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Economic Performance:
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Calgary Region Cluster
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Calgary
Region Cluster Portfolio
Wireless - Telecommunications:
A National Leader
Calgary is Canada's
major centre for wireless development and manufacturing. The many players
in this cluster range from large wireless carriers to smaller firms, with
total employment estimated at 12,000 in the region. The cluster has good
representation in each of the major segments of the wireless-telecommunications
cluster. These segments include Personal Area Networks (PANs), Wireless
Local Area Networks (W-LANs), Fixed Wireless Access Systems and other
emerging segments. The region is distinctive because the cluster also
comprises a good depth of suppliers in electronics manufacturing and telecommunications
services. CalgaryÕs wireless-telecommunications cluster has outperformed
North American competitors over the past decade.
The cluster has a
location quotient of approximately one and half times the North American
average. While not as highly concentrated as Ottawa or Denver, Calgary
is growing at over 5 times the average growth rate of other regions. Communications
equipment manufacturing has been the most highly concentrated here, compared
to other segments, although the recent economic downturn may have affected
this. While manufacturing employment had risen until recently, job losses
in telecommunications services have offset this previous growth as consolidation
in wireless services has taken place.
Nevertheless, the
cluster compensation levels are high. Major employers in the wireless
and telecommunication cluster include Nortel Networks, Cell-Loc, Wi-LAN,
and CSI Wireless. Other firms include Harris Telecommunications, Intel
Design Engineering, Novatel Wireless, Quick Link Communications, Telus
Mobility, WaveRider Communications, Panasonic Wireless Design Centre and
Solectron Electronics. Wireless networks are expanding and will change
as new technologies, such as 3G (third generation) enable high bandwidth
handheld devices and improve user capacity for mobile e-commerce. TRLabs
has played an important regional role in helping companies in Calgary
develop and access wireless technology.
Considerable demand
is expected to continue to grow in regions that are remote where the need
to install wires or fibre can be bypassed by wireless systems. While security
issues, competing standards and functional limitations of devices will
pose market hurdles, these are expected to be overcome thus enabling new
future growth. PANs are a small but rapidly growing market segment, expected
to reach US$5B by 2005. Wireless LANs focus on the small office marketplace
and are expected to have achieved an installed base of US$35.8B by 2004.
Fixed Wireless Access may become an alternative for areas where DSL and
cable services are not available. Wireless WANS are the fastest growing
marketplace, forecast to reach US$9B by 2004.
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