Globe Telecom said it has rolled out a new wireless technology called outdoor distributed antenna system (ODAS), which effects stronger mobile phone signal for its subscribers and is the next best alternative to towering cell sites.
The Ayala-owned operator is the first telecommunications company in the country to make use of such technology, which makes use of a specialized lamp posts built with radio signal transmission capability.
?The ODAS technology effectively brings coverage much closer to residents through the installation of lamp posts deployed along sidewalks. These facilities deepen mobile coverage by bringing radio signal closer to end-users and Globe Telecom is the first telco service provider in the country to use the ODAS solution,? said Emmanuel Estrada, Globe head of network technologies strategy.
According to Estrada, the ODAS solution also supports all frequency bands used by wireless carriers, including long-term evolution (LTE) technology.
?The ODAS technology effectively enhances end-user?s experience by providing stronger mobile phone coverage and higher bandwidth with the reliability of a conventional cell site,? said Estrada.
He explained that the ODAS solution is a dedicated system that uses fiber-optic cables to distribute a base station?s signals to multiple low power active antenna systems installed in nominal locations inside residential subdivisions.
This in effect allows the delivery of a more reliable service in the deployment area without the need for towering cell sites, he said.
?The ODAS solution does not only improve mobile phone signals, they also provide an alternative and efficient lighting system as Globe Telecom strives to provide value-added services to the communities we partner with,? Estrada said.
Estrada also stressed that radiation coming from cell sites is not considered harmful and is classified as non-ionizing, similar to radiation that comes from low-frequency devices such as transistor radios and microwave oven or baby monitors.
In fact, all cell sites and ODAS equipment of the company have also been given radiation safety certificates by the Department of Health, he said.
?It is a known fact that power from broadcast transmitters are at least 1,000 times higher than traditional cell sites and at least 10,000 times higher than signals from each ODAS antenna,? Estrada said.
He added that based on studies by the World Health Organization, there is no conclusive evidence to associate exposure to radio signals from cell sites or wireless networks with adverse health effects.
