As indoor wireless coverage grows in importance to operators, Andrew Wireless Solutions, the CommScope, Inc. division that is a global leader in communications systems and products, has introduced a digital, multi-band selective repeater that enables building cost-effective indoor coverage.
Andrew’s Node A RF Enhancer supports a combination of narrowband channels and individual band segments in one unit—whether 2G, 2.5G, 3G, or 4G cellular, iDEN, TETRA, VHF, or the recently auctioned 700 MHz or other frequency bands. Wireless operators can use the Node A to bring all of their outdoor frequency bands into small- and mid-size buildings, or, if used in conjunction with Andrew’s Intelligent Optical Network (ION™) family of products, cover large venues. The Node A is a cost-effective alternative to installing new base stations, performing the same function but at lower costs.
“Our Node A RF Enhancer enables customers to build smaller indoor networks today and migrate them to new frequencies and technologies tomorrow,” said Matt Melester, vice president, Wireless Innovations Worldwide Business Operations, Andrew. “The Node A is customizable to the frequencies most needed by the user and is ready to support future protocols as they emerge.”
In addition to wireless operators, the Andrew Node A is ideal for other potential customers, such as building owners who need to support multiple forms of wireless communications, including mission-critical systems. In the wake of national emergencies like Hurricane Katrina, US firefighters, police, and other first responders increased their demands for reliable ubiquitous radio coverage to ensure the public’s safety, as well as their own. Many municipalities and counties across the US are adopting in-building coverage ordinances in response to these demands, requiring building owners and commercial developers to install wireless coverage equipment inside their buildings. Andrew’s Node A enables high rise developers, for example, to supply the two bands needed by local emergency personnel and market to tenants the remaining two bands for in-building cellular or broadband signals, helping recoup the cost.
Another market for Node A is in the healthcare industry, which is experiencing a boom in wireless deployments within hospitals and across medical campuses. Wireless portable devices improve work flow, productivity, and process automation with electronic patient records, remote patient monitoring, staff location tracking, and other innovations. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) smart phones reduce voice costs and increase staff mobility. Healthcare facilities are some of the most RF intensive environments with more and more devices going wireless. Andrew’s Node A can help manage the wireless spectrum available to this multitude of devices.
“Some organizations are deploying other coverage products like bi-directional amplifiers and distributed antenna systems to bring wireless signals indoors,” said Melester. “But many of these products do not account for potential interference problems or provision for future technologies like Andrew’s Node A.”
Two unique features of Andrew’s Node A are its automatic gain control (AGC) and interference cancellation technologies. AGC helps prevent high power mobile devices, such as those transmitting further away from the booster, from degrading the service of low-power devices, such as those operating closer to it. The AGC also automatically adjusts system gain on per channel or per time slot basis during major emergencies, helping to avoid diminished signals when many first responders are using the system. The Node A also employs software-based digital filtering for interference cancellation, selectively rejecting unwanted signals such as harmonics and channel interfering frequencies on interleaved sub-bands.
“Wireless boosters have gotten a bad reputation in the past due to undesired channel interferers getting picked up and amplified along with the desired signals,” said Melester. “The Andrew Node A’s interference cancelling technology helps resolve this problem and makes the amplified signal more stable, meaning more reliable coverage.”
Installation of the Node A is easy with Andrew’s inclusion of an auto setup wizard. And though it is designed for wireless coverage enhancement inside high rise buildings, hotels, and other places that are difficult to reach with radio signals, the Node A can also fill missing outdoor coverage areas with optimized and cost-effective signal quality. The Node A RF Enhancer is just one element in Andrew’s comprehensive coverage and capacity product portfolio, which includes ION distributed antenna systems, RADIAX® radiating coaxial cable, in-building antennas, supporting passive devices, and worldwide support teams for network design, installation and testing.
Andrew will display its Node A and other coverage products in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the CTIA WIRELESS 2008 show April 1–3.
RADIAX is a registered trademark and ION a trademark of CommScope, Inc.
About CommScope
CommScope, Inc. (NYSE:CTV) (www.commscope.com) is a world leader in infrastructure solutions for communication networks. Through its Andrew Wireless Solutions® brand, it is a global leader in radio frequency subsystem solutions for wireless networks. Through its SYSTIMAX® and Uniprise® brands, CommScope is a world leader in network infrastructure solutions, delivering a complete end-to-end physical layer solution, including cables and connectivity, enclosures, intelligent software and network design services for business enterprise applications. It is also the premier manufacturer of coaxial cable for broadband cable television networks and one of the leading North American providers of environmentally secure cabinets for DSL and FTTN applications. Backed by strong research and development, CommScope combines technical expertise and proprietary technology with global manufacturing capability to provide customers with infrastructure solutions for evolving global communications networks in more than 130 countries around the world.
This press release includes forward-looking statements that are based on information currently available to management, management’s beliefs, as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events.Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results to differ materially from those currently expected.For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see CommScope’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.In providing forward-looking statements, the company does not intend, and is not undertaking any obligation or duty, to update these statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
News Media Contact:
Rick Aspan, CommScope
+1 708-236-6568 or publicrelations@andrew.com
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Investor Contact:
Phil Armstrong, CommScope
+1 828-323-4848