Have been covering www.solidtechusa.com for many years and have watched, Seth and Ken take this company to great heights. Believed in their vision from day one and they continue to be the innovators in this growing industry...both from a design and optical side of things.
While this article is a few years old, it was written very well. (Provided detailed article of previous DAS Forum). It provides good business and technical architecture design requirements. Definitely not written in a marketing way. It is posted on www.thedasforum.org (Now HetNet). Pay attention to Page 4 and the considerations about WLAN combined with a Distributed Antenna System.
Download DAS-Neutral-Host-Design-White-Paper-HetNet-abbreviated
Download Considerations-in-deploying-a-neutral-host-DAS-final
PIM lowers the reliability, capacity, and data rate of cellular systems. It does this by limiting the receive sensitivity. You could in the past select channel frequencies that would produce PIM in the desired receive bands. The challenge now is that cellular usage has grown and the licensed spectrum has become real crowded. As a result engineers often select less desired carrier frequencies and just accept PIM issues. PIM products that fall within the receive band of the cell site radio make the receiver less sensitive to weak signals that limits receive coverage. The result is the increase in BER (bit-error rate) and creates more dropped calls. Today, we have a major shift from the use of our smart phones from voice to data. As cell usage and throughput exponentially grows the peak power produced by the new digital modulations increase dramatically contributing dramatically to PIM problems. Interference from PIM creates more error protection bits and resends which causes a lower overall data rate. There is potential for receiver blocking and a shut-down of the sector. PIM issues can manifest themselves into receive-noise-floor diversity imbalance, high noise floors, shorter average call duration, higher dropped call rates, lower data rates, and lower call volume. Left uncorrected, PIM problems can cause the BTS (base transceiver station) to assume a certain Rx noise level exist during calibration periods causing gross Tx power and Rx gain figures to be utilized. PIM is a serious issue for cellular operators wanting to maximize their network’s reliability, data rate, capacity, and return on their investment.
http://www.northeastdas.com/event/nyc-spring-conference/
Integra Systems, Inc., will be authoring a series of blogs describing the value of an antenna in a wireless solution. This includes embedded, WLAN, and DAS. As these designs become more and more complex the value of a low PIM requirement is not only desired but required. PIM (passive intermodulation) is a form of intermodulation distortion that occurs in components normally thought of as linear, such as cables, connectors and antennas. However, when subject to the high RF powers found in cellular systems, these devices can generate intermodulation signals -80dBm or higher.
http://www.ventigroup.com
Years ago, I learned of this obscure company called SOLID out of South Korea. Not quite sure who or what they were...but they seemed to play in the DAS space. Contacted them and quickly learned that they were being led by veterans in the DAS space and then I then started to do a deep dive into their technology. It seemed everything they were doing was right, they had the right vision, and also they were pretty much re-inventing the DAS "technology wheel" in my opinion. Fast forward to 2013 and reading this mornings 23 December 2013 edition of FORTUNE. There SOLID is under the Special Advertising Section of "wireless"! This company has come a long way from year's ago....winning major, major venues like the New York City Subway System and the Daytona International Speedway! Congrats to Seth and Ken for a job very well done.
SOLiD's fiber multiplexing solution, based on tunable laser and wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology, enable telecom operators to increase fiber capacity and reduce CAPEX and OPEX. These transport solutions reduce sparing costs by up to 95%, offer centralized provisioning and enable network comissioning within hours versus days.
See the attached PDF(s) of an overview of their compelling technology.
SOLiD digital network solutions deliver zero jitter and packet loss and ultra-low latency that are capable of carrying GbE, SONET up to a OC-48, EPON, GPON, or CPRI up to 3.07 Gbps and flexible to support multiple topologies including point to point, tree and branch, chain, and ring.
www.solid.com
I have been saying this for years that a typical "co-axial" based DAS (Distributed Antenna System) is not future proof. Those folks that bought into the notion that this infrastructure could support all flavors of 802.11 have had to contend with "rip and replace"...not once but several times! Yes....the days of a coaxial based DAS are winding down. In fact...we should not use the term DAS anymore, but suggest DWFA (Distributed Wireless Fiber Architecture). It seems that Corning (they make fiber...as well as Gorilla Glass!) has introduced an all optical infrastruture. Being Corning makes fiber optic cabling....this makes sense. Some of the benefits include:
All-Fiber Platform - Provides unlimited bandwidth, faster deployment and less labor
due to pre-connectorized solution.
1:1 Optical Connectivity - Seamless fiber media to the antenna
Built-in SISO/MIMO Antenna - Minimized footprint
Gigabit Ethernet Support - Unifies WiFi and cellular over single media and backhaul
of Ethernet backhaul and PoE
Support for all RF Sources - Femto-listening mode provides small-cell enablement for
smaller venues.
Configurable Sectorization - Capacity steering maxmimizes operator resources. A
single headend supports up to three sectors/layers.
Stay tuned for a series of blogs surrounding the "next generation of "optical" wireless infrastructure. This is going to turn the traditional "wired" network on it's head. At the end of the day....it about the compelling need for bandwidth.
While this is not directed to healthcare, it does show how the convergence is happening in a major league way. SOLiD will for the first time have a booth at HIMSS. This is a huge, huge game changer.
SOLiDs fiber multiplexing solutions based upon patented tunable laser and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) enable telecoms operators to increase fiber capacity and reduce CAPEX and OPEX.
