leveraging on Prysmian’s local R&D Lab. The Group invested to develop the next generation of high strength low loss optical cable, featuring a highly ruggedised design, made for direct ploughing enabling long distance deployment in harsh local conditions. The state-of-the-art cable design is combined with Prysmian’s BendBright® G.657.A2 Low Loss fibre technology combining high performance with robustness. Prysmian’s cable has been developed to Australia’s unique environmental conditions and will be designed and manufactured locally at Prysmian’s factory on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Prysmian will support this project through local production of the optical cables in Dee Why, Sydney which will boost jobs and investment in local high-tech manufacturing, and the Group is investing to upgrade the plant’s capacity and capability. The deployment includes up to 20,000 kms of dual high strength optical cables combined with upgrade of the network within the Metro cities. “There is an ever-growing demand for greater fibre capacity, enabling massive bandwidth and ultrafast data rates with lower latency. We are committed to supporting Telstra in the realization of this project, where quality of products and innovative cabling solutions are fundamental.” commented Philippe Vanhille, EVP Telecom Division at Prysmian Group. “Our approach is to invest in understanding the challenges of our customers and to leverage on our leading innovation, in order to create the most advanced solutions for each and every use case, without ever compromising on quality and robustness,” Mr Vanhille added.
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Bluepeak to Bring a Faster, More Reliable Internet to Altus, Oklahoma
Bluepeak, an innovative internet provider, announced today that it has received franchise approval from the city of Altus, Okla. to build a high-speed fiber network to meet the growing needs of the community, today and in the future. The approximately $9 million network expansion will bring Bluepeak service to more than 9,000 residences and businesses in Altus. “We’re very proud of our partnership with the city of Altus to enhance internet connectivity here,” said Rich Fish, CEO of Bluepeak. “We can’t wait to bring our next-generation, fiber-to-the-home network to the great community of Altus to meet the growing needs for how we all live.” With Bluepeak’s advanced fiber connection, residential customers can get up to 5 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) of symmetrical bandwidth (upload and download speeds) and businesses can get up to 10 Gbps and beyond of symmetrical bandwidth. Bluepeak’s fiber network will provide faster speeds, better connectivity, and the bandwidth to connect more devices for internet, streaming, gaming and more. “We're excited to have Bluepeak investing in our community, and improving broadband access in our city," said Altus Mayor Robert Garrison. "We look forward to building a great relationship with them to make Altus an even better place to live and work.” “I support the efforts of Bluepeak to bring broadband into southwest Oklahoma,” said Okla. Sen. Brent Howard. “The opportunities that will come with quality, high-speed internet will open new work possibilities for the residents of Altus. We live in an age of information and remote capabilities; this will make Altus more connected and accessible for growth.” Bluepeak has coordinated with the city of Altus and will begin construction on the new network this summer. For more information and to receive the latest updates, visit www.mybluepeak.com
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ABI Research releases a study on the new 5G IoT standard
A white paper by ABI research reveals that the new 5G standard challenges cellular 5G networks and Wi-Fi in enabling companies to build massive low-cost networks for IoT applications. The standard allows use in various use cases across industries with multiple benefits, including, but not limited to, smart metering, mitigating inventory shrinkage, enhancing workplace safety, creating energy savings, and streamlining warehouse workflows. In addition, the standard offers the lowest carbon footprint on large-scale networks, along with other key benefits: (1) Low-cost network enabling IoT connectivity democratization: Working on the dedicated unlicensed radio spectrum of 1.9 GHz, without subscriptions. (2) Sustainability: The lowest carbon footprint of large-scale networks (3) Autonomous operation: largely autonomous, self-healing operation with automated auto-configuration. (4) Shared spectrum operation: Shared spectrum operation and polite spectrum access across all frequency bands. (5) Flexibility, robustness, and ease of deployment: Its self-healing mesh can dynamically go around physical obstacles, thereby avoiding connectivity black spots. The most significant contributors to the standard are a technology provider Wirepas and a manufacturer of semiconductors, Nordic Semiconductor. The first commercial technology based on this standard will be available already in 2022. "The new IoT standard brings 5G IoT networks to the reach of everyone as it lets any solution provider and system integrator to include 5G mesh networks into their offering, sets up and manage its own network autonomously without an effort, with no operators, anywhere in the world. At a tenth of the cost in comparison to cellular solutions. It enables companies to operate without middlemen or subscription fees. Another democratizing aspect is the frequency. The new 5G standard supports free international spectrums such as 1,9 GHz. We see