US : Powerwave Technologies introduced the latest offering in its growing line-up of coverage and capacity solutions for indoor and outdoor environments -- a Same Band Combiner that offers both cost savings and time to market efficiencies for wireless operators.

Designed to support 850MHz or 900MHz GSM and UMTS systems on a common antenna, Powerwave’s Same Band Combiner allows for fast, efficient deployment of UMTS 850 or 900 services on the same antennas as existing GSM 850 or 900 services. Since it reuses existing GSM system antennas and feedline structures, the Same Band Combiners therefore provide zero impact to the tower’s wind loading profile while reducing time-to-market deployment issues for introduction of new UMTS services.

Powerwave’s Same Band Combiner allows two sector antennas to operate like multiple antennas through an integrated, compact filter sub-system that provides operators with the ability to use both antennas as primary and diversity receive (uplink) antennas for both GSM and UMTS systems, while each antenna acts separately to transmit (downlink) signals for each system.

In addition, Powerwave’s Same Band Combiners can be used by competing carriers who desire to use common sector antennas for tower/site sharing operations with the same, or even different (2G+2G, 3G+3G, 2G+3G) system protocols. This lowers overall capital and operating expenditures for network operators, and reduces the network footprint by eliminating the need to build additional cell sites or towers within a specific geographic region.

“Through the development of class-leading products and solutions such as our new Same Band Combiner, Powerwave is addressing the needs of network operators around the globe, and providing solutions for the real-world challenges they face today and in the future,” said Nik Hatzis, vice president, Base Station Systems, Powerwave Technologies. “The same band combiner leverages existing network resources to lower costs and improve time to market, and further extend those resources as real estate becomes more of a premium commodity.”

Powerwave’s 850 MHz and 900 MHz GSM-UMTS Same Band Combiners, designated part numbers 3A0-18707 and 3A0-18708, respectively, come standard with Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG®) and DC Transparency for Antenna/TMA throughput control and functionality. Both Same Band Combiners are lightweight at just 8.15 kg (18 lbs), and because the Same Band Combiner eliminates the need for separate filters and splitters for each band, it offers a small footprint measuring 437.8mm x 228mm x 61.4mm (17.24” x 9.08” by 2.24”). Powerwave’s Same Band Combiners can be rack mounted, tower mounted or wall mounted. An IP67 and ETS 300 019 environmentally rated enclosure protects the Same Band Combiners from dust, water and other natural elements.