Airgain simplifies wireless connectivity across a diverse set of devices and markets, from solving complex connectivity issues to speeding time to market to enhancing wireless signals. Their products are offered in three distinct sub-brands: Airgain Embedded, Airgain Integrated and Airgain Antenna+.
The company’s mission is to connect the world through optimized integrated wireless solutions. Airgain’s expertise in custom cellular and antenna system design pairs with its focus on high-growth technologies and dedication to simplify the growing complexity of wireless.
With a broad portfolio of products across the value chain, from embedded components to fully integrated products, Airgain is equipped to solve critical connectivity needs in both the design process and the operating environment across the enterprise, automotive, and consumer markets. Airgain is headquartered in San Diego, California, and maintains design and test centers in the U.S., U.K., and China.
Interview with Brian Critchfield, VP of Global Marketing at Airgain.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Brian Critchfield: Airgain’s targets both “build” and “buy” customers with products that help them get connected quickly, no matter where along the wireless connectivity value chain they engage. This includes everyone from design engineers looking to bring connected products to market quickly to fleet managers that need reliable connectivity to drive profitability within their operations. We use a combination of hardware, software, services, and data to help customers connect.
Today, Airgain divides its offering into 3 distinct sub-brands
- Airgain Embedded represents those products that are targeted towards design teams who are building connected products and need help solving complex wireless issues and/or need to get their product to market quickly. Our product lines include our NimbeLink embedded modems, embedded antennas, development kits, and more.
- Airgain Integrated represents those products targeted toward end user markets who need to improve their connectivity in the operating environment in order to drive higher productivity and ROI. Our product lines include our AirgainConnectÒ vehicle networking platforms, cellular asset trackers, fixed wireless access (FWA) devices, custom products, and more.
- Airgain Antenna+ represents those products targeted towards markets that need an enhanced signal and an external antenna is the best option. Our external antennas are broken up into 3 categories: fleet antennas meant for mobile connectivity, IoT antennas meant for machine connectivity, and network antennas meant to improve the signal for private and public networks.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
B.C:
- Airgain’s latest product announcements
- Airgain Expands Fixed Wireless Access Offering with Integrated Reference Design
- Airgain® Announces Development With Errigal for Enterprise Wireless Monitoring Solutions
- Airgain® Releases Enhanced Fixed Wireless Access Antennas to Significantly Improve 5G Speed and Connectivity
- Mobix Labs Introduces MOBX222 Frequency Converter in Collaboration with Airgain for Futureproofing 5G
We are introducing both network and SOHO 5G repeaters at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week as well. We will link to that announcement on Monday when it is released
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
B.C: If you look at our website, we break up the customer journey into three major pathways:
- (Build an IoT Product) which refers to Airgain Embedded product lines/solutions (specifically NimbeLink Embedded Modems and Internal Antennas)
- (Connect your Organization), or Airgain Integrated products/solutions (Airgain Connect or Asset Trackers)
- (Enhance your Signal), or Airgain Antenna+ (Fleet Antennas & IoT Antennas)
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
B.C: This is an area of the industry where we are unique. We are active across the value chain, from embedded engineers to end users. We do specialize in simplifying wireless, so many of our products are beyond individual components. As an example, our embedded modems take a wireless module from a variety of vendors and place it on a board with enough electronics to get it end-device certified. This saves months of time and thousands of dollars in carrier certification. In addition, when we sell embedded antennas, we don’t just sell the components themselves. We include custom design services and OTA testing to ensure maximum connectivity. Airgain supports and delivers solutions in some of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
B.C: The need to connect faster, more seamlessly, with greater efficacy, at scale, and at a lower cost is consistent throughout the industry as a whole. That said, as of late, we have seen some significant growth in certain industries:
EV Charging – there is a perfect storm with electric vehicles (EVs) that includes government funding, investment by automakers, and consumer demand. The bottleneck is the charging network. EV Charging manufacturers are trying to bring product to market quickly and Airgain’s modems help shorten that time.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) – This is one of the true ‘killer apps’ for 5G because it allows the network operators to compete with wired broadband in the home.
5G Spectrum – CBRS, C-Band, and mmWave are all competing for a share of the 5G pie. Airgain is actively working on technology that allows you to aggregate and convert from one frequency to another, giving designers the ultimate flexibility and futureproofing.
Vehicle Networking – Vehicles continue to lead when it comes to connectivity, however, commercial vehicles such as first responders, utilities, agriculture, and others have a significant amount of equipment in the vehicle that also needs to connect. Airgain is actively working toward improving vehicle connectivity and networking for first responders and fleets.
Asset Tracking – Asset tracking has become much more than just tracking the location of a palette of goods. There are dozens of use cases where tracking location and conditions of the asset has improved productivity and efficiency. This includes tracking indoors, outdoors, and in transit. Cellular is one of the few wireless technologies that can deliver connectivity throughout the entire journey of the asset. Airgain has built an entire line of cellular-based asset trackers that capture and report location and condition data that can port into almost any software platform.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
B.C: We have new products coming to market in a few key areas:
Vehicle networking – We launched the AirgainConnectÒ vehicle networking platform back in 2021. The first product, the AC-HPUE, targeted first responders using the FirstNet network and provided up to 2x coverage and 10x power on the edge, whether in rural areas or deep in the concrete jungle. We are working on release a new product on the AirgainConnect platform that will add many new key features and will be carrier agnostic.
We have a leadership position in fixed wireless access (FWA) and produce embedded FWA antennas, external antennas to boost the signal for exiting devices, and now a full device reference design that optimizes the signal and comes with an easy install kit that helps avoid costly professional installation.
We are announcing at MWC Barcelona that we are launching our LighthouseÔ line of network repeaters. These repeaters will extend the range of 5G signals, provide carrier aggregation to reduce costly infrastructure, and allow upgradability to mmWave when it becomes available.
We are also announcing new low-profile fleet antennas, our EZConnect cable harnesses, and our new MultiMax 5G fleet antenna.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
B.C: 2023 will be the year that 5G starts to ramp. It will continue to find use cases across the consumer and IoT markets that will demonstrate its value. FWA will drive adoption.
2023 will also be the year of partnering, especially in IoT. There are few companies that have all the pieces, therefore, coop-tition will continue to grow in the industry.
WiFi 6/6E will start to ramp as well and will find new and interesting use cases. Most of the WiFi antennas we are building today are for WiFi 6/6E
Private networks will continue to grow and find new applications.