Greensboro appears to have a future in the

[cityboi]

Analog Devices' Greensboro facility creates new cell phone circuits

Analog Devices Inc.'s engineering research center in Greensboro has come out with a new integrated circuit to help cell phone companies transmit voice, data, text, pictures and even video for their cell phone customers.

Transmitting all of those different kinds of signals to cell phones is part of the "third generation" communication standards that are taking over the telecommunications industry. Analog Devices' Greensboro facility has developed a new one-piece micro radio receiver that can handle all of these different signals, instead of the normal process of using multiple receivers.

"The year 2004 will be a critical year for the acceptance of 3G technology in response to growing consumer interest in enhanced multimedia services from their wireless service provider," said Kevin Kattman, product line director at Analog Devices in Greensboro.

The new integrated circuit cuts the cost of equipment for cellular providers by about 20 percent, Kattman said.

Analog Devices also has facilties in Boston, Silicon Valley, San Diego and Austin, TX. The microchip industry and the research associated with it seem to be picking up speed in Greensboro. another microchip manufacturer which is based in Greensboro is RF Micro Devices. There are 3 plants in Greensboro alone and there are operations in California and Boston. Part of the reason Greensboro is becoming a hot spot for this kind of industry is because NC A&T State University. Its considered the Triad's best technical and engineering school. The University even has patens for technology to be used in NASA's space shuttles.

[monsoon]

[cityboi]

Yes they do. I think this would be a great industry to replace the dieing textile industry. The starting pay at these kind of plants are over $20 an hour. These are the kind of jobs Greensboro needs. I think the more people earn in Greensboro, the more the qaulity of life will improve. Having a highly paid work force helps attract other opportunities and makes it easier for the gate city to attract high end retailers.