CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp. said unit Quintel USA Inc. is rolling out a new set of 5G-capable antennas in the US.
The unit is experiencing surge in antenna demand as the global lockdown due to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and work from home policies have shifted growth to massive data demand.
Cirtek said Quintel has designed a 12-port dual diplexed antennas that allow simultaneous independent tilt at 700MHz and 850MHz bands, which allow managing spectrum license boundary areas in between adjacent cells, state borders or carriers.
“In doing so, it allows network operators strict coverage cut offs translating to efficient radio network and spectrum planning. The precise but dynamic coverage cut off promotes better frequency reuse that leads to network densification, a key enabler for 5G,” it said.
Quintel said it has also designed the dual diplexed antennas to be available in 8-port with sizes of 6 feet and 8 feet lengths respectively to accommodate rural, urban and suburban deployments
“For years, growing communications and inter-connectivity demands have burdened telco operators. There are three primary ways of adding capacity to a network. First is acquiring new spectrum. Second is using spectrum more efficiently and third is densifying the network. Spectrum is a scarce and costly resource which is left between carriers and regulators. From an equipment maker’s perspective, large innovations can be achieved in terms of spectrum efficiency and densification in pushing the network envelope through specialized techniques and these are what Quintel’s new product are all about,” said Michael Liu, Quintel president.
Cirtek said another set of new antennas unveiled addresses improved coverage when antennas are deployed on rooftops set back from the rooftop edge.
The feature uses an industry-first patented top-heavy power distribution ensuring that more radio frequency energy is projected over the rooftop edge than with conventional antennas burden by shadowing leading to poor coverage and dead spots, according to the company.
Quintel’s rooftop-optimized antennas promise up to 3dB gains on the ground thereby doubling signal levels, speed and coverage. These are designed for urban city deployments in mind demanding high network traffic, high performance, challenging deployments and concealed installations to preserve building faí§ade and city aesthetics,” it said.
“Cirtek’s manufacturing capacity is currently running at 60 percent amidst the pandemic. It is expected to run up to 70 percent capacity by the time the Philippine lockdown is lifted to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures until such time a vaccine is available or herd immunity is achieved,”said Tony Callueng, Cirtek vice president.
Cirtek said it has tapped China-based manufacturers “that has fully emerged from the lockdown last March” after the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“As part of Cirtek’s business continuity and expansion plans, it is in talks with an additional contract manufacturing partner in China as well as qualifying a new Taiwan facility in response to supply chain diversification and business resiliency plans moving forward,” Callueng said.
Cirtek in April said it is experiencing a surge in orders for chips used for medical-related equipment.
Jorge Aguilar, Cirtek vice chairman, said the company through unit Cirtek Electronics Corp., is tapped by several of its customers for chips used in medical equipment desperately needed all over the world.
Cirtek’s medical chips are used in applications such as ventilators, CT scanners, defibrillators, ultrasounds, blood glucose, thermal scanners and oxygen level monitors.
“Cirtek is to produce 1 million chips per week for these devices that are in urgent demand which medical practitioners rely on nor can function without key parts manufactured by Cirtek in its Laguna Technopark facility,” said Aguilar.
The company remains operational with a work schedule of 24 hours a day six days a week to keep up with the pace in global demand.
To date, Cirtek, Quintel and its global offices and research and development facilities remain COVID-19 free while in full operation as part of essential industries.
