CONTRACTS
Hughes Network Systems, LLC—Signed an agreement with
Globalstar, Inc. under which Hughes will design, manufacture,
and implement the next-generation Radio Access Network
(RAN) comprising gateway equipment at Globalstar’s worldwide
locations with an option to expand to 30 locations. The
company also will design, manufacture, and deliver satellite
air-interface chips to be a part of the User Terminal Subsystem
(UTS). The contract is valued at $100.8 million.
Trango Broadband Wireless—Awarded a five-year US General
Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 contract, GS-35F-
0310U, for providing government agencies with information
technology, telecommunications products, and professional
services. Government customers can now access and order
Trango products online through the GSA web sites. Among
the available products will be point-to-point licensed and
unlicensed microwave wireless backhaul equipment including
the licensed TrangoLINK Giga; point-to-multipoint
broadband-wireless-Internet-access solutions; wireless IP
video-transmission equipment; and analog video and CCTV
wireless-transmission systems.
Libya Telecom Technology (LTT)—Selected Alcatel-Lucent to
deploy the first commercial WiMAX network based on the
IEEE 802.16e-2005 WiMAX standard in Libya. LTT plans
to launch commercial service in September. The network
will support voice-over-IP and high-speed Internet access. In
doing so, it will enable the delivery of advanced broadband
multimedia services to a variety of end users. The network
will accommodate stationary, nomadic, and mobile applications
and complement fixed-based broadband services.
Raytheon—Awarded a $3.3 million contract to overcome
thermal challenges in semiconductors designed for nextgeneration
high-power radars and other electronic systems.
The award is for the first of a three-phase Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Radio Frequency Thermal
Ground Plane program that could be worth $8 million
if all options are exercised. The program is designed to run
45 months ending in the fourth quarter of 2011.
FRESH STARTS
SEMPAC, Inc.—Has opened a UK distribution center that
will service all of the European communities. Accelonix
Ltd., SEMPAC’s sales agency located in Alton, Hampshire,
England, will now handle all stock transactions up to
250 parts per order including test and prototype samples
for customer evaluations. This center will stock Sempac’s
Open-Tooled package architectures and their corresponding
ceramic lids.
Hittite Microwave—Launched a redesigned web site at www.
hittite.com. New features include a web page design and a
home page featuring new products, markets, press releases,
and featured articles. The web site details full specifications
for 640 products across 17 product lines. Web-site visitors can
request the company’s 2008 Designer’s Guide and newsletter
& CD on the literature request page.
UMC and Mentor Graphics—Partnered to offer a series of
analog/mixed-signal and RF foundry design kits (FDKs).
The FDKs, which contain building blocks for the transistor
device level, help IC designers to jump-start design cycles
on UMC’s 0.13-µm and 90-nm MM/RF process nodes. The
FDKs include UMC Eldo simulation models, Calibre DRC,
LVS and extraction technology files, schematic symbols, and
programmable device generators for supporting schematicdriven
layout and simulation along with a set of configuration
files for customization.
Leader Tech—Celebrated the grand opening of its Global EMI
Shielding Technology Center with local dignitaries, employees,
customers, and guests. The expansion was prompted by a
significant increase in domestic and international demand for
the company’s EMI Shielding products. The center is located
at 12420 Race Track Road, Tampa, FL 33626.
QUALCOMM, Inc.—Affirmed its commitment to the Middle
East and North Africa markets with the opening of a branch
office in Dubai. The office, located in the Dubai Internet City
Free Trade Zone, will serve as a hub for QUALCOMM’s
regional business interests and will provide support for
device manufacturers, network operators, and other industry
participants that are driving the area’s fast-growing mobilebroadband
market.
The company also acquired 40 MHz (1452 to 1492
MHz) of L-band radio spectrum auctioned by UK communications
regulator Ofcom at a cost of GPB 8,334,000.
The L-band spectrum license covers the entire UK and is
technology neutral.
Herley Industries—Will significantly downsize its manufacturing
facility in Farmingdale, NY and transfer the bulk of
its workload to other facilities in Whippany, NJ; Woburn,
MA; Lancaster, PA; and Jerusalem, Israel.
The Phoenix Company of Chicago, Inc.—Launched a new web
site at www.phoenixofchicago.com. It features new products
with a part-number search, product configurator, interactive
map, and downloadable literature.
Z-Communications, Inc.—Announced a new division named
Z-Comm Microwave based in San Jose, CA. This division
is chartered with the development and manufacture of integrated
microwave, millimeter-wave assemblies, and highly
linear power amplifiers. These products are designed to be
used in wireless transmission systems, WiMAX base stations,
licensed point to point, and other microwave radio
applications.
Korea Telecom (KT)—Selected Tektronix Communications’
GeoProbe Network Assurance solution to test the deployment
of new call-related services. KT will use GeoProbe to proactively
monitor, manage, diagnose, and troubleshoot issues
before, during, and after the launch of new services over its
intelligent network. GeoProbe’s real-time and historical multiprotocol
call trace and online analytical processing report
features will give KT an end-to-end monitoring approach,
allowing it to view multiple sessions in real time.