Wireless telecommunications has escaped the worst effects of the semiconductor shortage; top-selling smartphone makers such as Apple could not quite meet demand in 2021 and demand for Wi-Fi access points exceeded supplies of chips.  Cellular infrastructure appears to have remained relatively unscathed, doubtless helped by some operators temporarily postponing planned 5G upgrades during COVID.

Despite concerns about the latest COVID variant and the Ukraine conflict, tight supplies of semiconductors will gradually ease through the remainder of 2022 into 2023 as new foundry capacity comes online.  China increased its production of semiconductors significantly in 2021, and semiconductor production expansions in the U.S., EU, S. Korea, India, and other countries have also started to bear fruit, with the most significant capacity expansions due to start in 2023.

For a complete analysis and outlook, you can download the complimentary Strategy Analytics RF & Wireless Components report, The Impact of the Semiconductor Shortage on Wireless Telecoms. Please contact the author with any questions or comments!