The telecom industry generates trillions of U.S. dollars in annual revenue, attracting global enterprises to enter the type-II telecom market. However, standing out in such fierce competition is no easy task—every step, from product development and verification to launch, is filled with challenges. Leveraging comprehensive solutions and extensive consulting experience, Allion helps companies overcome development hurdles, accurately define product strengths, and accelerate the successful market launch of CPE products.
Winning the Type-II Telecom Market: CPE Verification Completeness and RFQ Accuracy Determine Product Success
There are more than a thousand telecom operators worldwide, including mobile network operators, fixed network providers, and internet service providers (ISPs), generating over USD 1.7 trillion in annual revenue. This massive market has drawn many companies and conglomerates to establish type-II telecom operations to capture a share.
Compared to type-I telecom operators, type-II operators face lower entry barriers as they do not need to build their own infrastructure and benefit from standardized communication technologies. This allows many non-traditional players—such as retail and consumer brands, technology and digital platforms, media and entertainment companies, and even transportation and travel providers—to enter the market, leveraging their strengths in other industries to deliver differentiated services.
Once they successfully enter telecom services, operators often launch Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to enhance user experience and expand service scenarios. CPE is the critical bridge connecting end-users to the network, enabling high-speed internet, voice communication, and digital TV services, while supporting network performance, security, and remote management.
Real-World Case: 3 Major Challenges Faced by a Type-II Telecom Operator
This case involves a Japanese type-II telecom operator that designs and sells its own CPE equipment. While developing its latest product, the company encountered significant challenges due to limited technical capabilities and experience. Drawing on its positive past collaboration with Allion, the operator sought consulting services to leverage Allion’s expertise, third-party lab role, and extensive verification experience. Together, they supervised the ODM and co-developed an advanced CPE product.
The three major challenges were:
- The company lacked essential development equipment and expertise, making it difficult to independently complete product design and verification. Even with ODM collaboration, confidence in the ODM’s test results was low.
- Absence of performance data on competing products made accurate competitive analysis and positioning impossible.
- Unclear RFQ (Request for Quotation) specifications led to vague development direction, errors in requirements, and frequent redesigns.
These challenges delayed development schedules, risked underperforming products, and threatened market reception, user feedback, and brand reputation. In this context, leveraging Allion’s professional verification and consulting services became key to resource integration, technical strengthening, and specification refinement—ultimately ensuring product success.
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CPE Development Partner: How Allion Helped Overcome Challenges
Comprehensive RF Verification
Allion provided a full suite of professional testing environments and consulting services tailored to client needs. Equipped with RF performance verification expertise, multiple anechoic chambers, base station simulators, and diverse RF components, Allion flexibly set up test environments per project requirements.
In this case, Allion focused on evaluating LTE OTA and throughput performance. From environment setup to execution, Allion independently carried out tests, ensuring high-quality verification. Performance data was collected and quantified, helping the client assess Japanese base station density and transmission power.
Benchmark Analysis
As a third-party lab, Allion has accumulated a large database of product performance data. This enabled benchmarking of the client’s new CPE against existing competitors, giving clear insights into performance positioning and guiding pricing and market strategies—significantly improving product success rates.
ODM Document Review
Allion’s team, experienced in antenna design, RF testing, and ODM product development, reviewed ODM deliverables such as antenna designs, performance validation plans, and OTA/throughput reports. This ensured completeness, alignment with expectations, and established rigorous quality control for the development process.
Time to Market with Quality: Allion’s Consulting Value
Throughout the project, Allion provided in-depth professional reports and recommendations at key stages to optimize development and performance.
ODM Performance Validation Review
Allion evaluated the ODM’s test proposals and suggested improvements for stricter validation. Two conductive TX/RX test reports on LTE and 5G NR transmission/reception performance identified potential issues, ensuring strong signal quality.
Antenna Performance & Design Recommendations
Allion reviewed six antenna performance reports and issued a dedicated Antenna Design Recommendation Report, covering antenna type, assembly, and spatial layout. This guided optimization of antenna configuration for better communication performance. Additionally, two LTE OTA/throughput reports identified potential problems and provided corrective directions. Benchmarking against competitor products gave the client a clear view of market positioning.
RFQ Document Technical Suggestions
Allion reviewed LTE/5G NR RFQ requirements and proposed improvements, including:
- Fixed test conditions and OTA performance trends across scenarios
- New criteria based on module conductive and antenna performance
- Balancing wireless performance with shared spectrum usage (NSA/SA)
- Wi-Fi test environment and standards
- GNSS performance standards for the CPE product
- Recommendations on RSRP signal quality and CPE signal strength display
To maintain communication efficiency, Allion held twice-weekly project meetings, enabling real-time progress tracking, decision-making, and smooth advancement toward product launch.
Allion’s Value Delivery
Allion’s consulting services delivered value through:
- Objectivity and impartialityas a third-party lab
- Advanced equipment supportfor professional validation
- Detailed performance analysisand technical recommendations
- ODM review and quality controlacross development stages
- Close collaboration and efficient project management
- Market positioning insightsbased on benchmark data
Ultimately, Allion helped the client overcome technical and resource limitations, ensuring smooth product development, performance that met expectations, and improved market competitiveness and user satisfaction.
