T h e C l e a r C h o i c e i n W i re l e s s ™

The Radio Frequency Systems Bulletin

4th quarter 2002

Tuning in at Volkswagen AutostadtRoad testing Remote Tilt™

Supporting the rise of US GSM

Iberian 3G: only a matter of time

RFS announces µ-wave Link Approach

Tuning in at Volkswagen AutostadtRoad testing Remote Tilt™

Supporting the rise of US GSM

Iberian 3G: only a matter of time

RFS announces µ-wave Link Approach

I N D E X2

EditorialBeyond the benchmarks—optimization is the key

What’s NewHybrid polarized APY cellular antenna

APX800/1900 cross-polarized dualbandsolution

Broadband combiner has 4X4 efficiency

Remote system monitoring for the broadcast future

CellularSupporting the rise of US GSM

Microwave ‘µ-wave Link Approach’ aids RF system design

Network OptimizationRoad testing Remote TiltTM

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IMPR

INTRadio Frequency Systems

WorldWideWeb: http://www.rfsworld.com

Publisher: Jörg SpringerExecutive Editor/Editor Asia Pacific:Peter WaltersEditor EMAI: Alan WalpEditor Americas: Ann Polanski (act.)Managing Editor: Allan AldersonProduction Editor: Christian MichatschArt Director: Marilu Krallmann

Authors: Allan Alderson, Graham Broad, MartinDirnberger, Dr Ellen Gregory, Zach Phillipps

Photos: RFS archives, John Bragagnolo, CharlesChong, Remi Deniel, Tony Koopmans, AutostadtGmbH, Taxi Images (Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain, page 11, Burj Al Arab, Dubai, page 17)

Cover image: Courtesy of Autostadt GmbHCover art: Matthias Schwedt

Print: Print Design, Minden

Layout and Graphics:inform advertising, Hannover

Editorial Services:Relate Technical Communications, Melbourne

Road testing Remote TiltTM

Field trials of Remote TiltTM antenna technologyare under way across the globe. Significantthroughput gains and savings in optimizationcosts are predicted both for emerging 3G andestablished 2G cellular networks.

‘µ-wave Link Approach’ aids RF system design

RFS launches µ-wave Link Approach—an interactiveand dynamic Internet-based calculator thatoverviews the impact of major system componentson microwave link power budget.

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Regional FocusIberian 3G: only a matter of time

Confined CoverageFrench fire standard cable for Métro de Lyon

RFS in-builds FM, TV and GPS at Volkswagen Autostadt

BroadcastPracticalities of UHF digital/analogue combining

Strategic LocalizationWireless movements in the Gulf States

In TouchGuangzhou Metro opts for RFS broadbandsolution

The objective is optimization: RFS at Cannes 3GSM

RFS duplexers shipped from Shanghai

A global showcase—Expo calendar 2003

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Iberian 3G: only a matter of time

After the boom of the last fewyears, 2002 has seen pause andreflection in the cellular marketsof the Iberian Peninsula—perhapsjust what was needed for a steadyprogression towards 3G servicesin 2003 and beyond.

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Supporting the rise of US GSM

Two new contracts betweenRadio Frequency Systemsand Bechtel Telecommuni-cations will ensure thatequipment and expertise are readily available to meetthe needs of the USA’semerging GSM networks.

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RFS in-builds FM, TV and GPS at VolkswagenAutostadt

Tuning into the needs of new car buyers, RFS helpsVolkswagen realize indoor GPS, FM radio and TV coverage at its world famous automobile theme park.

Madrid

Sevilla

Spain

Porto

Lisbon

Barcelona

Portugal

Gibraltar

Valladolid

COVER:The Autostadt Wolfsburg—located atVolkswagen’s headquarters in WolfsburgGermany—is an automobile competencecentre and leisure-park set on 25 hectaresof land. The facility includes a luxurycustomer centre and vehicle handoverzone, plus two 48-metre-high glasstowers that provide multi-tiered storagefor up to 800 new cars (see page 13).

Site 1 Site 220 km

50 m

60 m

Click here toselect antenna

Online HelpQuick-Reference

µ-wave Link Approach

RADIO FREQUENCY SYSTEMS

7

are required to ensure that optimal

performance is ‘built in’ to the final network

design. The newly launched RFS ‘Microwave

Link Approach’ software is just one example

of how RFS is actively involved in helping

designers, operators and OEMs achieve this

goal.

The third, and arguably most important area

of optimization activity, is that of RF system

functionality, where supporting multiple services

within the bounds of existing and future

infrastructure is the prime goal. To meet growing

demand in this area, RFS has developed a

unique selection of broadband, multiband,

combining and filtering technologies. An

example is RFS’s unique triple-band GSM

900/GSM 1800/UMTS cellular antenna

system, which is currently playing an impor-

tant infrastructure optimization role in Spain’s

3G cellular roll-out.

While the automobile industry parallel illustrates

the shared development path between the

automobile and RF, the time frames are vastly

different. The optimization revolution in the

automobile industry spanned decades—in the

RF world it is measured merely in years and

months. To support this immediate surge in

demand for optimization technologies, RFS

has in place a comprehensive research and

development program and is fully committed

to innovation. At 3GSM World Congress in

Cannes, France, in early 2003, visitors to the

RFS exhibit will have the opportunity to witness

the fruits of this innovation. RF optimization—

for current, emerging and future generation

RF systems—will be a central theme. We look

forward to seeing you there.

—limits in spectrum allocation, geographic

conditions, tower space and so on. Invariably,

optimization is proving the key. By addressing

this need for optimization, the wireless industry

is moving beyond its early benchmarks to even

greater market success. A key indicator is cellular

telephony, which has reached a reported one

billion subscribers worldwide—that’s one

subscription for every sixth man, woman and

child on the earth.

The prime area of activity in wireless network

optimization is the so-called ‘last mile’ and, in

particular, the RF interface. It is at this interface

where technological innovation is most critical

and where Radio Frequency Systems finds

itself engaged on three fronts—optimization

of RF system performance, design and

monitoring functions, and most importantly,

the RF system functionality.

The first—‘performance optimization’—is a

major challenge facing all RF system operators

in their quest to realize optimal throughput

and efficiency. Advances in specialized RF

elements, such as RFS’s ‘Remote Tilt’ technology,

play an important role in this regard. The Remote

Tilt system minimizes co-channel interference

and pilot pollution in cellular networks, thus

improving network throughput and avoiding

more costly alternative options.

Second is ‘design optimization’. RFS has long

recognized that optimization is, in fact, essential

from the earliest stage of network design.

Sophisticated design and development tools

E D I T O R I A L 3

IMPR

INT

Beyond the benchmarks—optimizat ion is the key

Jörg Sellner

The wireless communications industry has, in

many respects, paralleled the evolution of the

automobile industry. In essence, both industries

have introduced technologies so innovative

and so successful that they stand as mile-

stones in human development. Both industries

have experienced unprecedented demand for

their products—a demand so high that the

very needs of the markets they created have

changed, leading to a re-establishment of the

core design objectives.

In the case of the automobile, there was an

explosion in investment in automobile technology

immediately following the nineteenth century

invention of the internal combustion engine,

with vehicle power and speed the primary

design focus. The industry experienced

extraordinary demand—Henry Ford’s fledgling

Detroit factory churned out 10,600 Model Ts

in its first year of production, breaking all

automobile industry records, yet still struggled

to meet demand.

