MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – The world wireless test equipment market earned revenues of $2.79 billion in 2010, and Frost & Sullivan estimates this number will exceed $5.81 billion in 2017.

Mobile station testers, base station testers, drive testers, mobile backhaul test equipment, and wireless core test equipment are included in that market.

The growth of the wireless communication market has a ripple effect on the wireless test equipment market, as increased mobility and Internet access through mobile phones are expected to raise the demand for wireless test equipment solutions, says the research company.

Long-term evolution, the next step in the evolution of mobile networks, delivers high data rates of up to 100Mbps. Such heavy data loads will challenge wireless operators to manage their networks effectively and ensure customer satisfaction, while still staying profitable, the firm says.

Higher mobile data usage creates more traffic on the network, leading to increased demand to test for quality of service and quality of experience. Educating service providers about the importance of testing and monitoring and its impact on QoE and customer churn is crucial to improve the uptake of test equipment, Frost notes.

“Enhanced data usage also triggers transmission pipeline-related technology changes, such as conversion from copper to optical technologies,” says Frost & Sullivan program manager Olga Yashkova. “Such transition creates new opportunities for testing one gigabit per second, 10GB, 40GB, and 100GB pipelines."

However, the surfeit of new technologies has thrown up numerous interoperability issues for SPs. As the number of devices supplied by different vendors increases, protocol management will become more complicated.

In the absence of a separate signaling or session framework, interoperability testing has to be performed at every existing node when a new element or software load is placed in service. These activities are time and resource intensive, with costs increasing in proportion to the number of tests that have to be performed. To avoid these hurdles, SPs prefer to work with fewer vendors.

One of the possible solutions to service providers testing concerns is multiple input and multiple output technology, which is a significant component of air interface test equipment. As the industry shifts from 2X2 MIMO to 4X4 MIMO or 8X8 MIMO, testing will become increasingly tough, says the firm.

Even though MIMO has several unique testing challenges due to its complexity, it presents numerous opportunities for wireless test equipment vendors.

“It will be awhile before the market experiences optimal performance from MIMO implementation,” notes Yashkova. “Nevertheless, the demand for higher data and bandwidth will force the industry to find more spectrums, and that, in turn, will prompt the higher adoption of MIMO.”

SPOKANE, WA -- Honeywell Electronic Materials will more than double its refining and casting capacity for high-purity copper and tin over the next 12 months at its facility here in response to rising demand in the semiconductor industry.

WILMINGTON, MA -- OnCore Manufacturing Services officially announced the opening of a new product introduction and electronics manufacturing facility here, its second in Massachusetts.

LAS VEGAS -- Construction of Fabrinet’s newest manufacturing plant remains on track for completion by March 2012, the company told analysts yesterday.

LYON, FRANCE – More than $2B will be invested between 2011 and 2016 on new LLO, permanent bonding, singulation and testing equipment for LED packaging,but the rising tide won't lift all ships.

KURESSAARE, ESTONIA -- Contract electronics assembler Incap will expand its factory here by some 37,000 sq. ft., almost doubling the current space.

SAO PAULO -- Huawei Technologies plans to build or buy a manufacturing plant in Brazil in the coming months, the telecom company's top local executive said yesterday.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics (the trading name of Hon Hai) today reported flat August revenues as consumer demand stagnated in anticipation of the next-generation Apple smartphones.

HONG KONG -- Japan's March 11 earthquake continues to claim victims as SMT Holdings tries to stave off bankruptcy. The Top 50 EMS firm is closing two factories and cutting its workforce by one-third as orders from its major Japanese customers have dried up.

LAS VEGAS – In his first public address, the new chief manufacturing officer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology stressed new tax and business policies are at the heart of the reinvention of US manufacturing.

MANASSAS, VA – A multitude of electronics manufacturing suppliers will host a free one-day workshop at Zestron’s US headquarters Sept. 27 and 28.

Seven presentations and hands-on training will be provided on elements for a successful SMT process.

The workshop will be jointly held with Kester, DfR Solutions, Speedline, MPM, SMT North America and Sawa.

Kester will address potential reliability challenges caused by solder paste and flux residues, as well as decreasing pitch. DfR Solutions will provide information on contamination and cleanliness and a practical approach to today’s challenging industry requirements.

Other topics will cover stencil cleaning, reflow oven, inline cleaning process optimization and troubleshooting techniques, cleaning process control, and optimizing printer underside wiping.

For information, visit www.zestron.com/us/electronics/upcoming-events.html.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — Suppliers of components for enclosures are sought to participate in a new IPC standard for box builds.