RF Micro Devices® Press Release - March 8, 2011 |
RFMD Expands Portfolio of Industry-Leading 5GHz WiFi Front End Modules (FEMs) for Handsets, Smartphones and Tablets-- RFMD's WiFi FEMs Address Wide Range of High-Performance Applications and TargetExplosive Growth in WiFi End Markets  GREENSBORO, N.C., March 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq:RFMD), a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio frequency components and compound semiconductor technologies, today announced the expansion of its industry-leading 5 GHz WiFi product portfolio to include three new 5 GHz high-band WiFi front end modules (FEMs) with integrated power amplifiers (PAs). The three new 5 GHz FEMs — the RF5686, the RF5506, and the RF5516 -- deliver industry-leading high power and high linearity and are optimized for the rapidly growing smartphone and tablet markets.
The global WiFi market is growing rapidly and is forecast to represent a greater than $1 billion total addressable market (TAM) by 2014. Adoption of dual-band WiFi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) in handsets is estimated to increase from approximately 25% of all handsets in 2011 to approximately 50% of all handsets in 2012, with increasing emphasis on the 5 GHz band for use in 3G/4G smartphones. The anticipated growth in tablet devices is also forecast to support 5 GHz FEM adoption, as mobile WiFi chipsets for tablets increasingly adopt dual-band functionality. To satisfy the growing market demand, RFMD has developed industry-leading FEMs with high levels of integration, small package sizes, and best-in-class linearity performance. RFMD offers a broad portfolio of highly integrated FEMs that include the PA, the switch, filtering, baluns and an optional low noise amplifier (LNA) for both single-band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) and dual- band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) operation. RFMD's WiFi product portfolio also includes discrete PAs, switches and switch/LNA products that support integrated chipset solutions. Bob Van Buskirk, president of RFMD's Multi-Market Products Group (MPG), said, "RFMD forecasts the WiFi market will expand significantly as dual-band adoption increases and as volume expands across a variety of end markets, including smartphones, tablets, home automation, WiFi TV, automotive and personal computing. Because carrier requirements continue to demand higher power levels, this is placing an even greater focus on product performance and increasing the reliance on RFMD's core technology and product development capabilities." Samples and production quantities of the RF5686, RF5506, and RF5516 are available now through RFMD sales representatives and through the RFMD online store at www.rfmd.com. Product brochures are available and can be downloaded from RFMD's website or by contacting RFMD at 336-664-1233. About RFMD RF systems expertise and is a preferred supplier to the world's leading mobile device, customer premises and communications equipment providers. Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities. RFMD is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol RFMD. For more information, please visit RFMD's web site at www.rfmd.com. This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should be aware that the forward-looking statements included herein represent management's current judgment and expectations, but our actual results, events and performance could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements or publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, other than as is required under the federal securities laws. RF Micro Devices' business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including variability in operating results, risks associated with the impact of global macroeconomic and credit conditions on our business and the business of our suppliers and customers, our reliance on a few large customers for a substantial portion of our revenue, the rate of growth and development of wireless markets, our ability to bring new products to market, our reliance on inclusion in third party reference designs for a portion of our revenue, our ability to manage channel partner and customer relationships, risks associated with the operation of our wafer fabrication, molecular beam epitaxy, assembly and test and tape and reel facilities, our ability to complete acquisitions and integrate acquired companies, including the risk that we may not realize expected synergies from our business combinations, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and develop leaders, variability in production yields, raw material costs and availability, our ability to reduce costs and improve margins in response to declining average selling prices, our ability to adjust production capacity in a timely fashion in response to changes in demand for our products, dependence on gallium arsenide (GaAs) for the majority of our products, dependence on third parties, and substantial reliance on international sales and operations. These and other risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in RF Micro Devices' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports and statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements. RF MICRO DEVICES® and RFMD® are trademarks of RFMD, LLC. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: Douglas DeLieto VP of Investor Relations RF Micro Devices 336-678-7088 Posted 3/8/2011 |
