Fixed Mobile Convergence

Powerwave Technologies, Inc., a provider of wireless infrastructure solutions, announced that the company’s wireless coverage system deployed by Mobily Saudi Arabia has completed its phase one and it has enabled visitors of the holy city of Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with uninterrupted access to wireless voice and data services.

The deployment is claimed by the company as the world’s largest indoor wireless coverage system.

With more than 1.4 million square-meters of built-up floor space, the King Abdul Aziz Endowment, located adjacent to the Kaaba and the Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred or Grand Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is considered the largest collection of buildings in the world.

“Powerwave (News - Alert) is honored to support wireless communications in this most sacred of venues,” said Ronald J. Buschur, president and chief executive officer at Powerwave Technologies, Inc., in a release.

“Not only does Mecca have the distinction of being one of the holiest places in the world, the complex also is phenomenal from an architectural perspective, being adjacent to the Grand Mosque ‘Masjid Al-Haram,’ which is considered the world’s largest building in terms of built space,” added Buschur.

In 2008, Mobily Saudi Arabia had signed a multi-million dollar agreement with Powerwave and its Saudi Arabian business partner, Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems Co. Ltd. (ACES), to deploy a wireless coverage system inside four of the seven towers currently comprising the King Abdul Aziz Endowment.

The first phase of this system deployment also includes wireless coverage for the venue’s shopping center featuring 450 shops and restaurants, and six-floor underground parking garage. Phase II and Phase III, is planned to be completed in 2009, and this will bring wireless coverage to four additional buildings, and a skyscraper at the center of the complex.

ACES, according to Buschur has demonstrated true professional experience in engineering and project management, best practice process and management systems, total end-to-end project delivery and close client coordination.

“We are very pleased to partner with Powerwave Technologies in bringing a state-of-the-art wireless coverage system that can support the wireless needs of the tenants and visitors to the King Abdul Aziz Endowment,” said Akram Aburas, chief executive officer, Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems Co. Ltd.

“We have leveraged Powerwave’s antenna and repeater solutions in other projects, and have been very impressed by their ability to deliver end-to-end wireless coverage systems that use far fewer components than competitive solutions, which translates into ease of deployment and maintenance, improved reliability, performance and cost-effectiveness,” said Khalid Al-Mashouq, chief technology officer, for ACES.

The system is based on Powerwave’s Nexus FT high-power, triple-band fiber optic repeaters, which feature a modular and robust design that is easy to install, supports multi-carrier and multi-band operation, and offers high capacity and long-reach signal distribution. Other coverage system components, which reside outside of public view, include a fiber optic conversion module located within the centralized Base Station Hotel.

The system supports the GSM900, GSM1800 and GSM2100 commercial wireless frequencies.

“We are very pleased with the performance and reliability of the wireless coverage solution deployed by ACES in partnership with Powerwave Technologies,” said Nasser Al-Nasser, deputy chief technology officer of Mobily Saudi Arabia.

“The first phase of the project has been a resounding success, and we look forward to partnering with them on the subsequent phases of this project,” added Al-Nasser.