Extend Coverage & Save on Cellular Infrastructure
VHG-VERY HIGH GAIN ANTENNA
For
iDEN - CDMA - GSM - DCS - PCS – UMTS - LTE
Application Notes
Rev. 5
Extend & improve Coverage within existing networks
Cover remote communities & Installations from Distant BTSs
Provide profitable Service to low ERLANG communities
Low Capex Highway and Railroad Coverage
Mitigate Mutual Base Stations Interference
Provide Dominant Signal for High Buildings call drops
Strengthen signals without causing interference
Improve Repeater performance with Narrow Beam and Diversity
Reduce 3G cell shrinkage due to “Hot Spots”
Low cost offshore installation and shipping channel coverage
Low CAPEX indoor coverage
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
VHG antennas are one of a kind on the world market family of very high gain, narrow beam,
low side-lobes X-pole antennas for special cellular applications and frequency bands.
Cellular infrastructure is generally perceived as a BTS, a tower with omni or sector panel
antennas, arranged to cover 360 degrees around the site. In many cases, real-life customer
distribution is not that simple. Optimal coverage can require specially shaped “sectors” to
cover long highways, railroads, valleys or other “corridors” of coverage. Heavy
concentrations of users as well as distant low Erlang targets present special challenges. Tall
office and residential structures create extra pressure on existing infrastructure. All of the
above are excellent examples where specially “Shaped Sectors” enabled by VHG antennas
are the low CAPEX short ROI answer to both technical and financial challenges in the ever
changing cellular environment.
VHG antennas have become since their introduction back in 2004 an indispensable tool for
cellular planners and optimizers on six continents. VHG antennas are famous both as the
lowest CAPEX infrastructure solution for providing service to remote, low Erlang areas and
for low CAPEX, easily implemented technical solutions. VHG antennas are the ideal instant
solution to high rates of "churn" due to poor coverage with minimum hassle and CAPEX.
On the following pages, we will see how VHG antennas can be successfully applied in
various situations.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VEGA Highways and Railroads Coverage
Fig. 1 shows a case where a highway passes through a small town. The number of
subscribers within the town might not require more than a single omni sector but the highway
users mobiles are that gold mine that the operator is looking for.
By aiming VHG antennas along the axis of the highway or railroad, the operator can focus
his signal onto the road and cover up to 50% longer sections of the highway than with
standard panel antennas, doing that with marginal added cost. The operator can actually
save 25%-30% of the base stations necessary when compared to designs using more
common antennas.
OMNI
Antenna
VEGA
Antenna B
VEGA
Antenna A
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OMNI
Coverage
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Fig.1 Special narrow beam sectors with VHG antennas, used for highways coverage
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VEGA Remote Communities & Campuses Coverage
Fig. 2 shows another extremely cost-effective application for the VHG antenna.
When coverage of small villages in mountainous or other irregular terrain is required, the
common panel sector antennas provide very limited solution.
By using one BTS, mounted on high terrain using VHG antennas as sector antennas,
several remote communities can be given good Cellular coverage from a single remote BTS.
Fig. 2 : Narrow Beam sectors BTS covering several villages from a single BTS
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Narrow Beam Coverage and Interference Mitigation
The VHG has both very narrow Beam Width and exceptionally low side-lobes. This makes
a very unique and effective application of the VHG in its use as a "Very Narrow Sector".
Such applications are required when there is a problem of
"Inter-BTS Interference". In such cases where the use of regular panel antennas causes
interference problem, the use of the VHG can provide the answer by diminishing these
spatial interferences.
Fig. 3 presents a success story from Irkutsk, Russia. It shows how the use of a VHG
antenna solved a complicated situation with minimum cost and effort.
Problem: Multiple strong signals
from nearby BTS cause “hard
handoffs” in high usage area
No-Solution: Adding
sectors that face
problematic area cause
interference to densely
populated area on far
side of river
Target Area
Target area now
served by BTS “A”
no dropped calls!
VEGA CP-12 Antenna
added to BTS “A”
BTS “A”
Solution: Adding
sector with down tilted
VEGA CP-12 to BTS “A”
aimed at problem area.
No more “hard handoffs”
No interference to far
side of river.
No interference to populated area on opposite side of river
Fig.3 : VHG eliminates possible interference by its very narrow beam
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
BTS Narrow Sectorization and Lower Frequency Reuse
Cellular infrastructure sites are generally perceived as a BTS, a tower and either omni or
three sectors panel antennas arranged to cover 360 degrees around the site. In many cases,
real-life customer distribution is not that simple. Optimal coverage requires adding specially
shaped “sectors” to cover long avenues and streets, highway or other “corridors” or give a
boost of power to certain directions while other directions use common panel or omni
antennas.
Fig. 4 shows such a BTS special coverage scheme. Those sectors using the VHG antennas
present such special coverage cases as discussed above. Moreover, due to the VHGs very
low side lobes in addition to the narrow beam nature of the antenna, enables lower GSM
frequency reuse within the network. For certain applications this feature might be a major
contribution to the operator’s network efficiency and an answer to the always limited
frequency resources problem.
BTS2
F2
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Fig. 4 : VHG used to Extend Coverage, Shape coverage and Lower Frequency Reuse.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Dominant Signal for High Buildings
Providing reliable coverage to tall office and residential buildings in a congested urban
environment is one of the more acute issues the radio network planning people must cope
with. The higher floors of such buildings suffer from intensive interferences by the operators
own and other networks. The signals are so many and levels are so high, that most attempts
to put through a mobile call can end in frustration. One rather expensive and sometimes
impossible solution is to have internal building coverage by an Indoor repeater system
creating a dominant signal which will overcome the presence of so many strong signals from
the outside.