This unprecedented increase in traffic created

new challenges for the industry: rising traffic

congestion, air pollution, fuel prices, and accident

rates, just to name a few. The solution was a

shift in design focus from automobile power

and speed, to one of optimization. Modern

automobile design now focuses heavily on

issues of efficiency and performance. This has

seen the automobile industry move to even

greater successes—achieving around 80 per

cent market penetration in the developed

world, with around 625 million vehicles on the

planet serving us daily.

The unique nature of wireless communications

has catalyzed a similar explosion in demand for

wireless products.And, just like the automobile

industry, this meteoric demand has led to an

early meeting of limits. The complex RF systems

that transport voice, vision and data around

the world also operate within limited resources

Jörg SellnerCEO & Chairman

of Radio FrequencySystems

4 W H A T ’ S N E W

Hybrid polar ized APY cel lu lar antennaThe new APY series cellular

band (806 to 894 MHz) antenna

provides operators with the

very best of both worlds—

the ‘one-antenna-per-sector’

convenience of a polarization

diversity reception, coupled

with transmission performance

of a vertically polarized array.

Designed to support cellular and

‘specialized mobile radio’ (SMR)

applications, the new APY

panel antenna features hybrid

polarization. It comprises two

orthogonal receive arrays and

In response to market demand for innovative

dualband antenna solutions, RFS announces

the forthcoming launch of its new

APX800/1900 series cellular antenna series.

Designed to meet the needs of the growing

number of carriers operating both

cellular (806-894 MHz) and Personal

Communications Services (PCS 1850-1990

MHz) band networks, the new RFS

APX800/1900 series provides the site

advantages of cross-polarization in a

compact, high-gain antenna package.

With the US Federal Communications

Commission (FCC) announced removal of

the spectrum cap on 1 January 2003, many

US operators are considering the

acquisition of complementary band

spectrum to achieve greater network

capacity, advised RFS Base Station

Antenna Product Manager David

Kiesling. “Clearly, operators need a

practical means of quickly deploying cell

sites in the complementary band,”

Kiesling said. “The RFS APX cross-

polarized dualband antenna offers a

particularly elegant solution!”

The new APX series antenna

incorporates two +/- 45 degree

polarized arrays within one radome.

This provides mobile telephone

operators with the convenience of

realizing network coverage in both bands

with just one antenna per sector, instead

of the four or six antennas per sector

required using conventional space-diversity

single band antenna solutions.

To be launched in the first quarter of

2003, the new APX800/1900 series

antenna will be available in horizontal

beamwidths of 65 and 90 degrees, and

a selection of fixed electrical downtilts.

The new antenna series boasts better

than 25 dB front-to-back performance

in both bands, cellular band gains of

15 and 16 dBi and PCS band gains of

17 and 18 dBi (90 and 65 degree

beamwidth models)—all in a housing

just over two metres in length. Additional

models featuring continuously

adjustable electrical downtilt are

expected to follow soon.

one vertically polarized transmit array—all

in a single compact radome. “Transmission

of the cellular band via a vertically polarized

array is an important issue for many

operators,” said David Kiesling, RFS Area

Product Manager Base Station Antenna

Systems. “For some it overcomes legislative

requirements, while others have a technical

preference for the vertically polarized

transmit array. But most operators would

like to enjoy the site acquisition advantages

of a cross-polarized array—the RFS APY

series solves this dilemma!”

Launched at the Cellular Telecommunica-

tions and Internet Association (CTIA)

exhibition in Orlando, Florida in March

2002, the new APY series antenna boasts

unrivalled front-to-back performance for

antennas of this class. “Front-to-back

performance has been a failure of most of

hybrid polarization antennas the market

has seen to date,” Kiesling said. “The RFS

APY breaks the mould here, by achieving a

front-to-back ratio of better than 25 dB.”

The APY series antenna is available in two

horizontal beamwidth models—90 degrees

and 65 degrees. The complete APY antenna

package is typically 20 per cent lighter and

40 per cent smaller in total size than

competing products, ensuring minimum

tower and wind loading. All models are

provided with fixed electrical downtilt, and

may be fitted with an optional mechanical

tilt mounting bracket to achieve 0 to

10 degrees downtilt.

APX800/1900 cross-polar ized dualband solut ion

, .

such as forward/reflected power, voltage

standing wave ratio (VSWR), temperature

—whatever is required.

“All these features will also be available

remotely: remote data acquisition, and

remote monitoring of alarms and general

performance,” said Dallimore.

He added that systems will be fully

customized to meet the specific monitoring

requirements of individual networks. “It could

allow broadcasters to monitor parameters

they couldn’t previously monitor easily,

such as dc resistance in antenna systems.”

In support of the new technology, all of RFS’s

latest-generation combining equipment is

supplied with a built-in probe that allows

connection to the antenna system monitor.

This includes the company’s new digital/

analogue low power combiner for gap-filling

services, for which parameters such as individual

channel powers may be easily monitored.

Radio Frequency Systems has developed an

innovative solution that will enable broadcasters

to remotely monitor antenna system

performance—from the network operations

centre, for example—via modem or the

Internet.

“The progression of the industry towards

large-scale broadcast networks is mirrored

by the need for remote monitoring of these

networks,” said Mike Dallimore, RFS Vice

President Broadcast and HF. “The aim is for

a chief engineer to be able to access the

current status of any station on the

network—from anywhere in the world!”

The RFS Antenna System Monitor comprises

a user-friendly touch screen connected to a

programmable logic controller (PLC) inter-

faced with a transducer and analogue/digital

converter. This local set-up provides an

active mimic panel as well as interactive

graphical displays depicting parameters

W H A T ’ S N E W 5

The latest addition to Radio Frequency

Systems’ in-building and tunnel product set

is the new broadband ‘4X4’ distributive

combiner (BBC-4/4-380/2200). Featuring

four input and four output ports, the

distributive combiner is optimized for all RF

bands between 380 MHz and 2200 MHz,

making it one of the most versatile combiners

for the confined coverage market.

The primary role of the 4X4 combiner is to

combine and distribute RF services for tunnel

and in-building communications systems.

Remotesystem

monitor ing for the

broadcastfuture

Broadbandcombinerhas 4X4 eff ic iency

The specific mix of the four possible incoming

services is highly flexible, and dependent on

the requirements of a particular system.

“The four inputs might be four different

bands—such as TETRA380, GSM900,

GSM1800 and UMTS,” said RFS System

Sales Engineer, Anthony Long. “Alternatively,

they could be the services of four different

operators—either in the same band or

not.”

The four output ports are used to evenly

distribute a combined RF signal throughout

the four quadrants of a distributed wireless

network. “It’s actually more efficient to split

the signal at the combiner, rather than

branching off at each floor or segment,”

Long said. “This way, smaller cables can be

used from the beginning, and the overall

system losses are significantly reduced.”

The highly efficient design of the 4X4

distributive

combiner also ensures

that all energy is distributed into the

system, instead of being dissipated by the

combining components.

Owing to its broadband functionality, the

4X4 distributive combiner reduces system

complexity, leading to reduced system costs

and improved performance. “Previously a

typical broadband range was 800 MHz to

2200 MHz,” said Long. “The ability to combine

the lower bands, such as TETRA380, without

adding a separate combiner module is a

significant advantage of this product. The

fewer components in a system, the better

the overall system performance.”

do these projects—they can single-source

them from RFS,” Linke says.

