Network growing pains: Vendors push products that extend the capabilities-and reach-of the public network

Having completed initial buildout of both new digital and existing analog networks, carriers now are taking the time to stretch them out.

Products exhibited at Wireless '98 indicate an ongoing development of new technologies that extend capacity and coverage-from smart antennas to superconductor filters. Other new products, including antennas and network management tools, are designed to help carriers respond to the need for a smooth transition from analog to digital.

But just because vendors exhibited these innovative products doesn't mean that carriers are buying them. The industry needs to be educated before it widely adopts new technologies, particularly in the smart antenna category, according to Robert Shuman, vice president of product and project management for Metawave. Shuman believes that it will be five to 10 years before smart antennas become a standard network element.

Divide and clarify Metawave used the show to introduce SpotLight 2000, the second generation of its SpotLight product line. The smart antenna offers a dual-mode spectrum management system for code division multiple access (CDMA), AMPS and NAMPS networks. Designed for carriers moving from AMPS to CDMA, the system lets users set separate antenna patterns for AMPS and CDMA from the same structure.

"Users won't have to compromise AMPS or CDMA," Shuman said. The product can double the capacity on analog networks and increase capacity by 40% on CDMA networks, according to company officials.

Superconductor filter companies displayed their cutting-edge goods as well, unveiling various products ideal for different applications, including low-cost solutions and filters designed to increase coverage in high-interference sites and rural areas.

Illinois Superconductor introduced its new PowerMaster PCS Duplexer, which offers filtering on both the forward and reverse paths and is ideal for use in collocated sites. Other new ISC products include SpectrumMaster Ultra, a powerful product dubbed the "Ferrari filter" by Edward Laves, president and CEO of ISC. The SpectrumMaster Ultra is designed for use in extreme interference environments.

ISC also introduced the RangeMaster Omega, a front-end, low-cost solution ideal for low-interference suburban and rural areas, and TowerMaster, a compact tower-mounted version of the company's RangeMaster front-end system.

ISC recently announced that Bell Atlantic Mobile bought five RangeMaster filters.

Conductus introduced a new filter at the show-a compact, three-sector receiver front-end filter. Trials showed a reduction in dropped calls and interference, as well as coverage gap fill-ins, particularly when used with low-powered (0.6 watt) handsets. Some companies that have tested the filter use it as a diagnostic tool because it produces a clear signal that offers valuable information about their networks, according to Conductus officials.

Superconducting Core Technologies rolled out a new filter, designed for GSM and PCS operators looking for a low-cost solution. The SC-200 Receiver Front End System is a tower-mounted unit that incorporates superconducting low-loss filtering and cooled low-noise amplification.

SCT unveiled an ambient temperature series of products. Designed for cellular and GSM networks, the products are ideal for operators with networks that incorporate dual duplexed cell site antennas and for those that require a low-cost solution.

To the point Beyond extending coverage and capacity, other products focused on providing more pinpointed coverage in tight areas.

Samsung Telecommunications used the Wireless '98 show to highlight its CDMA PicoBTS, a compact base station designed for covering tight spaces without multiplying network costs.

ADC Wireless Systems added more products to its line of RF extension solutions with a new CityCell unit for GSM, CDMA and time division multiple access systems, as well as its new MicroLink 1900 indoor coverage extender.

"We're not trying to provide mass coverage," said John Baker, president and CEO of ADC Wireless. "It's very much niche applications in high-volume areas."

Allen Telecom introduced multiple extension products-including repeaters and antennas-designed for focused-area applications. The EAC-850, a small, two-channel CDMA repeater, is designed to improve coverage in focused areas such as tunnels, indoor settings, dense urban sites and sports stadiums. It also can add coverage to CDMA buildouts over an existing analog system or as a driver to in-building coverage systems.

Allen's Decibel Products division displayed the PCS dB Diamond indoor antenna, offering a compact size and broad beamwidth for extended indoor coverage applications. Ideal for open spaces or locations with high ceilings, the antenna measures only 3.5 square inches.

