Akoustis Technologies, an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters for mobile and other wireless applications, have received an order for their 3.6 GHz Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) XBAW filter solution for advanced network infrastructure products targeting last-mile connectivity solutions for network operators. The CBRS auctions completed last quarter has set the stage for infrastructure roll-out across the United States, beginning in calendar 2021. The CBRS bands will enable new and existing carriers to provide last-mile data service and augment individual networks. Besides, they will enable the delivery of campus-wide communications and create secure IoT networks.
The customer plans to use the Akoustis 3.6 GHz XBAW filters for testing and qualification in CBRS fixed wireless equipment that is expected to go into production in the second half of the calendar 2021. The application is for use in both base station nodes and residential nodes. This customer had previously evaluated the 3.6 GHz filter solution when it was originally developed and is now looking to move into production given the recent CBRS spectrum auctions and growing demand from operators.
In late July, the FCC began the auction of the Priority Access License, or (PAL) portion of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum for the US market. The CBRS bands operate between 3.5 and 3.7 GHz and will provide cellular carriers and other major communications companies new and additional sub-6 GHz spectrum, which can be a key enabler for making 5G deployments possible by providing last-mile data service and improving coverage of individual unlicensed networks. Verizon, Dish Networks, Comcast, and Charter were the early winners, spending approximately $3.7 billion of the total $4.6 billion for PAL’s in the recent auction.
The utilization of CBRS bands adjacent to the emerging 5G networks will likely require a significant amount of high-frequency filters to deal with a multitude of coexistence issues. Akoustis is currently sampling its CBRS filters to greater than 10 SOC and CBRS equipment makers, up from three customers reported at the end of March.
Akoustis’ high frequency, high-performance XBAW process, and filters are experiencing growing interest as the Company has entered production in multiple markets in calendar 2020, including 5G network infrastructure, high-band WiFi, and phased-array radar applications.