The supply agreements take place amid

important developments in the US cellular

industry. Motivated by a need to provide

advanced cellular services now and in the

future, a select number of operators in the

country have committed themselves to

upgrading their networks to GSM. Not only

does this represent an improvement over

the legacy time-division multiple access (TDMA)

networks, but it also offers a viable upgrade

path for providing GPRS data services and,

ultimately, EDGE third generation technology.

United States cellular operators can now be

more confident of a timely roll-out of global

system for mobile communications (GSM)

services throughout the country. Radio

Frequency Systems has signed two

comprehensive infrastructure supply

contracts with Bechtel Telecommunications,

a global group engaged in projects to

overlay and build GSM networks in the US.

Specifically, the agreements allow RFS to

support the telecommunications group in

its projects to lay down GSM networks for

two separate operators.

The new supply agreements are effectively

an open-ended purchase order, explains

Chuck Linke, Sr. Vice President Sales &

Marketing at RFS United States. While not

stipulating exclusivity, they set up an important

framework for providing the full RFS product

line of base station antennas, CELLFLEX

coaxial cables, connectors and accessories.

“RFS can provide a total package and this

enables Bechtel to acquire the components

it needs much more efficiently. Whether it’s

an antenna, a cable, lightning protection,

or any of the items required by Bechtel to

6 C E L L U L A R

Two new contracts between RadioFrequency Systems and BechtelTelecommunications will ensurethat equipment and expertise arereadily available to meet theneeds of the country’s emergingGSM networks.

Now, RFS is playing a significant role in

helping Bechtel to implement these new

networks. “These are nation-wide GSM

projects, involving thousands of new and

overlay sites in all corners of the United

States. Obviously it is important that these

services be rolled out quickly and

cost-effectively in order to be competitive.

RFS can help Bechtel achieve this by

ensuring optimum selection and

integration of components to assure the

best possible performance of the

networks for the GSM operators,” says

Linke.

Support ing the r ise of US GSM

transmitter output power, the gain of the

transmitting and receiving antennas, loss in

the feeders on both sites (if applicable),

free space loss, attenuation due to rain

and atmosphere, antenna polarization,

frequency, and link distance.

Each of these parameters is represented

either graphically or through clearly-

defined windows. Selections may be made

from RFS’s range of microwave antennas

(including the CompactLine and SlimLine

families), FLEXWELL elliptical waveguide,

Overmoded FLEXWELL elliptical waveguide

and Twistflex.

Three scenariosThe tool also takes into account three

different microwave system installation

configurations: cases where the radio is

integrated with the antenna, near to the

antenna, and in a shelter away from the

antenna. For each scenario, the waveguide

and Twistflex requirements are altered,

affecting the loss attributable to the feeder

component of the system.

According to Wojtkowiak, the µ-wave Link

Approach tool provides an excellent

starting point for system design. “It

supplies a list of selected components at

any stage along the way and includes an

on-line help window,” he said. “Used in

conjunction with the RFS System Design

Wizard, it allows streamlined design of

multi-site microwave systems. These

Internet-based tools will simplify the RF

design process.”

Streamlined selection“The µ-wave Link Approach calculator is

primarily designed to assist customers in

the selection of RF equipment,” said RFS

Area Product Manager microwave antenna

systems, Daniel Wojtkowiak. “Users can play

with parameters such antenna size, feeder

type, and distance between sites to determine

the right product mix. They can then move

into the RFS System Design Wizard* to

complete the system design in more detail.

The two Internet tools complement each

other perfectly.” (*As featured in STAY

CONNECTED, 2nd quarter 2002.)

Wojtkowiak explained that link budget is

used to ensure that the power level

available at the receiver (Pr) is sufficient to

meet the manufacturer’s specified power

sensitivity—the minimum signal for which

the receiver will function. The µ-wave Link

Approach tool calculates Pr based on the

One of the first steps in planning a wireless

link between two points is the calculation

of link budget—a balancing of power,

gains and losses across an RF system that

ensures it meets the minimum power

requirements of the receiver. A vital

element of overall system design, the link

budget calculation assists in the selection of

RF equipment and helps determine the

number of point-to-point links required to

establish communications over a certain

distance.

In response to customer requests for a

simple guide to link budget calculations in

microwave point-to-point systems, Radio

Frequency Systems has launched the µ-wave

Link Approach tool at www.rfsworld.com.

This is an interactive and dynamic calculator

that provides a quick and easy overview of

major system components, and calculates

their impact on the link budget.

7M I C R O W A V E

RFS launches µ-wave Link Approach—an interactive and dynamicInternet-based calculator that overviews the impact of major systemcomponents on microwave link power budget.

‘µ -wave L ink Approach’aids RF system design

The µ-wave Link Approach tool can be accessedvia ‘Software Solutions’ under the ‘Support’ menuat www.rfsworld.com.

Site 1 Site 220 km

50 m

60 m

Click here toselect antenna

Rain rate List of components Calculate

Online HelpQuick-Reference

µ-wave Link Approach

RADIO FREQUENCY SYSTEMS

essential challenge here

is that optimization of

CDMA-based systems

requires the network

planner continuously to

make a trade-off between

capacity and quality. “In a

CDMA system, cells use the

same frequency. Inter-

ference is suppressed using

a coding gain—but inter-

ference still exists. If you

increase coding gain [to

improve Bit Error Rate (BER)], you decrease

throughput,” Kuurne says.

He points out that while GSM operators

had the luxury of modifying frequency

re-use factors to deal with non-optimum

sites, CDMA operators (and emerging

WCDMA operators) rely far more heavily on

tilt: “It’s generally agreed that tilting will be

very important in W-CDMA networks. Each

cell service area is critical, as it affects the

interference directly. Ways you can effect

this are tuning the cell power, steering the

antenna azimuth, or tilting the antenna.”

Singapore to USAOEMs and operators around the world are

now undertaking trials of RFS’s Optimizer

RT Remote Tilt technology. The focus of

these trials is not exclusively to prove its

merit in 3G cellular systems, but also its

potential benefit in mature 2G networks.

In Singapore, a cellular operator has

teamed with a global OEM to test the

benefits of Optimizer RT, as the island-state

prepares to move to W-CDMA. “Remote

electrical tilt makes tilting easy,“ explains

RFS Singapore Technical Sales Manager

Denis Ng. “Operators here recognize that

the essential optimization tool they’ll need

for interference and traffic management in

the new W-CDMA systems is the ability to

do electrical down tilting. Remote Tilt will

clearly reduce costs. There is also clearly a

demand for reduced upper sidelobe antennas

for interference control.”

Across the Pacific in the USA, Optimizer

RT is being put through its paces in a

completely different cellular environment.

A major operator in the Chicago area plans

to trial Optimizer RT within its 2G cdmaOne

network. “They believe Remote Tilt can lead

to significant efficiencies in their network,”

Antenna tilt, in all its variants, has proven to

be a vital network optimization tool in

cellular systems for well over a decade. The

latest stage in the tilt evolution is the

development of Remote Tilt systems,

providing the facility to adjust the electrical

tilt of the antenna without riggers, either

from the tower base or the network

management system (NMS). RFS’s

Optimizer RT (see breakout) is one such

product, and seems set to revolutionize the

network planning and optimization

process.

Demand for dynamismRemote Tilt antenna technologies have

developed in response to increasing

demands for more dynamic optimization

routines and, in particular, a need to adjust

tilt more frequently. To date, the limiting

factor has been the labour and cost-intensive

nature of the tilt operation, explains Antti

Kuurne of Nokia Research and Design.

“Traditionally, changes in tilt angle could

only be carried out through site visits

involving riggers, to physically change the

antenna angle,” he says. “This process is

very cost-intensive, so operators tend not

normally to make use of systematic antenna

tilting.”

