Andrew and IPWireless Jointly Develop Technology That Enables Sharing of 3G Cell Site Antennas
ORLAND PARK, Ill.--Feb. 2, 20042, 2004--| Duplexer Reduces Expense and Complexity of Deployments for 3G Operators |
Andrew Corporation and IPWireless have jointly developed a product that lowers operators' costs and simplifies deployment of wireless systems by enabling them to combine transmission of two 3G radio technologies onto a single cell site antenna.
This new duplexer allows wireless operators to deploy both UMTS Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and UMTS Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems using a single antenna, efficiently taking full advantage of their 3G spectrum to deploy new broadband services and offload traffic from their circuit switched networks. Now commercially available, the UMTS FDD/TDD duplexer has already been proven in a number of trials across Europe, and will be used by a number of operators including the recently announced UMTS TDD deployment by Sonaecom in Portugal.
UMTS TDD systems were designed to operate in the unpaired IMT-2000 frequency bands (1900 - 1920 MHz and 2010 - 2025 MHz) that are adjacent to the paired WCDMA frequencies. The TDD systems use time division to separate the uplink and downlink instead of using separate frequency bands, allowing the TDD system to have flexible asymmetry and better match typical data traffic patterns. Operators around the world are deploying packet based UMTS TDD systems because of the economical high-speed services enabled by the platform's very high capacities and low latencies.
"Over the last few years, in addition to demonstrating the performance of UMTS TDD, we have worked with numerous mobile operators to show that TDD and FDD have very similar coverage characteristics and can co-exist on the same towers," said Bill Jones, executive vice president, technology and cofounder, IPWireless. "Operators have also let us know that it is very important that the two technologies can share key infrastructure to lower cost and ease deployability, which is why we are so excited about this announcement with Andrew."
"This new product provides wireless operators with a cost-effective and proven solution for TDD deployment, enabling them to provide their customers with wireless data while reducing their infrastructure costs" said John DeSana, group president, cable and filter products, Andrew Corporation. "It is a solution that both Andrew and IPWireless believe will greatly benefit the operators."
About Andrew Corporation
Andrew Corporation designs, manufactures, and delivers innovative and essential equipment and solutions for the global communications infrastructure market. The company serves operators and equipment manufacturers from facilities in 33 countries. Andrew (www.andrew.com), headquartered in Orland Park, IL, is an S&P 500 company founded in 1937.
About IPWireless
IPWireless offers advanced standards-based broadband wireless technology that will drastically improve the way people around the world connect and communicate at home, at the office, or on the road. With a full range of commercial network solutions and devices, IPWireless allows operators to offer a spectrum of fixed, portable, or completely mobile wireless services with unmatched economics and broadband performance. IPWireless has quickly established itself as a leader in the market, with commercial deployments in service for more than a year, trials with ten of the top twenty global wireless operators, and strategic partnerships and relationships with industry leading companies. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ipwireless.com.
IPWireless, the IPWireless logo, and IPW are trademarks of IPWireless, Inc. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.