Sarantel

About Sarantel

Sarantel was a designer and manufacturer of miniature, high-performance ceramic antennas for wireless applications. The company was formed in March 2000 as a management buyout of technology developed by Dr. Oliver Leisten at Symmetricom, Inc. Dr. Leisten, who served as Chief Technology Officer, was an expert in the radio communications industry with over 100 patents for miniature dielectric loaded antennas, which formed the company's core intellectual property. David Wither served as the CEO.

Sarantel's core technology, marketed under names like PowerHelix™ and GeoHelix, centered on dielectrically loaded ceramic antennas. This design offered significant performance advantages over conventional antennas, including a clearer signal, better range, and a substantial reduction in signal radiation absorbed by the human body. A key feature was their resilience to proximity effects, maintaining a predictable response even when close to conductors or the user's body, a common issue for portable devices. The company targeted original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs) in markets such as GPS, WiMax, satellite radio, satellite phones, and military communications. Its business model involved designing, manufacturing, and selling these patented antennas, with manufacturing facilities in Wellingborough, UK, and some outsourced assembly.

The product line included antennas for GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, designed to be integrated into devices like mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops. Sarantel supplied antennas to over 50 wireless device manufacturers and was notably chosen by SAVOX for a GPS module used in Nokia TETRA terminals for UK emergency services. After going public on the AIM market in 2005, the company faced financial challenges and market shifts, with its last public financial accounts filed for the year ending September 2012. While there is no information about a formal acquisition, the company appears to be no longer active.