This problem will be intensified as many of

the world’s Global System for Mobile

Communications (GSM) operators move to

third generation wideband code division

multiple access (W-CDMA) networks. The

8 N E T W O R K O P T I M I Z A T I O N

Road test ing Remote T i l t™

Field trials of Remote Tilt™ antenna technology are underway across the globe. Significant throughput gains andsavings in optimization costs are predicted—both foremerging 3G and established 2G cellular networks.

The Finnish trial provides the opportunity

to explore the potential improvements

gained in mature 2G networks. Kuurne

expects to see a lowering of the

BER and a decrease in the number of

dropped calls. “In GSM these are harder

to translate into direct capacity gains,

but quality of service is one of the

important factors in a competitive

environment.”

Evolving interferenceKuurne points out that in the earliest

days of 2G development, operators opted

for very high sites designed to radiate as

far as possible, so that maximum coverage

at minimum cost could be achieved. As

the number of cells increased, these

tall ‘legacy sites’ became prime sources of

cell-to-cell interference.

This scenario, Kuurne believes, will probably

re-occur in W-CDMA. “I don’t think operators

will immediately deploy [W-CDMA] networks

built for huge traffic—I think they will start

off cautiously. To provide coverage they will

have cells that extend quite far, then in

future, as the network capacity and number

of cells increase, they will have to do some-

thing about these old sites,” he says.

This, he says, is the dual benefit that

Remote Tilt offers—providing a cost-effective

means of handling the ‘essential tilts’ such

as those at the tall sites, plus the means to

realize network throughput and capacity

improvements via the more advanced and

emerging optimization routines. From this

perspective, Remote Tilt looks set to

become an essential element in the

network management tool kit at least in

emerging 3G and potentially also in

established 2G networks.

network. Planned to be carried out on

around 25 to 30 base stations across a mix

of urban and suburban sites, the trial’s

objective is to measure the benefits of

Remote Tilt in a mature 2G environment.

Data—such as RF level statistics, RF quality

and carrier to interference (C/I) distributions

—will be collected and analyzed regularly at

the NMS; the antennas will then be remotely

tilted from the NMS to the optimal tilt angle.

Kuurne explains that a key objective is to

test potential throughput improvements

resulting from the Remote Tilt/optimization

algorithm pair. “Our simulations show that

Remote Tilt could save up to 20 per cent on

W-CDMA equipment requirements to serve

the same amount of users or traffic, if tilt is

optimized on a cell-by-cell basis. We wish to

test if significant gains can also be obtained

in GSM networks.”

explains RFS Area Product Manager Base

Station Antenna Systems, David Kiesling.

The US CDMA operators, Kiesling explains,

have long been aware of the importance of

variable tilt as an optimization tool, not only

to provide optimal BER performance, but

also as a means of addressing pilot

pollution and hard handoff problems in

multi-frequency CDMA systems. “It will

provide them the opportunity—in real-time

—to make optimization trade-offs by

increasing or decreasing tilt,” he says.

Throughput improvementsFurther east, in Finland, is the site of

arguably one of the most exciting trials.

Here Kuurne’s Nokia R&D team plan to

work with a major Finnish cellular operator

to conduct a live trial in an existing

dualband, co-located GSM 900/GSM 1800

9

RFS’s Optimizer RT is a complete remote tilt

solution, comprising: the Antenna Control

Unit (ACU); RS485 site cabling system;

protocol adaptors, wireless modem interface

(WMI) and control network interface (CNI);

and PC-based user interface software.

Easily retro-fitted to many RFS variable electrical

tilt (VET) single and multi-band antennas,

the Optimizer RT offers a truly scalable remote

tilt solution, as the remote tilt antenna control

unit (ACU) may be added to individual antennas

at any time, as and where required.

Protocol adaptors, modems, WMI and CNI

units provide the Optimizer RT a multitude

of connectivity combinations. This permits

Introducing the Optimizer® RT

antenna monitoring and control via a local

PC, at the network management centre

or—by leveraging the Optimizer RT CNI’s

conventional web-browser interface—from

anywhere in the world.

At the end of 2002, RFS completed

qualification tests of a triple band VET

antenna (GSM 900/GSM 1800/W-CDMA),

fitted with Remote Tilt. It is believed this is

the world’s first genuinely triple band

antenna solution with independent electrical

tilt. “The RFS VET tri-band antenna coupled

with the Optimizer RT provides the ultimate

future proofing antenna solution,” says RFS

Director of Business Development Alan

Walp. “Using this pair existing GSM 900

and 1800 operators can effectively ‘switch

on’ 3G whenever they want, and there will

be no reason to ever visit a site to optimize

any of the services antenna coverage.”

As long ago as medieval times, when the

Moorish city of Granada was the shining

star of western learning, the nations of the

Iberian Peninsula were eager adopters of

new technology. Such fundamental

mathematical concepts as algebra,

trigonometry and Arabic numerals were all

invented by the great multicultural

civilization of al Andalus.

This Iberian appreciation of new technology

is ongoing, and over the past decade or so

has been reflected by a thriving wireless

market. Early analogue mobile systems of

the 1980s were swiftly replaced with digital

GSM systems in the mid-to-late 1990s,

culminating in high cellular penetrations of

over 75 per cent in Spain and nearly 90 per

cent in Portugal. Add to this the impressive

global status of Spanish telecommunications

provider, Telefónica, one of the world’s top

ten, and it shows the wireless industry at

least is living up to the region’s history.

Both Spain and Portugal have also shown

optimism about third generation universal

mobile telecommunications system (UMTS);

the government of each nation awarded

four 3G licenses in the ‘beauty contest’

auctions of 2000, spawning something of a

cellular boom.

In Spain, the UMTS licenses went to

incumbent global system for mobile

communications (GSM) operators Airtel

Movil (Vodafone), Retevision Movil (Amena)

and Telefónica Moviles (Movistar), plus

new entrant Xfera Moviles (Xfera). The

Portuguese UMTS licenses were also

awarded to three incumbent operators—

Optimus Telecomunicacoes (Optimus), Tele-

comunicaçoés Moveis Nacionais (TMN),

Vodafone Telecel (Vodafone)—plus new

player ONI WAY Infocomunicaçoés (ONI

WAY).

Reflection and consolidationOf these eight operators, only two have not

yet commenced the deployment of UMTS

base station infrastructure. The other

operators embarked upon partial rollouts in

2001, their objectives in most cases being

to test the technology and meet the

minimum requirements of their spectrum

licenses; however, 2002 has seen little

further 3G investment. As operators

struggle to recoup the cost of licenses, and

handset manufacturers perfect their tech-

nology, both the Spanish and Portuguese

governments now look set to postpone

official launch deadlines until mid 2003.

According to Radio Frequency Systems

Director General España, Enric Lara Grané,

the Iberian cellular market has experienced

a period of reflection and consolidation in

2002. “The GSM markets are close to

saturation, so that means the rules have

changed,” he says. “Operators are focusing

on maintaining their customer base. They’re

focusing on optimizing their networks and

offering new services such as short

messaging service (SMS) and soon

multimedia messaging service (MMS).”

With the option of new data services comes

talk of general packet radio service (GPRS)

—the 2.5G precursor to UMTS. “Most of

the networks are already offering GPRS, but

they’re being careful,” Lara says. “If it’s

launched too early, and lots of subscribers

take it up, it may saturate the network very

quickly. The operators will need more

spectrum and if they don’t have access to

UMTS the network could collapse. However,

no-one is really sure whether consumers are

ready for UMTS.”

