The 5G mmWave signal booster is an embedded, customizable module
It’s no secret that while millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G transmitters offer incredibly fast speeds and amazingly low latency, they also operate over relatively short distances and aren’t very good at penetrating obstacles, particularly certain types of building materials. However, SureCall’s millimeter wave signal booster platform, announced today, promises to improve — or boost — 5G mmWave frequencies for indoor use.
The platform, called 5G Everywhere, is the first FCC-compliant millimeter wave signal booster platform and is capable of amplifying 5G signals broadcast on the 28 GHz millimeter wave band. The platform, according to SureCall, will give carriers an alternative to installing small cell units.
Fully FCC compliant for industrial use, SureCall’s mmWave signal booster is an embedded, customizable module, the company said.
“Signal boosters have always proven effective at resolving cell signal penetration impediments,” says SureCall Founder and CEO Hongtao Zhan. “Our tailored millimeter wave signal booster solutions will enable 5G consumption at scale with the flexibility to handle a variety of applications and the benefit of almost 20 years of innovation, quality and reliability in the industry.”
In a press release, SureCall stated that because of the penetration and distance challenges associated with 5G mmWave frequencies, signal boosters will become an “absolute necessity for virtually every building and room that wishes to provide 5G connectivity for users inside the structure.”
Historically, signal booster technology has been hampered by regulatory agencies, which made their deployment both expensive and complex. In the U.S., there were concerns that signal boosters can interfere with macro service provider networks, irritating mobile carriers. So carriers worked with signal booster vendors to certify the equipment for use.
In 2018, though, the FCC intervened. It was concluded that, in many cases, signal boosters don’t interfere with the macro networks, and the FCC voted to do away with restrictions on “provider-specific boosters so that businesses, public safety entities, educational institutions and other enterprise users and their customers can also benefit from the use of boosters.”
In the U.K., signal booster technology was similarly hindered, but thanks to a recent relaxation in licensing laws for the use of mobile signal boosters, introduced by Ofcom in April, repeaters can now be freely deployed in the U.K. as long as they meet certain specifications.
