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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSTMicroelectronics’ 5G strategy described in 2019 was not one product launch. It covered three separate possibilities: GaN-on-silicon power components for telecom base stations with MACOM, millimeter-wave (mmWave) repeaters and small cells, and exploratory handset radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers. A May 2022 update confirmed that ST and MACOM had produced RF GaN-on-silicon prototypes and entered qualification, but the cited sources do not establish a completed qualification, volume production, current market share, or retail product.
What was ST doing in 5G?
The February 27, 2019 EE Times report “ST Goes 5G…on Multiple Fronts” described ST’s activity as a set of possible 5G directions rather than a finished portfolio. The tracks differed substantially in customer, technology maturity, and evidence.
| Opportunity | Intended application | Status in the cited coverage | Evidence date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GaN-on-silicon with MACOM | RF power components for telecom base stations | Capacity expansion announced; later prototypes moved to qualification | February 2019 announcement; May 2022 milestone |
| mmWave infrastructure | Repeaters and small cells for dense 5G networks | Exploration and direction discussed, not a documented commercial launch | February 2019 report |
| Handset RF power amplifiers | Possible GaN-on-silicon components in phones | Early discussions with market participants | February 2019 report |
Those categories should not be treated as interchangeable. A base-station component capacity plan is not evidence that ST shipped a handset chip, and a prototype qualification milestone is not proof of volume availability.
What does GaN-on-silicon have to do with 5G?
Gallium nitride (GaN) can serve as a high-power RF semiconductor, while silicon wafers offer a potentially scalable manufacturing platform. In the ST–MACOM effort, the target was telecom infrastructure: RF power amplification in the equipment that transmits signals from base stations.
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The February 2019 capacity announcement
On February 25, 2019, MACOM and ST announced an expansion of 150 mm GaN-on-silicon production capacity in ST fabs. The announcement said that 200 mm manufacturing could follow “as demand requires.” This was a plan announced at that time, not a measurement of present-day fab capacity.
MACOM said the joint investment was intended to support worldwide 5G network construction. Its CEO, John Croteau, said: “We anticipate that our joint investment at this early stage in bringing on more capacity positions us to service up to 85% of the global 5G network buildout.” The “up to 85%” figure is MACOM’s forecast or aspiration, not an independently measured share or a result that the cited sources verify.
MACOM’s release also repeated its own estimate that massive-MIMO deployments could require a 32× to 64× increase in power amplifiers. That number is a company estimate and should not be read as an independently confirmed industry outcome.
The May 2022 prototype milestone
On May 13, 2022, ST and MACOM announced that they had produced RF GaN-on-silicon prototypes and were moving the technology into qualification. This establishes a dated prototype milestone. The announcement does not establish whether qualification was completed, whether the devices entered volume production, or whether they are commercially available today.
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Why do 5G mmWave networks need small cells?
The 2019 EE Times account separately described ST’s interest in mmWave infrastructure, including repeaters and small cells. mmWave frequencies can provide large bandwidth, but their propagation is more easily blocked or attenuated than lower-frequency signals. Operators therefore generally need a denser radio layout to maintain coverage, especially in streets, venues, and other high-capacity areas.
Small cells
A small cell is a lower-power radio node serving a limited area. Deploying many of them can shorten the distance between a user and a mmWave access point and add capacity where demand is concentrated. The report presented this dense architecture and the resulting need for many small cells as characteristics of mmWave deployment.
Repeaters
Repeaters can extend or redirect coverage from an existing radio source into locations where a direct path is weak or obstructed. The 2019 report identified mmWave repeaters as an area ST was exploring; it did not document a commercial ST repeater product, deployment numbers, or a production schedule.
Claude Dardanne, then president of ST’s microcontrollers and digital ICs group, emphasized the intended focus in a statement quoted by EE Times: “I am not talking about sub-6 GHz, but 5G mmWave.” In context, this described the infrastructure direction under discussion, not a claim that ST had already launched a complete mmWave network system.
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Did ST plan to make 5G handset chips?
The same 2019 report mentioned possible GaN-on-silicon RF power amplifiers for handsets, but characterized the work as preliminary discussions with key market players. It did not identify a launched phone component, a handset design win, or a commercial ST mobile RF product.
EE Times also reported analyst views that mixed the potential opportunity with skepticism about ST’s ability and commitment to enter handset markets. Those were contemporaneous opinions, not evidence of the company’s present strategy or status.
How mature were the three tracks?
Base-station power components: the clearest public commitment
The MACOM collaboration had the most concrete 2019 evidence: a named manufacturing-capacity expansion, a stated 150 mm platform, and a possible 200 mm step tied to demand. The later prototype announcement shows technical progress by 2022, while leaving the final qualification and commercial outcome unstated.
mmWave repeaters and small cells: an infrastructure direction
These were described as areas ST was exploring in response to dense mmWave network requirements. The cited account does not establish a released product, customer deployment, or production volume.
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Handset RF: exploratory discussions
The handset path was the least mature in the cited 2019 reporting. It involved early conversations rather than a disclosed chip launch or confirmed handset adoption.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can—and cannot—be concluded today?
The sources support a historical sequence:
- February 25, 2019: MACOM and ST announced planned expansion of 150 mm GaN-on-silicon capacity in ST fabs, with 200 mm contemplated as demand required.
- February 27, 2019: EE Times described the base-station effort alongside exploratory mmWave repeaters, small cells, and handset RF amplifiers.
- May 13, 2022: ST and MACOM reported RF GaN-on-silicon prototypes and a move into qualification.
No independent, named market statistic in these sources establishes current ST/MACOM deployment share, present commercial availability, completion of qualification, or volume production. The 85% statement remains MACOM’s 2019 projection, not an achieved result. Likewise, the reporting does not justify saying that ST launched 5G handset chips or commercialized the proposed repeater and small-cell products.
The Bottom Line
ST’s 5G work, as documented from 2019 through the 2022 milestone, was a portfolio of bets at different stages: a concrete GaN-on-silicon base-station manufacturing partnership, exploratory mmWave infrastructure concepts, and preliminary handset discussions. Prototypes were reported in 2022, but the cited evidence stops short of proving qualification completion, volume production, or current commercial success.
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