….says Mr. Naresh Narasimhan, Country Marketing Manager, Tektronix India. In email interview he talks about RF Test trends, market growth, introduces USB Instrumentation with the launch of RSA306 first USB spectrum analyzer and explains how this product will reshape the RF test industry.
Describe Tektronix Product leadership in Wireless T&M market? What percentage of your business related to this segment?
Tektronix is a leading supplier of test and measurement products, solutions, and services for a wide range of industries worldwide, including wireless test & measurement market. With over 68 years of experience, the company has developed products that enable customers to design, manufacture, and manage next-generation communication networks and advanced technologies.
Tektronix focuses on a growth strategy that is based on increasing its market share in its core product categories including network monitoring systems, and concentrating on high-growth sectors such as next generation network and RF testing, which have tremendous long-term growth potential.
Based on its recent market analysis of the global wireless network monitoring systems market, Tektronix has established itself as a leader in the global wireless network monitoring systems market with various operations, manufacturing sites, development centers, and distributors strategically located in more than 19 countries worldwide, to support its global customer base.
Currently, we are the only major supplier of test and measurement instrumentation offering a USB spectrum analyzer. Other suppliers do offer a faceless instrument, but still include a PC within the instrument.
How do you see the evolution of RF Test Equipments Market?
Products catering to evolving end-user needs win customers’ confidence. Customer’s increased adoption of wireless technology for mission-critical applications has revved up the global market for dynamic electronic general purpose (GP) test equipment. As the link between cloud networks and devices (mobile phones, tablets, notebooks) results in more complex devices under test (DUT), the need for radio frequency test equipment will only intensify.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Global Outlook for Electronic Test Equipment, finds that the market earned revenues of $3.45 billion in 2013 and estimates this to reach $4.64 billion in 2018. The study covers the product segments of oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum/signal analysers, network analysers, power meters, logic analysers, electronic counters and multimeters. Faster connectivity through the deployment of 5G will escalate the demand for higher frequency bands.
The best way forward in a competitive market is to offer a balance between price and performance. Modular GP test equipment will be particularly effective in this scenario as they reduce the cost of tests by increasing throughput and scalability, while simultaneously lowering power consumption and space requirements.
What is most challenging in this space? How is Tektronix meeting this challenge?
Spectrum analyzers are inherently expensive and often there are not enough instruments for everyone to use in many labs, field organizations and universities.
The new Tektronix RSA306 sets a new price/performance threshold for spectrum analyzers and features a broad 9 kHz to 6.2 GHz frequency range, 40 MHz real time bandwidth and weighs in at just 1.2 pounds. When used with Tektronix SignalVu-PC software, it offers advanced analysis capabilities for such applications as budget-conscious research and development, mobile radio network installation, interference hunting and university level lab classes.
The RSA306 puts the power of a Tektronix real-time spectrum analyzer within reach for the entire technical team. In addition, Tektronix is providing its SignalVu-PC software at no cost, giving open access to powerful signal analysis tools that have previously been only available with the purchase of expensive bench instruments.
What are Tektronix Key offerings in RF Test Equipment Market?
Tektronix delivers the signal generation and analysis capabilities required to overcome the most challenging microwave and RF design challenges with confidence.
- Mixed Domain Oscilloscopes: Tektronix has introduced world’s first oscilloscope that includes a logic analyzer, spectrum analyzer and protocol analyzer – all synchronized for an integrated view. Customers can use the Tektronix MDO4000B Series simply as a mixed signal oscilloscope or as a spectrum analyze, the real power comes from the integration of the two. With this, for the first time ever, design engineers can see how their designs perform in both the time and frequency domains on a single instrument. Designers can also view the RF spectrum at any point in time to see how it changes over time or with device state.
Tektronix has also recently introduced MDO3000 Series of Mixed Domain Oscilloscopes which has is industry’s only six-in-one instrument. Tektronix MDO3000 Series integrates logic analyzer, protocol analyzer, spectrum analyzer, function generator and DVM into the oscilloscope itself. This is crucial from the customer’s perspective. Tektronix is the only oscilloscope provider to integrate a spectrum analyzer as well as the various other instrument types. This is very relevant to our customer base, as multiple research activities have confirmed that >60% of oscilloscope customers also use spectrum analyzers. In fact, market research shows that customers desire spectrum analyzer integration more than any other instrument type.
- Real-Time Signal Analyzers: Characterize time-variant signals and solve unexpected problems with the revolutionary DPX™ Live RF spectrum display available on every Tektronix Signal Analyzer.
- Oscilloscope-based Solutions: Characterize wideband designs with SignalVu Vector Signal Analysis (VSA) Software integrated onto your Performance Oscilloscope, providing up to 33 GHz bandwidth measurements.
