Andrew supports railway wireless network

China's high-speed Shijiazhuang-to-Taiyuan railway (Shi-Tai line) will include a wireless network for passengers to use, thanks to coverage and capacity solutions from Andrew, division of Commscope.

Andrew will supply its Radiax radiating cables to support wireless services for passengers as they travel through tunnels.

Andrew's coverage and capacity solution will also support a GSM-R network to enable fully interoperable communications among railway employees and emergency personnel.

Andrew's Radiax cables are manufactured at the company's plant in Suzhou, China, where outdoor and indoor cable test lines that simulate tunnel conditions are located.

'Andrew's localised manufacturing in China, as well as its specialised testing environment that mimics a railway tunnel, is a major advantage in serving our customers in this market,' said Ben Cardwell, vice president, sales and marketing, Asia-Pacific.

'As China continues rapidly constructing and expanding its urban rail transportation networks, Andrew hopes to assist by supporting communication networks across the country.' The Shi-Tai line has a total length of almost 29km.

In its initial stage of operation, the line will transport all passengers and some freight traffic between Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan.

Expected to open in 2009, the high-speed line will support passenger traffic with its double-track, completely enclosed design.

'Enabling wireless signal transmissions in high-speed railway tunnels is a great challenge because of the enclosed environment and rapidly changing signal levels,' said Cardwell.

'However, Andrew has a lot of successful experiences in the field of high-speed railway network signal coverage all over the world.

'Its radiating cables have long been deployed in rail transportation and other mobile communication systems.' Andrew has also provided wireless coverage systems for China's Beijing-to-Tianjin high-speed railway and six lines of the Beijing Metro, both in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

Andrew offers operators worldwide a complete portfolio of coverage and capacity products including Ion fibre distribution antenna systems, node repeaters, plus indoor antennas and passive devices.

It has applied wireless solutions successfully in more than 30 subway projects in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Tianjin.

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