MIMO, LAA, carrier aggregation push growth
A new study found small cell shipments doubled or even tripled in many categories in 2015, but one market segment grew by up to 500%.
The Semiconductor for Small Cells market study found the proliferation of more intricate small cell technologies such as multiple-input/multiple-output, carrier aggregation, license assisted access/LTE WLAN aggregation and multi-mode requirements caused the small cell semiconductor market to practically quintuple this year.
“Because most small cells include multiple bands, MIMO and an evolving collection of unlicensed radios, the semiconductor dollar value in a typical small cell is increasing,” Joe Madden, principal analyst at Mobile Experts, explained. “In fact, we predict that the number of radio transceivers per small cell will increase to an average of 3.7 by 2020. That’s a $1.1 billion bag of transceivers, power amplifiers, linearization, filters and OCXOs to make it all work.”
This is the first year the semiconductor market, which includes systems of chips, transceivers, power amplifiers, filters, and OCXOs for small cells, has been large enough for Mobile Experts to include in its report.
“The market is breaking out with deployments 20,000 units at a time,” Madden said. “Last year, deployments were happening 50 to 100 at a time, so progress this year is truly remarkable.”
Madden also predicts the market will get competitive.
“Two chipset suppliers have risen to the top as the market blasts off, but other [system-on-chip] suppliers will take their places with ongoing growth in additional market segments.”
The study used confidential shipment data from 19 companies to reach its results. Mobile Experts’ studies from 2012 to 2014 predicted 2015 would be the year small cell growth would explode. This year, the small cell market grew by 62%.
For more information about metro cell deployments currently underway in the U.S., how operators and neutral host providers evaluate and project the cost of small cells and much more, download the DAS and Small Cell Update feature report on RCRWireless.com.
