Filtronic plans to broaden product range

Revenue for the six months ended November 30 2013 was £20.1m compared with £16.4m for the same period the year before. The operating profit of £1.7m before exceptional items and amortisation compared with £100,000 in the same period the year before.

Commenting on the outlook, Howard Ford, the company’s chairman, said: “The rollout of 4G/LTE networks is still in its early stages. Even in the USA, only 19 per cent of handsets are yet equipped to receive 4G signals. In Europe, the penetration is much lower. The ability of consumers to enjoy 4G applications has become a key differentiating parameter for operators. This requirement will drive ongoing infrastructure investment by adding new frequency bands and increasing site density. Filtronic continues to invest in key technology areas in order to broaden its product range which addresses this growing 4G/LTE market.”

The Leeds-based group’s wireless business helps mobile phone operators upgrade base stations to handle more data.

The firm’s technology allows operators to use their existing network infrastructure to overlay third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) services.