A more innovative, less expensive and easier to implement solution is the use of a VHG
antenna pointed at the higher floors of such a building from a near by BTS. Since the VHG
beam is so narrow and side lobes are so low, the VHGs beam pointing upwards will not
interfere with other surrounding BTSs while providing a dominant signal to the higher floors
of the covered building. This low CAPEX and OPEX solution, made possible by the VHG
antennas unique characteristics should be considered as the first choice of the urban
coverage design team.
Fig. 5 : High Buildings Leading Signal using VHG antenna Scheme
By using the VHG the customers can enjoy good service that will prompt them to make
more and longer calls without putting pressure on limited network resources. Results for the
operator – more profit for less CAPEX.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VEGA antennas for maximizing Repeater Performance
Repeaters are generally conceived as another means for BTS range extension to such areas
with no Line-of-sight to the BTS. Such an implementation is shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 6 : A repeater Narrow Coverage beam Application
VHG antenna can bring the operator certain unique benefits when used with repeaters:
i. Lower Interferences
The repeater picks up the BTS signal with added noise and interference, amplifies them and
sends them to the mobile receivers and vise versa. The added noise and interference
desensitize the BTS and mobile receivers. The more focused beam of the VHG antenna
being a spatial filter reduces significantly the accumulated interferences entering the system.
ii. Higher Isolation between the antennas
RF Repeater gain is practically limited to 80-95dB with tendency to oscillate at these high
gains due to the limited isolation between the repeater two antennas. Due to the VHGs very
low side lobes at ±90°, the VHG will provide higher isolation between the two antennas
mounted on a single pole compared to any other antenna type like Yagi or Panel antennas.
iii. VHG Dual Polarization Benefits
As the Donor BTS antenna is transmitting and receiving in slant 45° polarization the repeater
Donor pick-up antenna should also have slant 45° polarization otherwise the signal to/from
the Donor BTS is dropped by 3dB. The VHG provides this -45° or +45° polarization
requirement.
iv. VHG Coverage Range extension
Using the VHG High Gain antenna with repeaters enables higher signal strength, extending
range of both the Donor BTS and the covered area.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VHG for indoor coverage
The common solution to very low cellular signal within office and residential buildings is the
use of Indoor Repeater System installation with indoor antennas installed on every floor and
cables running in between them and the indoor repeater.
This solution is extremely expensive due to the installation cost, hassles with the owner’s
lawyers, owner’s monthly cut, operation costs etc.
VHG provides quality indoor coverage without the hassle and expense of installing and
maintaining indoor repeaters.
Fig. 7: VHG illuminates office building
One low cost easy to install VHG from a nearby BTS is all it takes!
Since the VHG antenna has a very narrow beam on both Azimuth and Elevation, when
locating the VHG at a nearby BTS, the narrow beam will illuminate the building with a
strong signal while the surrounding area around the building does not get interfered.
Only an antenna with very narrow beam and low side lobes on both Azimuth and Elevation
like the VHG can provide such a solution.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VHG for "3G Hot Spots"
VHG enhances BTS Effective Power and eliminates spatial interferences thus enabling
higher Capacity and Data rate to “Hot Spots” & campuses.
1. UMTS Down-Link capacity is inter-cell INTERFERENCE limited due to PILOT
Pollution. VHG presents much higher PILOT across covered area
2. UMTS Up-Link coverage is interference (from other areas mobiles) limited. VHG is a
spatial filter minimizing interferences reception.
Interference
Interference
VEGA
Down Link
Pilot Polution
Sector Interfered from other mobiles .
Pilot Pollution from other BTSs
Down Link
Pilot Polution
With VEGA Lower Interference and Stronger
Pilot eliminates Pollution
3. UMTS Down-Link capacity and data rate are BTS’s POWER limited. VHG enhances
BTS radiated power density enabling higher capacity and data rate to HOT-SPOTS.
4. UMTS cell load Equalization: Up-Link coverage is LOAD limited and RANGE shrinks
with load. By splitting sectors, VHG equalizes load, enhancing HOT-SPOT coverage.
Hot-Spot
Hot-Spot
VEGA
Without VHG Sector Shrinks
with Loading
VHG Covers Hot-Spot. No Sector Shrinkage
Fig. 8 : VHG implementation in 3G Hot-Spot scenarios
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]
VHG for Maritime Coverage
VHG Solution is the most cost effective tool to serve Ferries, Remote Islands and off-shore
Oil Rigs.
With a VHG antenna installed on an existing mainland base station the operator can easily
cover remote islands, small island communities, as well as ferries routes and oil rigs.
Remote off-shore communities actually got cellular coverage using the VHG antennas
installed on base stations 25-30 km on the other side of the bay or swamp.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
These application notes are based on observation of actual applications of the VHG
antenna made by our customers worldwide in actual installations improving and optimizing
network performance.
We welcome any suggestions or comments you may have relating to the material in these
application notes or any additional observations you may have. Feel free to call or mail us for
any more information you may need. We will be happy to discuss with you how the VHG can
be a profit increasing helper to your network.
Call us on +603-79838061 or mail to [email protected]
Antenna plots and radiation files for use with network planning & optimizing software are
available gratis to qualified inquirers.
NGM Networks Sdn.Bhd
5-1,Jalan 109E,Desa Business Park, Taman Desa,58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Phone:+603-79838061 Fax:+603-79838161
Website: www.ngmnetworks.com
e-mail: [email protected]