Wireless Industry

You Can Change the World from Here

Austin is driving the build-out of a wireless future where voice, data and digital media converge on open wireless and computing platforms. Austin is a wireless hub, with major design centers or headquarters for the top four wireless semiconductor companies. Billions of chips manufactured or designed in Austin power millions of mobile phones and wireless devices. Austin is the top city in the country in terms of broadband penetration and third in terms of wireless access.

Exciting Developments from Wireless Leaders

  • Motorola Austin's Center of Excellence designs and develops 4G emerging cellular technologies, hardware applications and advanced wireless networking systems.
  • QUALCOMM Austin's DSP Design Center focuses on research and development of cutting edge digital signal processors and the next generation of hardware technologies used in wireless modems and multimedia applications. QUALCOMM's next generation DSPs will drive multimedia entertainment on CDMA phones being designed in Austin.
  • Freescale Semiconductor is headquartered in Austin and has the number one communications processor in the world – powering products that connect us, entertain us and make our lives better.
  • The University of Texas at Austin and the City of Austin fund the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), one of the most successful technical business incubators in the country, launching four public companies and creating over 70 successful tech startups. The ATI Wireless division is focused on harnessing resources and providing support for local wireless and related technology companies.
  • NXP's newly acquired "single chip" cellular technology and RF transceivers were conceived of and developed by Silicon Labs in Austin and drives over 80% of NXP's 3 cellular platforms.
  • AT&T's cell phone testing and validation takes place in Austin and AT&T's research and development in IMS is co-managed by AT&T Labs in Austin. This is one of four major R&D facilities in the country to design and validate next generation wireless technologies, including IPTV and media convergence.
  • The Wi-Fi Alliance®, which created the term "Wi-Fi," leads the fast growing, global Wi-Fi industry from Austin with 300 certified companies.
  • The annual Texas Wireless Summit facilitates networking and interactive discussions for executives to provide key insights on the future of the wireless industry.

The Wireless Community

Technology is a significant part of our economy. There are 3,400 companies in the tech sector – from large Fortune 500 companies like Dell and Freescale – to smaller tech startups. All together these companies employ over 100,000 or 18% of the private sector workforce and 34% of the private sector payroll. Here are some prominent examples from our wireless community:

  • More Information
  • For more information about our capabilities or to confidentially request information or a site search in our region, contact Stephen Kreher, Director - Economic Development, at 512.322.5681 or skreher@austinchamber.com.
  • For information on how the greater Austin Chamber of Commerce can help you expand your business in Central Texas, contact Aisha Javed, Director, Business Retention and Expansion at 512-322-5677 or ajaved@austinchamber.com

Over the past 15 years, small businesses have accounted for the majority of private-sector net job creation, says US SBA.