On the other hand, he says, the use of GPRS-

based services may instill in subscribers an

appetite for sophisticated multimedia services.

Environmental solutionsGiven the maturity and network density of

the Iberian cellular markets, many operators

are expressing considerable interest in low

visual impact antennas. “The networks

are certainly interested in methods of

camouflaging antennas,” says François

Lauze, RFS Regional Sales Manager. “RFS

now offers a range of camouflage

solutions, which include different surface

treatments to enable antennas to blend

with their backgrounds, as well as ultra

slim-line panel clusters.”

Lauze cites another important method of

alleviating public concerns as the use of

multi-band antennas. “RFS was the first

manufacturer in Europe to have a triple

band antenna,” he says. “Our dual- and

10 R E G I O N A L F O C U S

Iber ian 3G: only a matter of t imeAfter the boom of the last few years, 2002 has seen pause and reflection in the cellular markets of the IberianPeninsula—perhaps just what was needed for a steady progression towards 3G services in 2003 and beyond.

Madrid

Sevilla

Spain

Porto

Lisbon

Barcelona

Portugal

Gibraltar

Valladolid

are that public opinion will bear out, and

the telecom regulation authorities will push

for it. It’s more and more likely the operators

will have to share base stations for UMTS.”

According to Lauze, the day of 3G reckoning

is not too far away. “Industry observers are

predicting that deployment of UMTS will

start up towards the end of 2002,” he says.

“But it will be a slow and steady rollout over

a couple of years. After all, some of the

operators haven’t even started, and they

have to start one day!”

This view is supported by the infrastructure

contracts awarded during the past year—

most operators are sealing UMTS infra-

structure agreements with two or three

OEMs for projects spanning around three

years. The period of consolidation looks set

to evolve into a steady progression towards

the realization of 3G services.

then negotiate site sharing deals with the

other networks. Moreover, in April 2002 us-

ing a different strategy, Optimus and Voda-

fone Portugal formed the joint venture

company, Situs, which was to be charged

with the deployment and management of

wireless infrastructure for 3G services.

Towards 3GAlthough neither of these initiatives have

come to fruition, infrastructure sharing is

likely to remain an Iberian issue in the

foreseeable future—even

if it takes another couple

of years. “There have

been many discussions,

but at the moment the

operators are in the ‘wait

and see’ position,” says

Lara. “But all the indicators

triple-band solutions have allowed

operators such as Telefónica Móviles and

Vodafone Spain to roll out a UMTS network

without increasing the number of

antennas. Visual impact is going to be an

ongoing issue as we head towards 3G.”

Operators have also flirted with the notion

of co-location and infrastructure sharing.

Spain’s Amena has recently wound up a

year-long project examining the feasibility

of selling 2000 of its base station sites to spe-

cialist infrastructure operators, which would

New RFS Madrid off ice supports SpainIn support of its customers in the Spanish

wireless communications industry, RFS has

established a new regional office in Madrid,

Spain. The new office was officially opened

for business in October, and is headed by

Director General España, Enric Lara Grané.

“It’s very important to have a local

presence,” said Lara. “It means that RFS

can be more aware of the local market and

country issues, as well as being more

available to customers—this is particularly

important in Spain, considering the unique

working hours!”

RFS has been involved in a large number of

projects in the Iberian Peninsula over the

last couple of years, including supply of

radiating cable for metro tunnels in Madrid,

Barcelona and Bilbao (Spain); plus supply of

UMTS antennas for Spain’s Vodafone and

Telefónica Moviles, as well as the four

Portuguese Operators. The project for TMN

in Portugal includes the supply of UMTS

tower mounted amplifiers (TMAs), designed

and manufactured by RFS.

Other forthcoming projects include supply

of RFS RADIAFLEX radiating cable, together

with specially designed heavy duty helix

antennas, for at least 16 tunnels in the new

450-kilometre very high speed train link,

Ave Madrid-Barcelona. The system will

support the new European safety

communications standard, GSM-R.

“The Spanish telecommunications industry

is very advanced, and RFS is keen to

demonstrate its commitment to the

market,” said Lara. “The fact that companies

such as Telefónica have their technology

headquarters in Madrid, means that we can

work together with them to develop the

solutions they require.”

The new RFS Madrid office will operate in

conjunction with erstwhile local distributor,

Rohde and Schwarz, for the duration of 2003.

RFS in Iberia:Spain office location:

Via de las Dos Castillas, 33, Edificio 7,

Planta 1ª ; 28224 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid

contact: Mr Enric Lara Grané

phone: +34 917 157 427

fax: +34 913 516 730

e-mail: enric.lara@rfsworld.com

Portugal

contact: Mr François Lauze

phone: + 33 1 34 23 62 00

fax: + 33 1 34 23 62 71

e-mail: francois.lauze@rfsworld.com

R E G I O N A L F O C U S 11

“The RADIAFLEX radiating cable selected

provides exceptional broadband performance

—from 380 MHz right up to 1900 MHz,”

said Clavel. “This provides the Métro de

Lyon with great flexibility and is supporting

additional wireless applications in the

future.” C1 compliance within the RFS

range currently extends to RADIAFLEX

RLKW radiating cable in 1-1/4, 7/8 and

1/2 inch diameter, plus CELLFLEX LCF

coaxial feeder cable in 7/8 and 1/2 inch

diameters.

requirements for halogen-free and non-

corrosive smoke emission, low smoke

emission, plus flame and fire retardance.

“Clearly our C1 compliance—both in the

RADIAFLEX and CELLFLEX product groups

—was an essential deciding factor here,”

explained Pierre Clavel, RFS’s Regional

Sales Manager. “The C1 standard

arguably represents the world’s most

exacting flame retardance requirement. This

order represents a major team success

for RFS.”

The project will see the new TETRA

380 MHz system installed in all four lines

of the Métro de Lyon, covering some

25 kilometres of the underground system.

The cable will be delivered to Lyon during

the fourth quarter of 2002 and the first

quarter of 2003, and will be installed

by the French engineering group

SPIE TRINDEL.

Almost 25 kilometres of Radio Frequency

Systems’ RADIAFLEX radiating cable—

featuring advanced fire-retardant jacketing

—has been ordered for installation in the

Lyon city underground rail system in south-

east France. The radiating cable will provide

essential in-tunnel RF distribution for the

Metro’s planned new TETRA 380 MHz and

fireman security network metro radio system.

In addition, the project will incorporate

RFS’s well-known CELLFLEX coaxial feeder

cable, which will also feature the new ‘JFCL’

fire-retardant jacket material.

The JFCL jacket has been specifically devel-

oped by RFS to meet the exacting demands

of the French standard (de Normes Français-

es NF C 32070 category C1) for cable

jacket fire retardance—the so-called ‘C1’

test. The jacket also meets the

requirements of three International

Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard

12 C O N F I N E D C O V E R A G E

French f i re standard cable for Métro de LyonIn the metro system of France’s second largest city, RFS’s new ‘C1’ standard-compliant RADIAFLEX® and CELLFLEX® cable systems are a feature of an in-tunnel RF distribution project.

