Train passengers going to and from Beijing during the Olympics had access to wireless connectivity, thanks to systems that were installed to ensure connections even with the huge increase in usage.

Andrew Wireless Solutions, a division of CommScope, supplied wireless networking systems to improve coverage and add network capacity for Beijing Metro's subway lines during the Games.

Andrew deployed its Radiax radiating cables and ION-M repeaters in the subway system to support private, public, and security wireless communications. Passengers with GSM (Global System for Mobile), CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access), or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)-enabled mobile devices had access to the enhanced signal capabilities, and emergency personnel and railway employees had access to dedicated networks.

The company also is providing wireless communications for new high-speed trains linking Beijing and Tianjin, China. Andrew and Siemens jointly designed a wireless system for the trains, which were developed specifically for the Olympics and reach maximum speeds of 350 kilometers per hour. The trains began running on the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed railway line on Aug. 1, helping bring travelers to Beijing for the Olympics.

Providing reliable wireless signals in high-speed trains is a challenge because of diverse terrain and constantly changing signal levels, says Matt Melester, VP and general manager of wireless innovations at Andrew.

The company installed in-train repeaters in some compartments, which transmit and receive wireless signals to passenger handheld devices from existing base stations near the railways. The repeaters
automatically adjust upstream and downstream gains, preventing excessive high upstream noise from decreasing reception near the base station.

On high-speed trains, upstream and downstream gains must be adjusted quickly to maintain the relative stability of the wireless signals, according to Andrew. The company says it conducted extensive on-site testing and radio frequency measurements to confirm the system's reliability.

Andrew Wireless has a history of providing communications technology in China. The company worked on 12 previous projects in Beijing and supported nearly 30 metro rail wireless communications projects in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other major Chinese cities. Andrew also was selected to provide coverage and capacity for the Turin, Italy, underground in advance of the 2006 Winter Olympics and for many of the 2006 World Cup venues in Germany.