Satellite Technology Feature Article
December 18, 2009
Cellular Specialists' New Wireless Engine Repeater Allows for Reliable Railway Communications
By Rajani Baburajan, TMCnet Contributor
Cellular Specialists Inc, a company specializing in the design and implementation of in-building wireless products, announced a new wireless engine that provides wireless connectivity in trains.
Claimed as the industry’s only ‘rail repeater’ to feature Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and digital filtering, the new Wireless Engine provides uninterrupted voice and data services to train commuters while en route.
Seamless connectivity is important for commuters who wish to work virtually without losing a step.
According to Scott Goodrich, president of CSI’s product division, trains present a unique set of challenges, such as the ‘on the fly’ filter changes coupled with space and weight constraints that older analog systems cannot address.
CSI’s Wireless Engine digital rail repeater system enables the desired Wireless Service Provider’s signal by instantaneously switching filter configurations based upon GPS coordinates and spectrum holdings, company officials said.
The software-defined filters present in the system provide superior performance and flexibility without the traditional oversized and heavy hardware, Goodrich added.
Wireless Engine line of rail repeaters is specifically designed to provide wireless coverage for rail applications.
The system offers several benefits over traditional rail repeaters. With complete remote monitoring and control, fleet operators no longer need to revisit installations to swap repeaters or to reconfigure the required pass-bands.
The software re-configures automatically or manually at each pass-band, either on-site or remotely, thus saving time and money.
Exceptional filter selectivity eliminates adjacent channel interference and allows carrier specific frequencies to be amplified.
Operators can stock one model that meets all market configurability requirements to reduce inventory costs and deployment time, the company said.
Wireless Engine is currently deployed in one of the major commuter trains in the Unites States, according to company officials.
In September, CSI introduced the Co-Pilot Beacon, reportedly the first viable location-based solution for simulcast CDMA Distributed Antenna Systems (DASs).
The Co-Pilot Beacon is designed to improve location accuracy of cell phones and wireless devices outdoors and within buildings, company sources said.
Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Marisa Torrieri
