In the previous articles, we introduced the development of 4G networks and some basic knowledge, and also introduced the situation of global operators and the development of baseband chip manufacturers.
We usually come into contact with modules rather than chips, because you can often see the business personnel of the module factory, but it is relatively rare to see the business of the original chip factory running around customers.
In this chapter, we will introduce the situation of cellular module manufacturers, and the focus is still on the 4G IPC module used on the camera.
01
Shipments of IoT Communication Chips
According to Counterpoint's statistics on global cellular IoT chip shipments in 2022, Qualcomm's shipments are close to 40%, while UNISOC, ASR, and Eigencomm's shipments are respectively at The second, third and fourth positions account for nearly 37% of shipments. The above statistical dimensions also include NB-IoT modules.
As we mentioned earlier, the Cat level determines the maximum rate of uplink and downlink communication. On IPC, Cat1 and Cat4 are mainly used.
At present, most of the chip manufacturers used in 4G IPC products are Qualcomm, Zhanrui, ASR (ASR), and core-shifting. Among them, core-moving only makes Cat1 chips, and there is no Cat4 chip for the time being. The main feature is low power consumption. Some and lower prices.
The chips made by these different chip manufacturers have some differences in performance, and at the same time, they will also have slightly different functional interfaces, mainly because of the difference in configuration.
02
Cellular module shipments
For module manufacturers, we are also developing based on the original chips mentioned above. The following is the shipment situation of each module manufacturer in 2022.
In the IoT cellular module market, Quectel (QUECTEL) still maintains a leading position, followed by Fibocom (Fibocom) and Sunsea (Sunsea), among which Sunsea acquired the previous module manufacturer SIMCom (Simcom), of course, the above statistical standard includes the data of NB-IOT module.
It can be seen that in the cellular module market, a hundred flowers are blooming, and others account for 22.4% of the market share. Compared with chip development, the threshold for modules is much lower.
Excluding NB-IoT cellular modules, in the field of 4G cameras, the main module manufacturers currently include Quectel, Fibocom, Simcom, Jiulian, Zhongyun Xinan, and Hezhou. Of course, based on market size, some module manufacturers are mainly engaged in Cat1 modules, while Quectel and Fibocom are relatively comprehensive in their efforts.
03
The main focus of choosing a module manufacturer
From the above market share of module manufacturers, it can be seen that relatively speaking, the market share of module manufacturers is scattered, with 2-3% of the manufacturers accounting for the majority, and more than 20% of the manufacturers are in other industries. in the category.
Because there are only a few chips used by everyone, the product differentiation that module manufacturers can make is relatively limited. In addition, the consumer security monitoring industry has a competitive market, which has led to extremely fierce competition among module manufacturers.
So from which dimensions do you choose the right partner among so many manufacturers?
①Market share
The market habit is to vote with your feet. Of course, manufacturers with a large market share are preferred to cooperate because the risk is relatively low and relatively complete.
②Module certification status
If a module wants to pass the certification, in addition to paying a large technical price, money is also necessary. Many products require relevant certification. At this time, the module manufacturer provides a solid backing for the finished product manufacturer.
③Service support
I think this point is more important than the previous two points. 4G product development is a relatively complicated task, because 4G modules will be used all over the world, and the network environment is complex and changeable. During the development process, it is inevitable to encounter question.
When you encounter a problem, you can get a timely response from the original factory, which will be much more efficient than R&D to find out and solve the problem yourself. Therefore, it is very important to "rather be a chicken head than a phoenix tail" in the process of docking with the original factory.
④Supply support
This point may not be prominent in the current situation. After experiencing a super out-of-stock market, a good supply guarantee may save a company or allow a company to take off.
There are two things here. One is that the module manufacturer needs to have a good relationship with the original chip factory, which is a reflection of the qualification scale of the module factory; the other is that the module factory needs to provide great support to customers in business.
04
write at the end
It took four articles of nearly 8,000 words to introduce the relevant content of 4G. The content may be very popular for some friends, but it may be relatively difficult for some friends to understand.
In any case, I still hope that through sorting out and summarizing the basic points of 4G, more friends can have a better understanding, can better apply it in daily work, and become a slightly more professional expert.
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