- Arbitrary Waveform Generators: Easily generate digital and analog baseband, IF, RF and microwave signals with the versatile Tektronix Arbitrary Waveform Generators. The unique RFXpress® software simplifies creation of very complex signals
As with nearly all areas of electronics design and test, requirements for RF and microwave test are changing quickly leading to the need for new instrumentation approaches. The introduction of RSA306 demonstrates, Tektronix is moving aggressively to address these changing requirements across multiple market segments with innovative, industry leading test and measurement solutions.
The RSA306 is Tektronix’ first USB spectrum analyzer and will be joined by similar instruments taking advantage of the availability of affordable desktop computers and laptops with sufficient processing power to handle complex test and measurement analysis along with high-speed USB 3.0 interfaces. At its introductory price point, the RSA306 is a fraction of the cost of a conventional spectrum analyzer while offering comparable or even superior sensitivity, accuracy and dynamic range.
You always bring first in the market, how are you taking this opportunity for market gain?
We always listen to our customers and industry requirements. If there’s a need of cutting edge test & measurement solutions for path breaking future innovations then we will meet the need as we have been doing it since our inception. With new RSA306 spectrum analyzer we will be meeting growing RF test needs of our customers. From a business perspective, these instruments give us access to a new markets and customers who otherwise could not afford a traditional spectrum analyzer.
How do you look at the innovation trends for the introduction of RF Test Equipments?
There are number of use-cases for spectrum analyzers that are not well-served with traditional instrumentation. In talking to these customers, it was very clear that pricing and portability were important considerations, but they also didn’t want to sacrifice frequency range, sensitivity or analysis functionality. We saw a way to meet these needs with USB instrumentation combined with our SignalVu-PC software. With USB instrumentation we can deliver better pricing and a smaller form factor with performance more than sufficient for most applications today. The new RSA306 is filling a number of unmet needs or “white space” in the market. In our analysis, a USB-based spectrum analyzer provided to be best way to address these opportunities. We are constantly evaluating changing market needs and will develop the best and most appropriate solution to those needs.
What is your focus on portability and pricing?
The RSA306 is a new addition to our product line. As has been demonstrated many times in consumer and industrial segments, decreasing prices almost always lead to increasing volumes. We expect the same effect here. Lower prices open up new opportunities. For instance, a development lab might decide to give every engineer a personal spectrum analyzer rather than forcing them to share. Or universities might purchase enough RSA306s for an entire class. And since the units are portable, students can even put them in a backpack and conduct experiments at home.
Lastly, given the significant price-performance advantages over offerings from our major competitors, we are well-positioned to disrupt the spectrum analyzer market, further increasing volume. Consider this: if you want 6 GHz frequency range in a spectrum analyzer, you will need give one of our competitors $8,000. We’re offering the same capability for INR 2,58,000.00. Which product would you recommend if you were a purchasing manager? Which product is likely to be more popular?
What is innovative about your recently introduced highly portable RSA306 spectrum analyzer and how it outpaces traditional instrumentation?
There are number of use-cases for spectrum analyzers that are not well-served with traditional instrumentation. In talking to these customers, it was very clear that pricing and portability were important considerations, but they also didn’t want to sacrifice frequency range, sensitivity or analysis functionality. We saw a way to meet these needs with USB instrumentation combined with our SignalVu-PC software. With USB instrumentation we can deliver better pricing and a smaller form factor with performance more than sufficient for most applications today.
The new RSA306 is filling a number of unmet needs or “white space” in the market. In our analysis, a USB-based spectrum analyzer provided to be best way to address these opportunities. We are constantly evaluating changing market needs and will develop the best and most appropriate solution to those needs. We are not in a position to discuss additional opportunities related to other segments at this time.
For users who depend on these physical controls, we are continuing to offer standalone spectrum analyzers, and plan to continue to offer them for the foreseeable future. That said, initial feedback about the usability of the RSA306 has been very positive. Users are able to work in their familiar PC environment and have full access to the controls and settings they need via the SignalVu-PC software.
What are the best features and applications it will target?
Spectrum analyzers are inherently expensive and often there are not enough instruments for everyone to use in many labs, field organizations and universities. The RSA306 puts the power of a Tektronix real-time spectrum analyzer within reach for the entire technical team. In addition, Tektronix is providing its SignalVu-PC software at no cost, giving open access to powerful signal analysis tools that have previously been only available with the purchase of expensive bench instruments.
There are numerous benefits to us and our customers. For one, we no longer need to design and build a PC for every instrument. This will greatly accelerate the development time for future products. This means we will be able to increase the speed of innovation, which will help to keep us at the forefront of the industry and to increase the value we can bring to customers. From a business perspective, these instruments give us access
What about pricing and availability?
The RSA306 is available now through the global network of Tektronix distributors and partners. The range starts at INR 2,58,000.00.
