I am excited by all of the activity in the microwave industry this year, with many new developments in areas such as mmWaves, 5G communications, Internet of Things/wearable technologies, vehicle-to-vehicle communications, UAVs and modular test, to name a few. There is a continuing trend of industry consolidation that was strong last year and has continued this year with mergers such as the acquisition of Mesuro and Auriga by Focus Microwaves, Miteq by L-3 Narda, TE Connectivity businesses by CommScope, Exelis by Harris, Freescale by NXP, Vitesse Semiconductor by Microsemi and more — all before the end of the first quarter of 2015.
With so many things happening in the industry, how do you keep up?
Attending trade shows such as IMS can keep you up to date on both the technical and business sides of the industry. The conference is extensive with IMS, RFIC and ARFTG all taking place in the same week. Whether you are interested in modeling or measurement, design or semiconductors, there is something for everyone. You can easily find in-depth technical sessions related to your area of work and ask questions of other experts to find out the latest developments in any area of our industry.
Attending IMS is a great opportunity to learn about the latest business trends, hottest markets and new products being released in the industry. The networking opportunities are almost limitless, with IMS being the largest gathering of the industry each year. It is a great time to catch up with friends and colleagues from around the world plus meet new ones.
The thing I always look forward to the most is the collaboration of colleagues working together to further research and development. Although I do a lot of market and product research, I always come across a couple of new products or technologies that I have never seen before. Don’t miss this annual opportunity to learn more about our industry and technology, plus network with the world of microwaves. See you in Phoenix.