Co-siting and Re-farming

UMTS carriers are currently rolling out mobile broadband data services based on High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology. The coverage of these services can be restricted in the standard UMTS 2100 MHz band. This results in a significant reduction of the practical data rates that can be delivered, especially inside large buildings and in rural areas. Similarly, many users have noted insufficient voice coverage inside buildings when using UMTS2100 services.

One cost-effective way to address these issues is to deploy the UMTS wireless services in the GSM900 band instead, where the propagation characteristics are much more favorable compared to the regular 2100 MHz band. This solution is referred to as UMTS900.

In most countries, licences awarded for the 900 MHz spectrum were linked to GSM technology. However, the European Union now permits the use of 900 MHz band for UMTS as well. UMTS900 is being trialled in several countries around the world and is already commercially in use in Finland.

Practical realisation of UMTS900 will have to be supported by inventive and powerful filtering, due to specific spectrum management issues that it poses. As an expert in non-conventional filtering, Mesaplexx is ready to be the final link in making the economic benefits of UMTS900 a reality.