The UK's telecommunications infrastructure is undergoing one of the most significant periods of investment in its history. As of mid-2025, 85.9% of UK premises had access to gigabit-capable broadband according to Ofcom — and the UK fibre market has nearly doubled in size in less than two years, with network builders expanding from 8.6 million to around 16 million premises passed between early 2024 and end of 2025. Ofcom's Telecoms Access Review projects full-fibre coverage reaching 96% of UK homes and businesses within the next two years. Simultaneously, 5G infrastructure rollout continues to accelerate, with convergence between broadcast and cellular delivery beginning to reshape how content reaches audiences.
Behind every one of those network nodes, base stations, edge processing units, distribution systems and broadcast platforms is a chain of electronic assemblies — and those assemblies need to be manufactured to the standards of reliability and signal integrity that the sector demands.
Arkle Electronic Systems has been manufacturing complex, high-reliability electronics for over 50 years. Our experience with RF, mixed-signal and high-density assemblies, combined with our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system and UK-based production in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, makes us a capable and dependable manufacturing partner for telecoms infrastructure OEMs and professional broadcast equipment manufacturers alike.
A Sector with Genuine Manufacturing Complexity
Telecommunications and broadcast electronics present distinct manufacturing challenges that separate them from more standard electronic assemblies. RF and mixed-signal boards require careful attention to impedance control, signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility throughout the assembly process — considerations that begin at design for manufacture (DFM) review and continue through placement, soldering, inspection and test.
Broadcast electronics demand particularly consistent quality. Professional broadcast equipment — from studio infrastructure to outside broadcast units, signal processing and distribution systems — operates continuously, often in demanding environments, and failure carries direct commercial consequences for broadcasters and production companies who depend on it.
Arkle's manufacturing disciplines — developed across five decades of working in equally demanding sectors including defence and aerospace — translate directly into the precision and process control that telecoms and broadcast assemblies require.
Arkle manufactures complex electronic assemblies for a broad range of telecommunications and broadcast applications, including:
-
Telecoms network infrastructure — PCB assemblies for fibre network equipment, optical line terminals, distribution point units (DPUs), network interface devices and edge processing platforms supporting the UK's ongoing full-fibre and 5G infrastructure build
-
5G and wireless access equipment — electronics for small cell base stations, radio access network (RAN) equipment, antenna processing units and fixed wireless access (FWA) terminals
-
Satellite communication systems — assemblies for ground station equipment, satellite modem electronics, and VSAT terminal platforms serving fixed and mobile satellite connectivity applications
-
Professional broadcast infrastructure — electronics for broadcast signal routing, distribution, conversion and processing equipment used in studio, outside broadcast (OB) and transmission facility environments
-
Audio and video signal processing — high-quality PCB assemblies for signal processing, encoding, decoding and format conversion equipment for broadcast and streaming applications
-
Broadcast transmission equipment — assemblies for transmitter electronics, multiplexing equipment and terrestrial broadcast infrastructure
-
Test and monitoring equipment — electronics for network monitoring, signal quality analysis and broadcast test equipment
-
Cable and connectivity systems — custom cable assemblies and harnesses for rack-mount broadcast infrastructure, field broadcast units and telecoms equipment enclosures
Our high-mix, low-to-medium volume production model suits the telecoms and broadcast equipment market well — where product variants are common, build quantities are typically measured in hundreds rather than thousands, and quality consistency across every build is non-negotiable.
Applications We Support
RF and Mixed-Signal Assembly
The assembly of RF and mixed-signal PCBs demands manufacturing discipline that goes beyond standard SMT assembly practice. Signal integrity in RF circuits is sensitive to placement accuracy, solder joint geometry, ground plane integrity and the handling of controlled-impedance traces — factors that must be managed carefully throughout the build process to ensure the assembled board performs to design specification.