this as a fundamental requirement for massive digitalization for everyone." - Teppo Hemiä, CEO of Wirepas Wirepas is a leading IoT company with a mission to democratize enterprise IoT. It aims to make failure-free connectivity accessible to any enterprise of any size. It makes IoT real through its connectivity software, enabling massive decentralized, scalable, high-density, and long-range network applications. Its technology lets any enterprise set up and manage its own network autonomously without operators, separate network infrastructure, middlemen, or subscriptions - at a fraction of the cost of other alternatives. Wirepas is also the main contributor to the first non-cellular 5G standard, purpose-built for massive IoT and using a free global spectrum. It serves customers worldwide with offices in Australia, Germany, Finland, France, India, and the United States, in smart tracking, smart building, smart manufacturing, and smart metering. Learn more on wirepas.com
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5G: The Market GaN Needs, Discussed by IDTechEx
People could be forgiven for assuming that 5G is already here and a done thing. However, much of the 5G rollout to date has been in lower frequency bands more similar to existing 4G rather than taking full advantage of the higher frequencies. The current state of 5G has seen less technological innovation than might have initially been expected with the promise of high frequency, Gigabit download speeds, and millisecond latency yet to be realized in a major way. There is certainly more scope for technical development and hence opportunities for several technologies and materials, a critical one of which is the semiconductor technology with wide bandgap semiconductors. IDTechEx’s latest research report on “Thermal Management for 5G 2022-2032” finds that GaN (gallium nitride) has a significant opportunity within the 5G market and this creates a downstream effect on other components such as die attach materials. LDMOS (laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor) devices have been the technology of choice for power amplifiers through the 4G era. These power amplifiers provide the crucial role of boosting the signal for transmission. The trouble is once we move above around 4 GHz, LDMOS starts to become inefficient. Efficiency is a critical factor for telecoms infrastructure as it directly impacts the energy consumption of the antenna. With much of 5G infrastructure being deployed alongside existing equipment, the energy consumption of telecoms towers is set to increase dramatically, adoption of wide bandgap semiconductors like GaN is one method to reduce this future impact. GaN provides greatly improved efficiencies at higher frequencies, depending on the specific use case, this can be in the region of 10% or more improvements for efficiency. GaN started being deployed in 4G networks with Huawei equipment but has seen only moderate adoption globally so far due to the increased price, lower manufacturing availability, and difficulty in integration with other components. However, it is far from niche technology developed by startup companies, for example, Japanese technology giant Sumitomo provides RF components to companies like Huawei including their GaN devices. With the growth of 5G continuing, especially for higher frequencies, we’re expecting a significant uptake in GaN over the next decade, especially for the higher end of the sub-6 GHz infrastructure where higher powers are being used and component integration is not quite as challenging as it is in the mmWave region. For this application, IDTechEx predicts a 4 fold increase in GaN demand per year by the end of the decade. The adoption of wide bandgap semiconductors typically raises the junction temperature of devices and starts to bring more thermal management considerations. One critical failure point with thermal cycling is how the semiconductor device is connected, or the die attach material. Junction temperatures for GaN devices are often above 175 °C, at this point we start to limit the options for typical solder materials, especially when lead-free is a requirement in most markets. This is leading many players to consider sintering materials. Sintering involves the application of a (typically silver) paste that is heated causing densification. The upshot is a more reliable connection with improved thermal conductivity. This has already started to be adopted in a big way in the electric vehicle market thanks to the transition to SiC (silicon carbide) and 800 V platforms. The key limitation historically has been the lack of commercial experience, long curing times, and the need for an inert atmosphere or higher pressures, but developments of these materials, greater market adoption, and the trend towards GaN could see sintering start to make a big impact in the 5G market too. IDTechEx is expecting a 10-fold increase in demand for sintering materials in 5G infrastructure by 2030. There is also a great interest in the development of copper sintering materials over silver due to the potentially reduced costs and improved performance but falls into the same issues as silver sintering had originally compared to solder. IDTechEx’s latest report on “Thermal Management for 5G 2022-2032” covers the choice of semiconductor technology in sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequency bands, as well as the associated die, attach materials with 10-year market forecasts for both. The report also considers the developments in antenna design, use of thermal interface materials and developments in thermal materials for 5G smartphones.
