Canadian outfit iBwave Solutions has integrated a new site survey and planning tool for LTE-based networks into its network design solution for network operators, system integrators, and enterprises. The firm’s Mobile Survey app has now been integrated with the PRiSM handheld scanner and spectrum analyzer solution from US-based radio-frequency engineering company Epiq Solutions. The objective is to further simplify LTE network rollouts, in particular for enterprises; a statement said “surveying LTE… has never been simpler or more affordable”.
The iBwave application runs on Android devices, and has built its footprint based mostly on Wi-Fi network scanning. Integration with the LTE-focused PRiSM hardware/software solution, which attaches magnetically to the back of a phone or tablet, plus with other third-party scanning tools, plays into the enterprise market for private networks, in particular. The PRiSM solution provides insights about network coverage, interference, and benchmarking, and claims to bring “the power of large, expensive engineering tools to cost-effective handheld devices”.
It continued: “With wireless network survey data being such an integral part of the design process, it’s important that wireless engineers are equipped with scanners that are easy to use and can seamlessly integrate into the rest of the network design life cycle. It’s also important that once the networks are deployed, field technicians for operators and enterprises are equipped with the right tools to conduct regular performance and troubleshooting checks. This is especially true for the critical private LTE networks being deployed by carriers and enterprises today.”
The listed benefits state that the combination is a “powerful and robust way to survey single-carrier or private LTE wireless networks”. The same solution will work for 5G networks shortly, said iBwave. Other benefits are: fast and effective collection of survey data, minimal start-up time, and minimized post-processing. The new LTE integration also benefits customers surveying public safety networks as a single solution for P25 or LTE networks.
Jamie Birdnow, senior vice president of commercial operations at iBwave, said: “Our enterprise and wireless customers need a seamless way to survey LTE networks, but tools today are too complex, too expensive, and lack integration with the network design. The latest version of our Mobile Survey solution solves these issues, enabling our customers to streamline and manage the entire LTE network survey and design lifecycle in a single solution.”