Arkle's manufacturing team is experienced in the production of RF and mixed-signal assemblies. Our processes include:
-
Placement to high-accuracy tolerances using Panasonic SMT equipment, with tight control over component positioning for RF circuit sections where parasitic effects can degrade performance
-
Leaded and lead-free soldering processes, with profile development at NPI stage to ensure solder joint quality is optimised for the specific board and component mix
-
Automated optical inspection (AOI) and X-ray inspection for BGA joints and hidden solder connections, providing verification of joint quality throughout the assembly rather than relying solely on end-of-line inspection
-
Rework and BGA reballing to IPC-7711/7721 standards, with full process documentation
-
Functional test development in collaboration with the customer during new product introduction, ensuring production test is capable of catching the failure modes relevant to the specific application
-
Full ESD-controlled production environment throughout, critical for the high-frequency active components commonly found in RF and telecoms assemblies
For broadcast applications, where 75Ω impedance is the standard for video signal paths, and for telecoms applications where 50Ω RF systems are common, our team understands the assembly-level considerations that affect controlled-impedance performance and works with customers at NPI stage to ensure the manufacturing process supports the design intent.
Manufacturing Capabilities for Telecoms and Broadcast
Our Stevenage facility provides the capability required for the full complexity of modern telecoms and broadcast electronics:
Arkle's quality credentials include:
-
ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management System
-
ISO 14001:2015 — Environmental Management System
-
Cyber Essentials Plus — Certified 2026
-
IPC-A-610 — Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies
-
IPC/WHMA-A-620 — Cable and Harness Assembly Standards
-
IPC-J-STD-001 — Requirements for Soldering
-
IPC-7711/7721 — Rework and Repair of Electronic Assemblies
-
RoHS and WEEE compliant
Every build at Arkle is supported by full traceability documentation — component lot records, inspection data, test results and process records — providing the audit trail that quality-conscious telecoms and broadcast OEMs need to manage their own supply chain compliance and warranty obligations.
Quality Credentials
Why Telecoms and Broadcast OEMs Choose Arkle
Manufacturing disciplines developed in equally demanding sectors
Arkle's 50-year track record spans defence, aerospace and scientific instrumentation — sectors where signal integrity, process control and quality traceability are non-negotiable. Those manufacturing disciplines translate directly into the precision that RF, mixed-signal and broadcast electronics assemblies require. The rigour we apply to a defence PCB is the same rigour we bring to a broadcast signal processor or a telecoms edge unit.
UK-based with responsive engineering support
Manufactured in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. For telecoms OEMs navigating a period of rapid infrastructure development, and broadcast equipment manufacturers working to tight production and delivery schedules, having a UK-based CEM means short lead times, direct communication and fast response when engineering changes or production questions arise. No offshore risk, no extended logistics delays, no time zone barriers.
High-mix capability suited to telecoms and broadcast build profiles
Telecoms infrastructure equipment and professional broadcast hardware are rarely high-volume products — they are typically high-complexity, low-to-medium volume assemblies that require the same quality and documentation discipline on every build. Arkle's high-mix production environment is built for exactly this. We can manage multiple product variants simultaneously and respond to changes in build schedule without compromising quality or lead times.
A long-term
manufacturing partner
Many of our customer relationships span years or decades. In a sector where product evolution is constant — new standards, new silicon, new form factors — having a CEM who understands your product history, your quality requirements and your engineering team makes programme management significantly more straightforward. We invest in that understanding and carry it forward consistently.
Proactive component and supply chain management
Telecoms and broadcast equipment often incorporates specialist components — RF modules, FPGAs, optical transceivers, proprietary chipsets — that require careful supply chain management. Arkle's procurement team manages active BOM monitoring across all programmes, tracking component availability, end-of-life notifications and allocation constraints, and communicating risks to customers proactively so that supply chain disruptions can be avoided rather than managed in crisis.
Working with Arkle on Your Telecoms or Broadcast Programme
We welcome enquiries from telecoms equipment OEMs, broadcast technology manufacturers, network infrastructure hardware developers and their supply chain partners across the UK. Whether you are bringing a new product to market, scaling an existing programme or looking to transfer production to a more capable, quality-accredited UK manufacturer, we are happy to review your requirements.
We offer a no-obligation review of your BOM, design documentation and quality requirements, and can provide a full programme proposal including costing, lead times and the quality documentation package we will provide. NDA execution is available at the outset where programme sensitivity requires it.
Speak to our team about your telecommunications or broadcast electronics manufacturing requirements.
Contact us | +44 (0)1438 721710 | info@arkle-electronics.co.uk
Arkle Electronic Systems Limited | Unit 15, Wedgwood Gate, Wedgwood Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 4SU ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 14001:2015 | Cyber Essentials Plus | IPC-A-610 | IPC/WHMA-A-620 | RoHS Compliant
