Tongyu Communication has announced a $42 million (RMB 300M) investment to acquire 25% of Shenzhen Jiaxian Communication Technology, a move that pushes the RF antenna maker into 6G AI‑RAN base station systems. Jiaxian has been co-developing a 6G AI‑RAN base station RF whole-unit with NVIDIA since 2025, with a prototype scheduled for end of 2026 and trial network tests in 2027–2028.

The deal closes in two phases, and Jiaxian will not be consolidated into Tongyu’s financials. Tongyu brings deep expertise in antennas, RF components, and base station structures – now extending downstream to complete systems, capturing next-gen wireless and 6G R&D ahead of the curve.

What is AI‑RAN? It integrates GPU compute directly into base stations, enabling beamforming intelligence, autonomous RF calibration, interference management, and integrated sensing & communication. This demands new RF power amps, TR modules, antenna arrays, and digital IF hardware – exactly where Tongyu’s supply chain fits.

Jiaxian and NVIDIA have collaborated for over six months, using CUDA ecosystem to build an AI‑native 6G hardware platform. The project targets overseas carrier markets, with industry estimates of a ¥100B+ market at full scale.

Tongyu currently supplies RF antennas and microwave components for 5G macro/micro cells and satellite terminals. This equity stake bridges the gap from RF components to complete AI base stations – a full vertical chain.

ICgoodFind Take:
RF suppliers moving into system-level 6G is a natural but bold step. NVIDIA’s CUDA lock-in at the radio edge is the real story here. For component buyers, watch for new RF front-end specs – this will reshuffle the supply base for beamforming and TR modules.