Upper millimeter microwave radio poised to take off

USA: Advances in semiconductor technology, favorable spectrum policy and demand for gigabit throughput capabilities have created an opportunity for millimeter wave radio technology to prosper.

Applications in the mobile backhaul and consumer electronics markets in particular will drive the creation of an over $1.5 billion dollar market for upper millimeter-based technology in 2014, up from nearly $50 million in sales today, according to a new Visant Strategies report.

One of the best emerging markets for upper millimeter radio vendors is backhaul on the E-band for growing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ wireless networks, according to report findings. Nearly 50 times the number of 60 GHz and E-Band point-to-point radios are due to be shipped in 2014 compared to 2008, according to "Upper Millimeter Microwave Radio: Ready to Compete 2009."

“Use of the E-band spectrum, rapidly becoming available in most of the world, can be looked at for connecting many mobile network elements,” said Andy Fuertes of Visant Strategies. “Prices have fallen substantially, reliability has increased and 3.5/4G networks provide demand for E band PTP radios.”

“Mobile backhaul will be one success area, but several application areas for upper millimeter use will grow quite significantly during the next five years,” said Larry Swasey of Visant Strategies. WirelessHD, a silicon-based radio operating on 60 GHz, could, in a best-case-scenario, account for nearly a half-billion dollars in sales in 2014, the report finds, and it could parallel the success of Bluetooth technology in the future.

The study examines the 60 GHz, E, Q and W bands and evaluates systems above 100 GHz. Existing and future applications such as mobile backhaul, wireless enterprise bridges, wireless fiber lateral emulations and government and public safety networks are studied. Also examined is use within automotive collision avoidance, security/airport imaging applications and within personal area networks, particularly within WirelessHD.

All application segments are quantified in either shipments, revenues or both through 2014 and the world market for mobile backhaul utilizing upper millimeter radio is segmented by year by region through 2014.