5G, security scanners lift Rohde & Schwarz sales

In mobile communications, the commercial introduction of 5G has begun. Rohde & Schwarz was able to take advantage of the necessary infrastructure investments and its test and measurement solutions performed well, especially those for base station testing.

To test 5G devices, the company launched a new generation of testers and over-the-air test chambers that are attracting a lot of interest from manufacturers. The upgrading of mobile networks is also fuelling a significant increase in the demand for solutions that measure network quality. Rohde & Schwarz is meeting this demand with a comprehensive product portfolio for all phases in the lifecycle of a mobile network.

The test and measurement business also profited from the automotive industry, whose substantial R&D expenditures for driver assistance systems and autonomous driving are boosting the demand for test and measurement solutions. Rohde & Schwarz offers a broad portfolio of T&M solutions for V2X, radar, eCall, connectivity and automotive buses, including a tester for radar sensors.

In broadcast studios, the technical modifications required to support ultra-high definition HDR formats are well underway. Rohde & Schwarz is supporting this process with state-of-the-art products for ingest, post production and playout.

The company strengthened its position in this area by acquiring the British company Pixel Power in 2019.

The security scanner segment has exceeded expectations.

Numerous airports on three continents have now installed Rohde & Schwarz scanners. In the near future, the group will be rolling out another model for non-aviation scenarios where large crowds need to be scanned.

Drone incidents near airports made headlines around the world last year, again underscoring the vulnerability of critical infrastructures. With its drone detection system, Rohde & Schwarz offers a field-proven solution that locates drones and their pilots. Given the rising demand for the system and the market forecasts for anti-drone systems, the company expects the positive business trend to continue.

The wholly-owned Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary LANCOM Systems reported continued solid growth in the past fiscal year. Numerous large retail chains and other major companies with many branches use its technology to operate their networks.

LANCOM assumed responsibility for the firewall business of Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity in the middle of the year and is now a single-source provider of comprehensive network technology solutions, including cybersecurity components.

Armed forces worldwide are forging ahead with digitalisation. With its advanced communications solutions, Rohde & Schwarz has established a strong position as a technology partner. To date, the company has supplied 8000 airborne radios. More than 40 naval forces use Rohde & Schwarz communications equipment. Rohde & Schwarz was able to secure further strategically important major orders in the naval communications segment, largely thanks to the company's positioning as an overall system integrator. The latest generation of Rohde & Schwarz software defined radios enables customers to develop their own communications and encryption methods. The new SOVERON product brand emphasizes this independence, an aspect that is very important to customers. SOVERON technology is being deployed in the "infantryman of the future" project, which will be one of Germany's contributions to the NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).