ADC adds to amplifier family

ADC, a Minnesota-based network infrastructure equipment company, has two new additions to its ClearGain line of tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs). The ClearGain DD1900 Full Band TMA and the DD1900/DD800 Dual Band TMA, both of which are Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG)-compliant, were first exhibited at CTIA Wireless 2007 in March. These systems allow remote electrical tilt (RET) signals to be injected into the system at the base transceiver station and then be extracted from the TMA with a special RET connector. This means the wireless operator does not have to run RET-specific cables up the tower, resulting in less wind loading and fewer components. ADC believes the new TMAs will help subscribers place and complete longer calls in an expanded geographic area. The company designed the new additions to be slim and stackable to ease installation. The TMA systems are fully compatible with all base stations and consist of a masthead unit, a power distribution unit and a Bias-T unit. All ClearGain TMAs are low-noise amplifiers that are mounted to the top of a base station near the antenna. They increase the reverse link to improve the reception of weak signals. The greater ClearGain TMA product family consists of solutions for a range of frequencies, including Dual Inline ASIG-compliant 2100 MHz, GSM 900 MHz and DCS 1800 MHz.

Spirent tests MediaFLO devices

Spirent Communications, a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company that provides performance analysis and service management solutions, has released the FLO1-ATS, a new a test system for MediaFLO-enabled mobile devices. Targeted to device manufacturers and service providers, The FLO1-ATS is an integrated, stand-alone system that requires no additional hardware and automates testing according to the TIA-1102 minimum performance test specification. The FLO1-ATS focuses on the requirements of FLO minimum performance testing, evaluating a FLO receiver’s performance and ability to demodulate under different real-world conditions. It includes channel-emulation capability to simulate additive white Gaussian noise, co-channel interference and multipath fading over different channel profiles. The FLO1-ATS also features timing and filtering mechanisms to meet the signal and noise requirements inherent in FLO testing, as well as ready-to-run test cases to support customized test suites. Spirent believes the FLO1-ATS can reduce test times and improve consistency and accuracy in measurements and test results, while helping to ensure the quality of experience for MediaFLO service subscribers.

Aluminum line designed for wireless

Global wireless solutions company Radio Frequency Systems has expanded its family of Cellflex Lite transmission lines to a 1-5/8-inch diameter size. The Meriden, Conn.-based company sees the new cable as a cost-effective alternative to copper transmission line, intending it to be used by carriers for higher power wireless applications. Lightweight in construction (0.64 lb/foot), it is a foam-dielectric, corrugated coaxial cable that features an aluminum outer conductor and copper inner. With single and multiple bending-radius capabilities, it is used to establish the base station to antenna RF link. RFS believes the 1-5/8-inch diameter cable’s lightweight design will assist carriers by allowing faster rollouts of wireless network infrastructure. The new cable is compatible with RFS’s accessories and clamps, as well as trimming and preparation tools. It follows the Cellflex Lite 7/8-inch diameter version that RFS debuted in mid-2006. The company also makes the Cellflex and Cellflex “A” transmission line brands.

GSM boost to network platform

UTStarcom Inc.—an Alameda, Calif.-based company specializing in IP-based, end-to-end networking products—has added GSM capability to its MovingMedia 2000 wireless network platform. The new GSM solution uses an IP-based architecture that distributes all system components throughout a network, rather than in one central location. Operators using MovingMedia 2000 can now offer both GSM and CDMA voice and data services to customers by deploying separate base stations. Traffic can then be routed over a common MSC core network. The GSM upgrade includes a softswitch-based switching solution, an intelligent media gateway, a signaling gateway and an operations maintenance center. The MovingMedia 2000 platform, originally launched in 2004, is a wireless infrastructure solution that allows mobile operators using the 450 MHz, 800 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies to offer CDMA-based voice and data services over IP to customers. It is based on 3GPP2 standards specifications. UTStarcom has also announced that SeaMobile, an at-sea wireless voice communications provider, will upgrade its current deployment of MovingMedia2000 with the GSM solution.