Among other products premiered at the show, Allen's Decibel Products group also introduced a directional wireless local loop panel antenna designed for applications such as wireless Internet access. Model DB977H90E-S is offered in the 2300 to 2500 MHz frequency bands.

Ortel announced at the show that it has teamed with Qualcomm to test a receive diversity function for its CDMA repeaters. The companies are jointly testing the option in Qualcomm's base station. Receive diversity in CDMA can help extend base station and range, and it reduces the power level that mobile handsets must emit, which extends battery life.

"This receive diversity option increases the capacity of the cell site and enlarges the coverage area," said Hal Zarem, director of marketing at Ortel. The test is being conducted in a simulated outdoor environment in Qualcomm's lab.

Ortel also introduced a new software-based setup option for its MirrorCell CDR 1901 repeaters. The vendor's AutoLevel platform enables automatic setup before repeater installation. "It allows operators to set up the repeater with a minimal number of parameter sets," Zarem said.

Back to basics While high-tech devices that increase capacity and coverage may have stolen the show among infrastructure vendors, operators still need the basics-radios, base stations and network management tools.

Harris and Glenayre Western Multiplex both showcased spread spectrum radios at Wireless '98. Harris' Aurora 2400 features E-1 and T-1 connections, runs in the ISM band of 2.4 GHz and allows users to operate to a maximum of 40 miles of service. It is a single-rack, indoor radio that can be used for PCS, PCN, LAN, WAN, Internet and other services. Price is the most important feature of the product-$5995 for each end, including the radio, antenna and software, Harris officials said.

Glenayre Western Multiplex added two improvements to its spread spectrum radios. Lynx.sc radios in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands now have fractional data capacity, from 56 to 512 kb/s. The company also offers a model that can accommodate four T-1 lines. Donald Arndt, senior product manager, expects the fractional radio to be popular in countries such as Brazil, China, Mexico and Taiwan where companies may want to bypass telephone companies. "They can bypass the local carrier and be in charge of their own connection," he said.

Wireless Inc. introduced a new radio, the N2-Link, which operates in the newly allocated unlicensed national information infrastructure (U-NII) spectrum.

"We're rounding out our product line," said Stephen Miller, executive vice president for Wireless Inc. The new line, the N2-Access Series, is ideal for applications up to 15 kilometers in the U.S. and is available in DS-1 or E-1 line rates. It operates simultaneously in both the 5.3 and 5.7 GHz U-NII frequency bands.

Northern Telecom showcased a new addition to its existing radio line, unveiling its new FCP800 CDMA base station a designed especially for operators making the transition from analog to digital. The unit can be collocated with existing analog base stations to maximize use of limited real estate.

Glenayre Western Multiplex introduced open network management software for its spread spectrum radio networks. OpenLynx is designed to work with the Lynx.sc family of spread spectrum digital microwave radios. Radios can be monitored through any direct connection or dial-up modem.

Watkins-Johnson Co. Telecommunications Group used the show to introduce a new version of the Base2 MacroCell base station, a dual-mode AMPS/IS-136 software-definable base station for mobile and fixed wireless applications. WJ also announced that it now implements an enhanced full-rate vocoder in its Base2 products to offer enhanced voice quality with optimum spectrum efficiency.

In addition to installing radios, operators need tools to manage their performance in the network.

"Carriers have been so busy getting networks built, now they want to manage them," said Jim Runnells, product marketing manager for Digital Microwave Corp. DMC and Glenayre Western Multiplex both introduced network management tools for their radios. DMC announced that simple network management protocol (SNMP) is available on its digital microwave radios.

The product is important because it is based on open standards and operates with equipment from different suppliers, Runnells said. The company offers two SNMP solutions to offer backward compatibility: One is an external alarm management unit with an embedded proxy agent, and the other embeds SNMP in the radio.

Nortel also introduced a new RF optimizer, which is a software package that provides carriers with detailed reports on radio network performance and problems.

With extension on the minds of many industry players, vendors arrived at the show ready to push their new enhancement products. Operators likely walked away from the show armed with fresh ideas, ready to continue down the road of fine-tuning and stretching their networks.-Technology Editor Jason Meyers contributed to this report.