In-Building Coverage Solutions

TESSCO is Your Total Source® for bi-directional amplifiers (BDAs), repeaters and antennas to greatly improve cellular, PCS and iDEN coverage in medium-size and large buildings. No matter what your network or end customer, we can help with offerings from industry leading product brands.

Whether you manage your own wireless network or build and maintain systems for clients, you know demand for improved wireless signals is growing rapidly. As more customers use their wireless phones, they need enhanced reception in their offices and warehouses. And the spike in laptop usage mandates that wireless data signals be more robust as well.

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Areas for Wireless Coverage Enhancement

Developing the right solution to cover all areas of a building, even with weak or non-existent signal strength, requires an optimal RF design. TESSCO's engineering team has extensive experience designing systems for virtually every technology, including VHF and UHF, 700 MHz Commercial and Public Safety, 800 MHz SMR and Public Safety, 800/900 Nextel, 900 MHz SMR, Cellular, PCS and AWS. And TESSCO offers the full range of couplers, splitters, donor cables, antennas and more for a complete system solution.

Essentials for In-Building Systems

The TESSCO in-building site materials list (xls)presents the core products needed to design and build an in-building system. You'll find several options to meet the unique needs for your project, from leading manufacturers such as Andrew, RFS, Times Microwave, CSI, and more. 

These high quality products are stocked in-depth at TESSCO. Use this BOM to help reduce your inventory and reduce your costs by ordering only exactly what you need; and reduce your installation time by ordering the product for delivery exactly when you need it.

News

Mandates Might Force In-Building Cellular Projects

by Joanie Wexler, Network World

Even if you opt for Wi-Fi indoors and cellular outdoors for user communications - perhaps using some flavor of fixed-mobile convergence product or service - there still might be a distributed antenna system in your future. Why? Read the whole article.*

* TESSCO thanks Network World for allowing us to present this important information.

Market Applications

Government

Government agencies use a variety of wireless devices to stay in touch and access important data, and they must be able to use their cell phones, PDAs and laptops in their own offices as well as in other government buidlings. As more constituents demand fast access to government officials, and disaster response becomes a critical need, coverage solutions play a much larger role.

Public Safety

Police, fire, EMS, general administration and other public safety organizations continue to use public wireless networks more to augment their private radio systems. With the increasing standards of responsiveness required of public safety groups, their wireless coverage can't afford to be unreliable—inside or out.

Utilities and Energy Companies

Energy companies and utilities are working to become more efficient and enhance communication between field workers and their office colleagues. Reliable wireless coverage throughout their facilities helps accomplish this, and can also increase the response time of utility workers in emergencies and improves the safety and security of all employess in stairwells and parking garages.

Larger Offices and Businesses

Many white-collar workers now give out their wireless phones as their primary contact number, and millions are using PDAs and other data devices over public networks. VARs and carriers working with these companies must extend wireless coverage deep into office buildings, plants and other large spaces to make employees more productive.

Enterprise Coverage Solutions

• Homes and Small Offices
• Buildings up to 10,000 Sq. Ft.
• Buildings 10,000 to 25,000 Sq. Ft.
• Buildings 25,000 to 50,000 Sq. Ft.

Homes and Small Offices up to 5,000 Sq. Feet

Wi-Ex YX500 Series BDA Kits

The Wi-Ex cell phone signal boosters extends the coverage area for all cellular and PCS protocols for single or multiple users in homes and offices. Packages include everything you need—amplifier with adjustable positioning antenna, power supply, low-loss RG6 cable, outdoor-rated donor antenna and mounting hardware.

Digital Antenna Dual-Band 50dB Repeater

A cost-effective solution to poor cellular reception inside homes, offices, dorm rooms and condominiums, the PowerMax personal repeater provides reliable and clear cell phone communication equivalent to the cell signal strength available outside the building. A simple do-it-yourself installation with no tools required allows the system to be installed anywhere.

Z-1900 Home/Office Adaptive Repeater

The Z1900 high-performance repeater antenna system boosts wireless signals and ensures reliable coverage for cell phones, PDAs and 3G laptop air cards. Providing wireless coverage for homes and small offices up to 2,500 Sq.Ft., the Z1900 is Spotwave's most cost-effective solution for the wireless subscriber at home, and supports all wireless voice and data services being delivered in the PCS (1900 MHz) band.

Buildings up to 10,000 Sq. Feet

SpotCell 2500Xe (covers up to 25,000 feet)

This flexible technology provides a wide range of benefits for cellular, PCS and dual-band systems :

• Advanced enterprise-class performance that combines smart antenna technology and advanced adaptive techniques.
• Supports split and dual-band carrier networks (cellular and PCS bands, GSM and CDMA air interface) to ensure optimal coverage for voice and data.
• Software-reconfigurable and expandable platform, so you can start small and add additional capacity if necessary.
• The only carrier-approved solution. 
• Ready for 3G and other advanced technologies.
• Easy to install initially, and then requires no maintenance or adjustments after installation.
• Cost-effective and automatically includes everything for deployment.

Cellular Specialties (CSI) Models 140 and 150

The CSI 140 and 150 in-building amplifiers, featuring 40 or 50dB of gain, are the perfect solution for small office/home office installations. This easy-to-install BDA was designed for placement on a desk counter top but can also be wall mounted.

Buildings from 10,000 to 25,000 Sq. Feet

Andrew Dual Window PCS RF Repeaters

The Andrew MR1903D/MR1903D is a dual passband solution for enhancing indoor coverage of the PCS band. The band selective mini repeater will monitor the long-term evolution of the RF environment and dynamically adapt to changing conditions. The repeater will automatically set it's gain to maximum performance, however an external switch allows the user to manually set the gain if desired.

Cellular Specialties (CSI) Models 51075 and 51062

The Model 510 in-building amplifier is a great option for larger coverage areas such as parking garages, warehouses, campus environments and convention centers. It ampifies both the uplink and downlink signals and features a wide range of powerful features.

Available for the PCS band in the 51075 Model with 75 dB gain and the 51062 Model with 62 dB gain.

Buildings from 25,000 to 50,000 Sq. Feet

Andrew Cellular/PCS Dual-Band BDA

The MR803D from Andrew is a low cost solution for enhancing indoor coverage of the 800 SMR and Public Safety band. The band selective mini repeater will monitor the long-term evolution of the RF environment and dynamically adapt to changing conditions. The repeater will automatically set it's gain to maximum performance, however, an external switch allows users to manually set the gain if desired.

SpotCell 2500Xe: Coverage Up to 50,000 Sq. Feet

When you need even more coverage for larger buildings or enterprises, there's another SpotCell version for you: the 50,000 square foot model has the same robust features and covers twice the area as the 25,000 foot version. With a second donor unit, this version offers the best solution when you know you'll need a large coverage area from the start.

CSI Model 61080

When you need heavy-duty amplification for large facilities that require high-output power and/or high gain, go for the Model 61080. It has a gain of 80 dB, and works in the cellular, SMR 800, SMR 900 and PCS bands with single and dual-band configurations available.

For product or design assistance, contact your TESSCO account manager or reach us with the information below.

For more information contact TESSCO
at 800-472-7373 or email us today.