TE Connectivity and ip.access intro integrated small cell and DAS

MINNEAPOLIS, USA & CAMBRIDGE, UK: TE Connectivity (TE) and ip.access announced that the two companies have teamed to create the world’s first all-digital integrated Distributed Antenna System (DAS) and small cell base station for WCDMA services.

The solution uses ip.access' E16 picocell access point integrated with TE’s InterReach Spectrum or InterReach Fusion DAS products to provide a one-stop system for enterprises wishing to improve mobile service in their facilities. The solution will be presented in TE’s booth #2A61 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 27 through March 1, 2012.

Under terms of the agreement, ip.access furnishes a baseband processing unit with the same features as its E16 3G picocell, integrated into a single card that can be inserted into TE’s InterReach Spectrum digital DAS. The system eliminates A/D and D/A converters and RF interfacing equipment since the ip.access base station is connected directly to the DAS, improving signal quality while reducing heat dissipation, power consumption and deployment space.

“This integrated DAS and small cell system brings a new level of simplicity and ease of deployment to enterprise mobile networks,” said Simon Brown, CEO of ip.access. “Our E16 picocell provides the capacity enterprises need for their mobile users with cost-effective Ethernet backhaul, while the TE DAS products distribute that capacity throughout a facility or campus.”

ip.access' small cell access points use the 3GPP standard Iuh interface for connection to the wireless service provider's network, enabling the E16 to interoperate not only with ip.access' own small cell gateways and management system, but also with third party standards-based small cell gateways. This makes the integrated DAS solution very flexible, and allows it to support multi-operator deployments from a single installation. The solution provides precision capacity to specific areas and the ability to move capacity over distances, making the most out of the service provider assets.

“We believe integrating DAS and small cell base stations is the wave of the future as more enterprises and other venues see the need for enhanced mobile network capacity and coverage,” said Chris Jurasek, VP and GM of TE Wireless and Services. “Our long relationship with ip.access has now resulted in a breakthrough system that addresses the need for small cell coverage and capacity in thousands of locations.”

The integrated small cell/DAS system supporting WCDMA will be available for demonstrations in the summer of 2012. An LTE system is planned for early 2013.