(Max Wang/Taipei)
Two Taiwan-based RF IC testing companies – Giga Solution Tech and Turnkey Manufacturing Solutions (TMS) – plan to merge in February to form the world’s largest RF IC testing company in employees, equipment and monthly capacity.

L.P. Chen, president of Giga Solution, said the new company will have a monthly capacity of over eight million units after the merger, compared with the current three million in Giga Solution alone. He estimated that by the end of 2004 monthly capacity will exceed 15 million units.

Despite a slow start into the RF IC sector, several local design houses have begun to show their abilities and results in RF IC development. These companies include ADMtek, Airoha Technology, ALinx Technology, MediaTek, MuChip, Ralink Technology and Realtek Semiconductor.

According to Chen, the new company will have NT$1.28 billion in capital and over 100 employees.

Universal Communication Technology is the other major Taiwan-based RF IC testing house.