New iGR Study Forecasts The Number Of Macrocell Antennas Needed To Support U.S. Mobile Networks In The Next Five Years

Study Also Details Antenna Technology Used in 3G and LTE Networks

Austin, TX (Marketwired) - Antennas are the unsung heroes of the mobile industry. They, along with radios, form the bridge that connects the radio frequency world to the hardwired network. How do antennas work and why do mobile operators replace them? How many antennas are currently deployed in the U.S. and how many are expected to be installed in the next five years?

iGR, a market research consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile industry, has recently published a new market study that answers these questions and also provides a cost estimate for the upgrade and replacement of antenna arrays over the next five years. The new study presents a forecast for the number of antennas on macrocells or macrosites in the U.S. from 2015 through 2020, but does not include antennas used for DAS, small cells or any other type of indoor or outdoor cellular sites.

"Antenna technology is evolving very rapidly and will be the cornerstone of the LTE upgrades for the next few years," said Iain Gillott, president and founder of iGR. "iGR has forecasted a large number of antenna installations, as mobile operators are expected to upgrade and replace many antennas, in order to continue to provide their mobile customers with a high quality of service."

iGR's new market study, U.S. Macrocell Antenna Forecast, 2015 - 2020: Spectrum Drives Upgrades and More Sectors, provides a five-year forecast of the number of antennas on macrocells/macrosites in the U.S. split by frequency bands, as well as by support of 2G, 3G or 4G. The study also provides a five-year forecast of the cost to install these antennas in the U.S. In addition to the forecasts, the market study provides detailed information regarding antenna technology used in mobile networks.

The following key questions are addressed in the new research study:

• What are cell towers and sites?
• What are antennas?
• What are antenna arrays?
• How do antennas work?
• What is MIMO, carrier aggregation and beamforming?
• What are active antenna systems?
• Why do mobile operators replace antenna arrays?
• What are some of the key cost drivers surrounding antenna replacement?
• How many 2G/3G antennas are currently deployed?
• How many 4G LTE antennas are currently deployed?
• What is the forecast for 2G, 3G and 4G antennas through 2020?
• What will it cost to upgrade/replace antenna array?

The information in this market study will be valuable for:

• Mobile operators, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
• Wireless antenna manufacturers and providers
• Wireless network construction vendors
• Mobile wireless tower companies
• Wired and wireless infrastructure vendors, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
• Financial and investment analysts.

The new report can be purchased and downloaded directly from iGR's website at www.iGR-inc.com. 

About iGR

iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now in its sixteenth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line.

iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile wearable devices; connected cars; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell and het-net architectures; mobile EPC and RAN virtualization; DAS; LTE; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC.

A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.