Debourg

Place Jean Jaurès

Brotteaux

Cuire

Hénon

Croix-Paquet

Parilly

Mermoz-Pinel

Grange-Blanche

Sans-SouciGaribaldi

Valmy

Cusset

LaurentBonnevay

Flachet

Foch

Perrache

Bellecour

Saxe-Gambette

CharpennesCharles Hernu

Rh

ôn

e

Saô

ne

Fourvière

Hôtel de VilleLouis Pradel

Stade-de-Gerland

Gare deVénissieux

Garede Vaise

St. Just

Métro de Lyon

High signal levelsProviding FM and TV coverage was more

challenging. ”It was a special project

because of the FM and TV frequency

range,” Kretzschmar commented. “The

project required a very high signal level—

we needed high quality components and

amplifiers with very high gain.”

Channel-selective amplification was carried

out by an ‘air interface unit’, with CELLFLEX

7/8-inch feeder cable providing the

transmission link to the customer centre.

Completing the system, two 120-metre

lengths of RADIAFLEX RLKU 7/8-inch radiating

cable provided distributed coverage of the FM

and TV channels within the hand over zone.

To minimize interference from Autostadt

customers, much of the project work was

carried out during the night; the installation

was successfully completed in May 2002.

“Functional tests showed excellent

coverage of FM, TV and GPS. It’s a very

good result,” said Kretzschmar.

Enhanced customer centreIn 2001, the Autostadt Wolfsburg Company

decided to enhance its customer centre to show-

case the entertainment and navigation features

of new cars to their owners. In March 2002,

a project commenced to provide coverage for

GPS, two FM radio stations and two analogue

TV stations within the building’s ‘hand-over’

zone. Project responsibility was passed to RFS,

via Autostadt’s main telecommunications con-

tractor, Siemens Gebäudetechnik Nord GmbH.

According to RFS project manager, Jörg

Kretzschmar, two GPS systems were

required to accommodate the layout of the

Autostadt customer centre. Each consisted

of an outdoor antenna, two splitters and

three indoor repeater antennas to ensure

an area-wide supply. All components were

connected via RFS CELLFLEX 1/2-inch feeder

cable. ”You take the signal from the satellites

and bring it into the area—it is a simple

system but enough to show each customer

that the GPS in the car is working,” he said.

13C O N F I N E D C O V E R A G E

Tuning into the needs of new car buyers, RFS helps Volkswagen realize indoorGPS, FM radio and TV coverage at its world famous automobile theme park.

RFS in-bui lds FM, TV and GPS at VolkswagenAutostadt

New car buyers in Germany can now

pick up their Volkswagens in style. Radio,

television and the global positioning

system (GPS) are now being received

indoors at the Autostadt Wolfsburg—

Volkswagen's world-renowned automobile

theme park. The enhancement is a result of

a recent project to provide in-building

coverage at the Autostadt’s customer centre.

Radio Frequency Systems designed the

systems and provided RADIAFLEX and

CELLFLEX feeder cable for the application.

The Autostadt is an automobile competence

centre and leisure-park set on 25 hectares

of land at Volkswagen’s headquarters in

Wolfsburg, Germany. In addition to promoting

awareness and enthusiasm for automobile

technology, it is a place where recently-

purchased Volkswagen cars are handed

over to customers. Two 48-metre-high

glass towers hold up to 800 new cars until

they are ready for collection.

sound carrier of a lower analogue channel

and the lower edge of digital spectrum for the

upper channel. The size of this guard band

depends upon system types, but is typically

of the order of a couple of hundred kHz;

Basic principles of RF combiningOf the four main classes of combiners

(starpoint, manifold, commutating line and

balanced), that with the widest range of

applications is the balanced combiner, due

to its modular construction and minimal

interaction between inputs. Its purpose is to

combine multiple transmitter signals into a

single antenna system, while keeping the

transmitters isolated and properly matched.

A balanced combiner module consists of a

balanced pair of filters, two 3dB couplers

and a balancing load. The transmitter signal

enters the narrowband input, while the

channels previously combined—or another

single-channel—enter the wideband input.

The combined output is directed either to

the antenna itself, or the wideband input of

the next module in series of a cascaded

multi-channel combiner (Figure 1).

Overcoming narrow guard bandThe fundamental challenge of using

adjacent channels is squeezing a multitude

of signals into a limited amount of

spectrum. In order to compensate for a very

small band gap between channels, adjacent

channel combining centres around the

concept of partially band limiting signals

and then applying pre-correction to the

transmitters to compensate.

This situation is particularly severe for cases

where the lower channel is analogue.

Figure 2 illustrates that there is only a very

narrow guard band between the second

As broadcasters seek to overlay existing

analogue services with digital television

(DTV), they are likely to be confronted with

a variety of combining options. It may be a

case of adding a single digital service to a

single analogue channel; or it may involve

combining 10 or more contiguous or

semi-contiguous channels in varying

combinations of digital/analogue or

digital/digital.

Whatever the specific situation, there are a

range of practical issues to be considered in

each case. Many of these are specific to

those systems where channels are

adjacent—such as overcoming the

challenge of narrow guard bands, the

optimization of insertion loss characteristics,

and correcting for group delay. Other

issues—such as filter performance and

emission masking requirements—are

common to both adjacent and semi-

adjacent channel combining.

14 B R O A D C A S T

Pract ical i t ies of UHF digita l /analogue combiningWith the gathering momentum of digital television (DTV) deployment, broadcasters areincreasingly turning to adjacentchannel combining. Signal pre-correction and ‘sharp’ tuningtechniques are among some ofthe practical solutions forrealizing combined analogue/DTVchallenges, writes Graham Broad*.

Figure 1—cascaded combiner chain

Figure 2—Spectrum response of

adjacent channel system

BalancingLoad

CombinerModule 3

A + B + C + DCombined

Output

Ch DInput

A + B + C

Ch CInput

CombinerModule 2

A + B

CombinerModule 1

Ch BInput Ch A Input

(wide-band)

loweranalogue

digital

upperanalogue

channel N-1 channel N channel N+1

soundcarrier 2

soundcarrier 1

digitalcentred

in channel

narrowguard band

Channel Combining —analogue lower adjent

3 dB attenuation at the upper and lower

frequency edges, this means that the wide-

band port attenuation (normally inverse) is

also equal to 3 dB. This is the optimum

situation for adjacent channel combining,

assuming an ideal filter without loss. The

associated response of channel N is

illustrated schematically in Figure 3A. This

narrowing of the filter in this way is

sometimes referred to as ‘sharp tuning’.

However, if an adjacent channel signal

(N-1) passes into the wideband port of the

combiner module for its upper adjacent

channel (N), the upper edge of channel N-1

will be attenuated by a further 3 dB, resulting

in 6 dB total attenuation (Figure 3B).

This situation can be avoided by tuning the

combiner module to make the upper 3 dB

point of each narrowband port higher in

frequency than the upper edge of its

applicable channel. The widened response

of the channel N-1 signal within its own

module is shown in Figure 3C; on passing

into the combiner module of its upper

adjacent channel (N), the optimum

response is then achieved (Figure 3D).

Normally the passband limiting described

here would introduce severe attenuation

within the upper adjacent channel; this is

avoided by introducing the channels in

frequency descending order, starting with

the highest frequency channel at the output.

for example, between the PAL B stereo

sound carrier and the upper adjacent

channel lower extreme carrier in a Coded

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex

(COFDM) system, the frequency separation

is just 170 kHz.

In order to overcome the potential system

degradation resulting from this narrow

guard band, a practical solution widely

implemented with COFDM systems is to

offset the digital channel by a positive

frequency of 100-150 kHz. The resulting

encroachment into the vestigial sideband of

the upper analogue channel has been

shown to have little effect, provided other

signal corrections are applied.

