Case Studies

                                    WHY DO I NEED A CROSS POLARISED ANTENNA?

• Why is the right antenna critical to my wireless high speed broadband data experience?

  Use of the internet requires a data connection of some kind. You may access the internet over your mobile phone or computer, via Wi-Fi, quite often using the popular ADSL data connection for internet access that many businesses and households receive over their copper telephone lines or via a fibre connection. Very often you receive your data connectivity via a wireless connection from a mobile operator using the latest 3G or 4G technology.

  The solution you happen to be using would depend on your circumstances. If you are using a wireless data connection provided by your GSM mobile phone operator then it is probably because of a one or many of these reasons:

• No telephones lines or other telecom infrastructure is available due to your remote location

• Fibre deployment has not reached your area

• The service you currently experience is unreliable and intermittent

• Your Internet experience is slow and generally frustrating.

  If you are using a 3G or 4G wireless connection from your mobile or fixed line operator then you are probably benefiting from:

• A quick solution that can be deployed in minutes or hours for rapid access to the internet, almost anywhere, without huge installation issues and having to wait for days or weeks for an installation team.

• A more stable connection that provides a consistent user experience, higher speed, very often much faster than most other technology choices such as ADSL.

• Country wide coverage where the connection that can be relocated seamlessly if needed.

• Various subscription options from pre-paid to post-paid that simplify administration.

  Recently the evolution of technology from 3G has brought to us a wireless data technology called LTE, commonly referred to as 4G. This technology promises almost revolutionary advancement if the form of speed and user experience which will grow rapidly to become an obvious alternative choice for mobile and wireless internet alongside the more known other choices. Wireless access has generally been associated with mobile phone access to the internet, and therefore for 3G and 4G the term “fixed wireless” has become popular as it takes its place next to the more traditional technologies such as ADSL. LTE 4G fixed wireless access promises speeds far in excess of what is currently available through most of thee other technologies on the market, 10 times faster than 3G!

  Achieving the expected and quoted performance of LTE, it is absolutely important that the correct antenna system is used. You would be familiar with the importance of an antenna on satellite TV, your car radio, of which without the use of the right antenna, you would be extremely disappointed by no performance. You already know how important speed and latency is on your data connection. What is currently misunderstood in the market is that the antenna system used on 3G and especially 4G is critically important to the speeds and the latency achieved. With LTE 4G, use of the incorrect antenna can half your speed!

  To be briefly technical, LTE requires a cross polarised MiMo (multi input multi output) antenna configuration. Simply, two antennas for two data streams, a very special antenna that has two cables connecting it to its router. Our solutions for LTE therefore come standard with a cross-polarised antenna and a 4G router that converts the 3G/4G data connection from the mobile operator into Wi-Fi providing traditional Wi-Fi access.

  For fixed wireless access it is good practice to mount the antenna outdoors in a rigid manner much the same approach as for your satellite dish or TV antenna. Wireless broadband access is going to grow quickly over the next 5 years to eventually occupy 30% of all broadband connections worldwide!