SOLiDs digital network solutions deliver zero jitter and packet loss and ultra-low latency that are capable of carrying GbE, SONET, up to an OC-48, EPON, or CPRI up to 3.07 Gbps and can support many topologies to include point to point, tree and branch, chain and ring.
www.solidtechusa.com
www.stoke.com
SANTA CLARA, Calif. and ROSEBURG, OR. – February 25, 2013: Mobile broadband innovators Stoke and SOLiD are introducing the 'GameChanger™ Neutral Host Wi-Fi Offload Solution' for wireless operators and venue owners – an end-to-end system that solves mobile capacity problems when the concentration of traffic overwhelms available cellular network capacity. GameChanger combines SOLiD's INFINITY ACCESS™ Optical Network Transport solution with Stoke's Wi-Fi eXchange gateway to deliver carrier-class access over Wi-Fi at sports stadiums, transit systems, concerts, or other major venues.
This is a game-changing offering for large crowd scenarios, especially at sports events where fans expect adequate throughput performance for mobile applications as an enriching part of their overall experience.
"Venues and operators alike have difficulties providing cost-effective, quality coverage with sufficient bandwidth to serve huge crowds. The networks they typically deploy are rapidly overrun at peak times leading to outages, slow response times, and user frustration," said Dave Williams, CTO at Stoke. "The solution solves challenges of capacity, cost and quality, and transforms a poor cellular experience in high density public areas into a win-win-win scenario for users, operators and venue owners."
"GameChanger applies the benefits of a 'neutral host' Distributed Antenna System (DAS) model to WiFi Offload for the first time, providing each wireless operator with the equivalent of their own high-capacity WiFi network with virtually unlimited backhaul," said Seth Buechley, President at SOLiD. "At less than half the cost of doing it alone, the system makes it possible for venues and wireless providers to work together to ensure quality of service for subscribers and an unique game day experience for fans."
Across-the-board Advantages
Venue owners will enhance their brand and attract greater, more consistent attendance by delivering a superior event experience for the sports fan or venue visitor:
• While traditional Venue wireless ISP arrangements leave venue owners blind to the online activities of visitors to their site, GameChanger offers insights that enable venue owners to create compelling, competitive new services.
• They can deliver a fan experience that meets the goals of sports league governing bodies.
• Owners can benefit from lower Internet connectivity costs through reciprocal arrangements with participating network operators.
• Rich capabilities and varied configuration options allow them to work with operators to rapidly test different business models for specific environments, while still providing an enhanced quality of service to existing customers.
Operators receive the cost reduction and cellular subscriber satisfaction advantages available via an offloaded local cellular network in the area immediately around the venue.
• The participating carriers can keep customers on their own network and choose the size of their own proprietary backhaul pipe.
• They can leverage granular authentication, metering and routing capabilities to permit reciprocal charging between venue and operator.
• Leveraging the turnkey solution, they benefit from ease of deployment, reduced operating expenses and enhanced brand value.
Visitors or Fans benefit from the seamless Wi-Fi sign-on experience and a mobile broadband experience unblemished by poor quality streaming video and slow Internet response.
• The mobile broadband experience becomes a seamlessly accessible and consistent service that does not require day passes or other cumbersome sign on.
This was the first ever conference held at Revolution House at Penns Landing on January 31 in the evening. Integra Systems, Inc. was in attendance. It was standing room only. Great conference and great technology partners. Looking forward to Manhattan at the end of March where we will have a slot focused on healthcare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO2lukOHP5A&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Copy+of+NYC+DAS%252BSmall+Cell+Conference+March+28&utm_campaign=Philly+Social+1-31-13&utm_medium=email
I always felt from the first time I evaluated the technology that www.solidtechusa.com had the best and most forward technology surrounding a DAS (Distributed Antenna System). That was in 2008. What makes their offering unique is that they can provide the complete solution indoor and outdoor with the most cost effectiveness; and as said technology offering. They have currently secured the business for the largest subway system in the United States...NYC. Congrats to Seth and Ken for a job well done! Perhaps this is a trend. Maybe they can go after the other subways that I have been on like Boston and Paris.
When I hear this term I am somewhat confused as RF is not like water. First a DAS has to be designed around what they call the link budget.
"A link budget is the accounting of all of the gains and losses from the transmitter, through the medium (free space, cable, waveguide, fiber, etc.) to the receiver in a telecommunication system. It accounts for the attenuation of the transmitted signal due to propagation, as well as the antenna gains, feedline and miscellaneous losses. Randomly varying channel gains such as fading are taken into account by adding some margin depending on the anticipated severity of its effects. The amount of margin required can be reduced by the use of mitigating techniques such as antenna diversity or frequency hopping."
A simple link budget equation looks like this:
Received Power (dBm) = Transmitted Power (dBm) + Gains (dB) − Losses (dB)
Note that decibels are logarithmic measurements, so adding decibels is equivalent to multiplying the actual numeric ratios.
An argument was made years ago that the passive DAS better than an active DAS. The reality this "wirelesss utility" or simply a DAS, has be architected in 5,000 square ft. segments to meet any kind of voice over IP requirements at -65dbm. So in reality this is not a passive design, but an active design that each segment needs power (active amplification)to drive through the coaxial cable infrastructure to meet the link budget.
Then if you want to support 802.11a...you need additional amplification at the antenna element. When this happens you add "active powered infrastructure" that adds risk to a well designed mission critical or this case healthcare, a "life critical" WLAN. The question then becomes why do this?
While in the past you could have made the financial and technical argument that it makes sense to combine 802.11b/g or even a, on a DAS, the cost considerations go out the window if 802.11n or even 802.11ac is considered.
My feeling is coaxial cable being used as a transport is legacy in nature. While it works...it is very, very expensive if trying to combine WLAN services.
That is why supporting true MIMO on a DAS makes no economical sense. Designing a DAS for the future has to do with supporting the backhaul for LTE, 802.11n, and 802.11ac. Fiber is the future.
