Reconfigurable SDR Base Stations to Take 20% Market Share by 2014

Pioneer Consulting has published research highlighting the opportunity for Multiprotocol Multiband (MPMB) Software Defined Radio (SDR) base stations. The research concludes that market factors and advances in the technology are creating a favourable environment for SDR base station technology.

Pioneer's research indicates that the key to achieving growth in worldwide demand for MPMB SDR base stations is the emergence of 4G standards like UMB, LTE and Mobile WiMAX which are expected to be commercialised around 2010. By 2014, Pioneer expects that worldwide revenues from MPMB SDR base stations will be close to $10 billion.

Commenting on these findings, Aditya Kaul, Senior Analyst at Pioneer, said, "The regional influence of MPMB SDR Vendors like Vanu Inc. and Alcatel Lucent is crucial for the technology to become a commercially viable solution." Kaul says that shortening standards lifecycles and uncertainty caused by vendors promoting proprietary wireless technologies is making the optimal choice for their network a tough call for wireless operators. Now that recent innovations have enabled wideband RF front ends and soft transceivers, reconfigurable MPMB SDR base stations are one solution to this problem.

Pioneer nevertheless expects resistance from certain sectors. "Not everyone will be convinced about this new base station technology", warns Kaul. "Incumbent mobile operators with a growing dependence on large OEM vendors who are still unsure about MPMB support, are less likely to make the transition."

Posted to the site on 13th November 2007