Rapid expansion of 5G network rollout drives the global 5G materials market
Maryam Farag
Industry Electronics 5G 5G expansion Canada Economy electronics network Technology
Photo: Frost & Sullivan.
Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Materials for 5G Infrastructure: Technology and IP Analysis, finds that antenna substrate is the strongest segment due to the rising demand for smartphones and a large number of planned base stations.
As the rollout of 5G networks increases, stakeholders face challenges related to transmission losses in electronic components, such as 5G antennas, filters, circulators, cables, and wirings, driving the need for high-performance materials with low-loss properties.
“Telecom, connected vehicles, healthcare, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are among the key industries focusing on adopting 5G communication. Successfully launching a full rollout of 5G networks requires an extensive implementation of 5G infrastructure,” said Aarthi Janakiraman, TechVision Research Director, Frost & Sullivan. “5G materials are an essential part of 5G infrastructure, including the production of every 5G component, such as the antenna in package (AiP), switchers, filters, RF amplifiers, and cables. With the increasing number of antennas and base stations, the demand for 5G materials will proliferate.”
According to Frost & Sullivan, tap into growth opportunities, market participants should focus on:
- Improvement of low-loss properties in existing 5G materials: Companies should focus on improving Polyimides’ dielectric performance to enable their use in mmWave bands.
- AI for developing efficient new materials: Implementation of AI with chemical engineering can help manufacturers develop new materials for 5G applications with better low-loss properties and business viability.
- Collaborations to develop end-to-end 5G solutions: Material developers are working with antenna and base station manufacturers to optimize product properties.
