Wireless infrastructure GaAs devices to reach $320 million in 2015

BOSTON, USA: With mobile data consumption continuing to skyrocket, operators are refining their wireless infrastructure network architecture to support the increasing data demand.

The recently released Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service (GaAs) Forecast and Outlook, “Wireless Infrastructure RF Power Device Demand: 2011 - 2015,” forecasts that 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. Both trends will lead to a consistent growth rate from GaAs devices, bringing the market value to $320 million in 2015.

This Strategy Analytics report forecasts that the number of base station sector shipments will increase to slightly more than 9.2 million in 2015. More than half of these sectors will be for lower power, smaller cells. Additionally, Strategy Analytics 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,” noted 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.”

Asif Anwar, director in the Strategy Analytics Strategic Technologies Practice added, “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.”