Last week’s CTIA 2013 conference involved quite a few announcements related to distributed antenna systems.
DAS provider Corning Inc. has launched a new platform for in-building wireless aimed at providing enterprise, hotels, arenas and convention centers with what the company claims is “nearly unlimited bandwidth,” and expanding the company’s portfolio beyond traditional DAS installations.
The One Wireless Platform is “designed to handle core cellular technologies and enable multiple applications, including wireless LAN, public safety and location-based services,” according to Corning, as well as providing Wi-Fi through a built-in gigabit Ethernet and power over Ethernet capability. Corning also announced a customer for the technology: Station Casinos, which owns and operates nine major hotels and casinos in and around Las Vegas, including the Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch resorts.
BTI Wireless launched a new 5W multi-band MIMO-ready remote node for its m-BCS indoor DAS products; the new node supports up to five frequency bands using a single fiber, with a second fiber available for MIMO or public safety use.
Ron Poulin, director of business development for BTI Wireless, said that the five-watt power level “will provide unprecedented flexibility for service providers of multi-operator indoor DAS systems to add bandwidth and capacity as data requirements continue to escalate,” adding that both high-power and medium-power nodes are used in different types of DAS coverage. The m-BSC suite also has high-power 20W nodes.
And Galtronics released both a new ultra-broadband in-building antennafor public safety and cellular
connectivity, and a new MIMO antenna. The PEAR S5491i has simultaneous coverage for TETRA public safety networks, cellular, GSM 850, PCS and AWS bands, the company said. The antenna is 13.2 inches in diameter and less than five inches tall, which Galtronics said is two inches shorter than other models on the market; it can be mounted below, through or above ceilings. Frequency coverage starts at 380 MHz.
The PEAR M4936i is part of Galtronics’ MIMO iDAS series and is designed for LTE in-building coverage. It operates from 698-2700 MHz and is now commercially available.
Meanwhile, regional carrier Cspire continues its LTE build-out. The company is expanding its LTE network to 205 new cells sites that will cover half a million more potential customers in Mississippi, while it launches LTE coverage in southern Alabama and northwest Florida with more than 145 sites that will cover nearly 700,000 POPs.