Optimizing insertion loss‘Insertion loss’ is the amplitude response of

an RF signal through a module. Ideally

constant or zero, the signal is in practice

distorted non-uniformly across a channel.

For adjacent channels the distortion is

especially severe, owing to the tight

channel spacings and small guard bands.

The combining of adjacent RF channels

therefore requires special—or ‘sharp’—

tuning of the individual combiner modules

to ensure the whole cascaded system

operates at optimum performance.

Within any given adjacent channel combiner

module, if the channel entering the

narrowband port is tuned to experience a

Overcoming group delay distortionsAssociated with the amplitude distortion

introduced by the sharp tuned filters

(described above) is a non-linear phase

response in the signal—known as group

delay—which in turn requires correction in

most systems.

The effect manifests itself in the two main

DTV systems used globally—8-Vestigial

Sideband (8VSB) and COFDM—in different

ways. In the robust COFDM system, the

filter itself attenuates some of the DTV

extreme carriers and requires merely a

slight increase in transmitter power to

compensate. On the other hand, correction

is vital for the 8VSB standard, as the signal

is considerably more sensitive to group

delay distortion. All 8VSB adjacent channel

systems require adaptive equalization

within the transmitter, involving the

combiner in a continuous feedback loop.

For the two analogue systems—PAL and

NTSC—the most common method used for

group delay correction is the introduction

of a signal pre-distortion into the transmitter,

known as intermediate frequency (IF)

correction. The correction of the NTSC

signal needs to be particularly stringent

when the upper adjacent channel is digital

(usually 8VSB). For such systems, the aural

carrier of the analogue channel is extremely

close to the new digital channel.

Optimizing filter performanceAt the heart of any balanced combiner is

a pair of filters whose principal role is

to combine the signals from multiple

transmitters, while at the same time

providing clean-up of any spurious

transmitter emissions. To meet

15B R O A D C A S T

Figure 3—Channel responses for adjacent channel combining

widebandinput

narrowbandinput

-3dB -3dB -3dB -3dB

Ch N Ch N-1 Ch N Ch N-1 Ch N Ch N-1 Ch N

-6dB

Response of Ch N module Response of Ch N-1through Ch N module

Widenend Ch N-1 response Optimum responseA B C D

cross-coupled coaxial filter is sufficient to

meet the adjacent combining requirements

of most systems, obviating the need to

migrate to larger, more expensive 8-pole

filters.

Emission maskingIn addition to combining adjacent channel

signals from multiple transmitters, high-

order filters can also supply masking of

spurious transmitter emissions. Transmission

authorities generally legislate that all

emissions must conform to standards

defining the maximum out-of-band energy

being radiated. In other words, the sum of

the transmitter response plus the filter

response must fall within this mask.

Although masking requirements may be

accommodated within the transmitter,

broadcasters are becomingly increasingly

aware that the combiner system itself

fundamentally provides the additional

filtering required to comply with these

requirements. This saves additional filtering

equipment being built into the transmitter.

To achieve the sharp masking filter response

required for combined DTV/analogue semi-

adjacent and adjacent channel applications,

cross-coupling paths may be carefully

tuned to produce ‘notches’ or cross-coupling

zeros in the filter characteristic. While

conventional analogue filters can be tuned

using simple iterative techniques, the DTV

filter demands a far more systematic,

prescribed approach.

The advent of DTV transmission and the

need for it to coexist with current analogue

services has placed enormous pressure on

the allocation of spectrum and the extended

use of existing broadcast facilities. Many

broadcasters are faced with the prospect of

combined adjacent channel systems, and

the challenges that accompany this

method. Methods of addressing such issues

as narrow guard bands between channels,

optimization of insertion loss characteristics,

and group delay corrections have resulted

in the design of a new generation of ‘sharp

tuned’ filters, which also provide critical

emission masking requirements.

digital/analogue channel

combining requirements,

RFS has developed a

complete range of higher-

order filters for both wave-

guide and coaxial combiner

systems.

The use of cross-coupling

has proven an important

design element. By apply-

ing a network of cross-

coupling paths, RFS

realised an elliptical

function in 6- and 8-pole

options for adjacent channel

applications, plus 3- and 5-pole Chebychev

variants for conventional wide and semi-

adjacent combining.

Since increasing the filter selectivity by

increasing its order also increases the loss at

the band edges, the challenge is then to

select the filter that provides the optimum

combination of selectivity and loss. (It has

been shown in Figure 3 that the theoretical

best filter response for adjacent channel

combining is a -3 dB response at the

channel edge.) The other performance

criterion to be considered is the amount of

group delay, which becomes more severe

with the sharper roll-off characteristics and

flatter, wider pass bands that distinguish

higher-order filters.

Figure 4 compares the performance of

6-pole cross-coupled coaxial filters with

standard 8-pole coaxial filters. While Figure

4A shows that the two filters have very

similar selectivity characteristics in the

critical region at the channel edges, Figure

4B and C show that the 6-pole cross-coupled

coaxial filter has lower loss and group delay

characteristics. In other words, the 6-pole

B R O A D C A S T16

* This is an extract of a paper presented by RFS AreaProduct Manager, Graham Broad, at the BroadcastAsia2002 conference, Singapore 17-21 June 2002.

Figure 4—comparison of 6-pole cross-coupled filter with 8-pole filter: A) selectivity, B) loss and C) group delay

Selectivity ComparisonA

Loss Comparison

Group Delay Comparison

Frequency (MHz) from centre frequency

Frequency (MHz) from centre frequency

Frequency (MHz) from centre frequency

6 pole x coupled

8 pole

6 pole x coupled

8 pole

6 pole x coupled

8 pole

B

C

dBns

dB

Providing RF equipment for GSM networks

now constitutes the main business activity

for RFS in the region. Its warehouse in the

Jebel Ali Free Zone, near Dubai in the UAE,

stocks mostly base station system products

for delivery at short notice. The attractiveness

of the RFS offer is to be able to supply the

total package required for a BTS site.

Serving broadcast markets in the region

requires an even stronger package

approach. While reasonably stable with

small growth, the markets represent

important work for RFS, especially in

Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Even more

than the cellular projects, broadcast

services focus on total solution

performance; customers require a detailed

backing from systems engineering and

technical consultancy.

GSM to GPRS to 3GFor the time being, the implementation of

reliable GSM networks is likely to stay

the major focus for the wireless industry

in the Gulf States. While Jordan and the

UAE have taken the step of providing

general packet radio service (GPRS), third

generation (3G) technologies are still

some time away. To date, only one

player has demonstrated serious 3G

intentions and that is Etisalat in the UAE;

its offerings are scheduled for launch

in 2004.

A perceivable trend in the Gulf States is

the tendency for regional players to

become more multinational. There are

signs of this already—wireless operators

that evolved to serve local markets

are increasingly going abroad and

competing for market share in

neighbouring countries. What will be the

outcome of this is uncertain but, however

the competition pans out, in the long

run, it will be the subscribers who

benefit.

The wireless markets of the Gulf States

and surrounds are varied and dynamic.

Deregulation of the region’s once state-

owned telecommunications sector, and an

explosion in demand for cellular services,

are rapidly altering the business environment.

The extent to which countries have been

able to satisfy the needs of their local

markets differ markedly.

The region displays little consistency in the

roll-out of cellular networks and market

penetration. On one hand, states such as

Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and

Saudi Arabia have well-developed cellular

networks and Global System for Mobile

Communications (GSM) market penetration

equivalent to that of Europe. By contrast,

countries such as Yemen and Syria, have

much more potential for future development.

