Andrew upgrades GeoLENs location platform with new enhancements

BANGALORE, INDIA: Andrew Solutions, the CommScope, Inc., division that is a global leader in wireless communications systems and products, has added powerful new capabilities in Version 10 of its versatile GeoLENs mobile location center (MLC), the all-inclusive yet flexible system platform of its GeoLENs wireless and wireline location solution.

“Location is increasingly considered to be a value-add in wireless networks, and we see no abatement in this trend,” said John Baker, vice president and general manager, Network Solutions, Andrew.

“Demand for accurate and consistent location information is rising with the increased use of navigation, social networking, and points of interest applications. GeoLENs MLC 10 helps wireless operators control bandwidth use and prepares them to meet growing demand while retaining the ability to effectively support emergency calling needs.”

With Version 10, Andrew’s GeoLENs MLC increases in processing capacity by several orders of magnitude. MLC 10 also gives operators the tools to monetize their investment in location infrastructure, enabling greater control over access to the network’s location resources. Additional features help improve the performance of Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) for E-911 applications.

“GeoLENs MLC 10 gives operators the flexibility to add or refocus their location system as their needs change and as market directions clarify, whether for commercial or emergency applications or both,” said Baker. “While other vendors offer operators a system with one or two locating techniques, Andrew offers an all-inclusive, flexible system that is designed to provide the location capacity, throughput and support necessary for present and future applications.”

Andrew’s GeoLENs MLC 10 is a complete location system that supports both gateway and serving functions for emergency, value added, and security LBS. Andrew believes GeoLENs supports the widest range of positioning capabilities available from a single vendor, individually or in combination and on a common platform, including handset-based, network-based, and hybrid locating technologies for 2G and 3G access—specifically, cell identity (CID), A-GPS, enhanced-CID (E-CID), uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDOA) on the traffic channel, multiple range estimation location (MREL) and angle of arrival (AOA).

“The extended capacity that the platform offers coupled with the functional completeness enables operators to consolidate all location functions for the entire network onto a single GeoLENs MLC. This directly translates into significant CapEx and OpEx savings for operators,” said Baker.

The operational and diagnostic enhancements in MLC 10 and the additional key features are designed to enhance operators’ value-added location-based service offerings in addition to improving the yield and performance of critical emergency services such as E-911.