In a bid to capture a major share of the world market for single-chip telephone (SCT) devices, SAMES (South African Micro-Electronic Systems Pty Ltd), the country's sole microchip manufacturer, has invested a further R4 million in its test facility in Koedoespoort, east of Pretoria.
The move follows increased international demand for the device, which SAMES developed jointly with Austria Micro Systeme International (AMS), which co-owns SAMES together with the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC).
"It is the intention of the AMS Group to capture 40 percent of the world market for STC devices by 1998," said SAMES managing director Heinz Fellinger. (The group comprises AMS, SAMES and a third company, Thesys).
"This target is realistic as the microchip provides the most cost-effective solution for analogue telephone instruments," said Fellinger. "Further, ours is the only SCT device in the world implemented in advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology, which is significantly less susceptible to radio frequency interference than other technologies. This is important, especially in a high-density cellular telephony environment."
The R4 million has been spent on installing what is reputedly the world's most advanced mixed-signal test system for telecommunications applications. The high-speed LTX Synchro-Master Telepac system will double SAMES's capacity for testing telephony devices.
"As well as enabling us to meet the increased international demand for the microchip, the additional capacity will result in increased flexibility in the supply of chips to local customers," said Fellinger.
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