Dramatic GSM growthWhat is now being seen as dramatic

growth of GSM in many countries is a result

of telecommunications sector reform. New

operators are appearing and older ones are

expanding their infrastructure. As an

international RF equipment supplier with

local presence in the region, Radio

Frequency Systems is involved in supporting

both established and new cellular networks

and, for example, recently supplied

antennas and cables to SyriaTel—a new

local GSM operator in Syria.

S T R A T E G I C L O C A L I Z A T I O N 17

Wireless movements in the Gulf StatesThe current telecommunications environment in the Gulf States presents a myriad of interesting challenges, writes Martin Dirnberger, SeniorManager, Radio Frequency Systems.

In response to the wireless activity in the re-

gion, RFS has expanded its local presence

with the opening of the RFS Dubai office,

in UAE. The new office means that operators

no longer need to conduct their business

purely through agents and distributors, nor

need they contend with the difference in

working weeks between the region and

Europe when seeking any kind of support

from RFS.

The new RFS Dubai office was opened on

October 1, 2002 and can be reached on:

Tel: +971 4 887 2202

Fax: +971 4 887 2209

RFS opensnew Dubaioff ice

I N T O U C H18

Radio Frequency Systems’ ultra-wideband

RLKU series RADIAFLEX cable has been

selected by Guangzhou Metro Corporation

for its new metro Line No. 2 in China’s

southern city of Guangzhou. Awarded in

July 2002, the contract sees a total of

70 kilometres of the 3G-enabled radiating

cable being supplied for the new metro line

route, with installation expected to be

complete towards the end of 2002.

The RADIAFLEX RLKU cable selected by

Guangzhou Metro Corporation boasts a

75 MHz to 2.65 GHz bandwidth, which is

understood to be the world’s largest for a

radiating cable. It is designed to accommodate

3G requirements in both the 2.0 to 2.2 GHz

band, plus the planned 2.4 to 2.65 GHz 3G

capacity extension band.

Guangzhou is located around 180 kilometres

from Hong Kong, in the province of

Guangdong. The new metro line incorporates

20 stations in all, 17 of which are located

underground. The new line is scheduled for

completion in early 2003, and will provide

transport for Guangzhou’s 6.6 million

inhabitants across a 23.3 kilometre route

between Jiangxia in the north of the city

and Pazhou in the city’s east.

Guangzhou Metroopts for RFS broadband solut ion

The new RADIAFLEX system will

provide in-tunnel support for existing

2G cellular and future 3G cellular

services. “RADIAFLEX was selected

by Guangzhou Metro for three key

reasons,” explained RFS Area Product

Manager Zhu Du Qing. “Firstly the

excellent performance of the

RADIAFLEX product, secondly the

RLKU’s future-proof capabilities, and

lastly our proven success with this

product family in other major metro

projects, such as the Shanghai

metro.”

The object ive is opt imizat ion:RFS at Cannes 3GSM At 3GSM World Congress exhibition in early

2003, Radio Frequency Systems will unveil a

wide range of RF solutions targeting RF

optimization—a suite of solutions

that is proving essential

for an industry under-

going extensive and

relentless change.

Held annually in Cannes,

France in mid-February, the

3GSM World Congress is claimed to be the

world’s largest dedicated mobile technology

showcase. This year, the congress organisers

will showcase innovation as a means of

meeting new industry benchmarks and

business objectives. According to RFS Director

Public Relations Jörg Springer, the RFS product

set is a perfect example of the innovation

required by the cellular industry in its

current evolutionary stage.

“So many of the challenges

facing today’s cellular

industry come down

to issues of network

optimization,” Springer

said. “The RF interface is

clearly an important battle ground in this

optimization arena. Having the appropriate

technologies in place to ensure that the

RF optimization process happens efficiently

and seamlessly is proving to be essential.

At 3GSM World Congress, RFS will provide

visitors with a refreshing new tack on the

RF optimization challenge.”

The new products on display at the RFS

stand at 3GSM World Congress will be

drawn from across the company’s key

product sectors. These will include new

additions to the RFS 2G and 3G cellular

antenna and RF conditioning product

suites, plus important advances in confined

coverage solutions. The official unveiling of

these key products will be announced in

the weeks prior to the Congress.

Visit RFS at 3GSM World Congress 2003 18 to 21 February, 2003Stand No. D15b, Hall 2Le Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France

Guangzhou Metroopts for RFS broadband solut ion

19

In support of ongoing cellular network

expansion in China, Radio Frequency Systems

is now locally manufacturing ‘RF Conditioning’

components for base station infrastructure.

The first products are CDMA duplexers

utilizing locally supplied components.

The first batch of CDMA duplexers, designed

for one of the largest telecommunications

OEMs, was shipped from RFS’s Shanghai

manufacturing facility in July 2002, with

ongoing production planned. The RFS

RFS duplexers shipped from Shanghaiduplexers will be installed in new base

stations as part of the phase two expansion

of China Unicom’s CDMA network.

According to Carol Ye, RFS Area Product

Manager RF Conditioning: “The CDMA

duplexers allow the transmitter and receiver

to share the same antenna system. However,

most base stations have their own design

configurations and technical specifications,

so each range of duplexers is designed for a

specific operator.”

RFS is now manufacturing ‘RF Conditioning’

components for cellular base station

infrastructure in Shanghai.

Products from RFS’s RF conditioning, RF

feeder cables and antenna systems product

lines are now manufactured at RFS’s Shanghai

facility, which is growing at a rapid rate to

meet China’s relentless demand for cellular

coverage. The facility is capable of manu-

facturing the RF Conditioning group’s complete

line of CDMA/GSM/UMTS products.

Later this year, said Ms Ye, the Shanghai-

manufactured RF Conditioning product

range will expand to include RFS’s interference

mitigation filters for isolating GSM and CDMA

frequencies, and possibly other products

such as tower mounted amplifiers and

combiners for cellular base stations. “Local

installers want local supplies,” she said.

“RFS sees its RF Conditioning group as a

very important long-term strategy and a

definite growth area in China.”

A globalshowcase

—Expo calendar

2003In the coming months, Radio Frequency Systems will exhibit itsworld-class RF solutions at a widerange of exhibitions and seminarsaround the world. See you there!

Exhibition Location Date

3GSM World Congress Cannes, France 18-21 February, 2003

Expo Comm Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 18-21 February, 2003

NATE Dallas, TX, USA 18-21 February, 2003

Convergence India Delhi, India 11-13 March, 2003

IWCE Las Vegas, NV, USA 12-14 March, 2003

CeBIT 2003 Hannover, Germany 12-19 March, 2003

CTIA New Orleans, LA, USA 17-19 March, 2003

TELEXPO Sao Paulo, Brazil 25-28 March, 2003

Entelec In-Building Wireless Austin, TX, USA 1-2 April, 2003

NAB Las Vegas, NV, USA 7-10 April, 2003

P&T Comm China 2003 Shanghai, China 23-26 April, 2003

SVIAZ/EXPO COMM Moscow, Russia 12-16 May, 2003

Supercomm Atlanta, GA, USA 3-5 June, 2003

CommunicAsia2003 Singapore 17-20 June, 2003

BroadcastAsia2003 Singapore 17-20 June, 2003

R A D I O F R E Q U E N C Y S Y S T E M S

T h e C l e a r C h o i c e i n W i r e l e s s ™

Please visit us on the internet at http://www.rfsworld.com