As with any engineering effort, there is some give to go with the take. While RF modules are a good option compared to a discrete design, they are a sole source part and a particular customer may not have much control over the life cycle of a manufacturer’s product. Also, a standard part that is readily available may not be the ideal fit for a particular application, which may require some sacrifice of target specifications or features in the end product. Customizing a module to meet the needs of the product may require large NREs, minimum orders or both. To minimize this concern, TE Connectivity Linx has a corporate policy to not discontinue a product unless a replacement part exists. The replacement part must be a drop-in or require minimal changes on the part of the customer. Some of the modules from Linx offer a significant amount of customizability without the time, costs or large minimum orders of traditional designs.