LONDON — Socowave Ltd. (Dublin, Ireland), a 2008 startup with connections University College Dublin, is offering active panel antenna (APA) technology, which allows mobile phone operators to apply beamforming as they communicate with handsets.

When controlled dynamically in response to customer demand this should enable faster internet access for cellular users and reduced energy consumption for network operators by allowing fuller coverage to be achieved with fewer basestations.

The beamforming control systems are configurable into a range of product solutions and in standard antenna formats applicable to the mobile WiMax, LTE, EDGE and TD-SCDMA standards and relevant carrier frequencies, the company states on its website.

Socowave claimes that by being able to direct the beam energy preferentially towards the populated areas, instead of in simple omnidirectional circular pattern, basestation electricity consumption can be cut by up to 50 percent. Socowave's technology can increase effective data rates by up to a factor of ten, the company claimed.

And as a result Socowave estimated that its antenna panel technology has an annual market potential of more than 2 billion euros (more than about $2.8 billion).

Socowave’s founder, Joe Moore, has management experience in mobile telecommunications having held postions with Sigma Wireless and Motorola. "Before now, the network had no way of knowing where the user's signal came from and therefore when service deteriorated, could not take corrective actions to improve the reception. Now, with users spread across an area, the network can actively optimize the wireless link to each user and do so even if they are all on-the-move and reception conditions are changing."

The technology underlying Socowave's approach is based upon a basestation system architecture that is controlled digitally over a fiber optic cable that incorporates senabling technology licensed from the National Univeristy of Ireland, Maynooth and University College Dublin.

The company did not disclose the nature of the technology that it has licensed.

Related links and articles:

www.socowave.com

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