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A typical BTS tower which holds the antenna. The tower is quite widely misinterpreted as the BTS itself. The shelter which houses the actual BTS can also be seen.

Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is the equipment which facilitates the wireless communication between user equipments and the network. User equipments are devices like mobile phones (handsets), WLL phones, computers with wireless internet connectivity, WiFi and WiMAX gadgets etc. The network can be that of any of the wireless communication technologies like GSM, CDMA, WLL , WAN, WiFi, WiMAX etc. BTS is also referred to as RBS (Radio Base Station), Node B (in 3G Networks) or simply BS (Base Station).

Though the term BTS can be applicable to any of the wireless communication standards, it is generally and commonly associated with mobile communication technologies like GSM and CDMA. In this regard, a BTS forms part of the Base Station Subsystem (BSS) and has the equipments (transceivers) for transmitting and receiving of radio signals, signal processors, signal paths, signal amplifiers, and equipments for system management. It may also have equipments for encrypting and decrypting communications, spectrum filtering tools (band pass filters) etc. Antennas may also be considered as components of BTS in general sense as they facilitate the functioning of BTS. Typically a BTS will have several transceivers (TRXs) which allow it to serve several different frequencies and different sectors of the cell (in the case of sectorised base stations). A BTS is controlled by a parent Base Station Controller via the Base station Control Function (BCF). The BCF is implemented as a discrete unit or even incorporated in a TRX in compact base stations. The BCF provides an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) connection to the Network management system (NMS), and manages operational states of each TRX, as well as software handling and alarm collection. The basic structure and functions of the BTS remains the same regardless of the wireless technologies.

Diversity Techniques

Antenna positioning to implement horizontal space diversity

In order to improve the quality of received signal, often two receiving antennas are used, placed at an equal distance to an uneven multiple of a quarter of wavelength (For 900 MHz the wavelength is 30 cm). This technique, famous as Antenna diversity or diversity in the space, concurs to resolve the problems connected to the fading. The antennas can be spaced horizontally or vertically ; in the first case though a greater facility of installation is required, advanced performance is obtained.

Other than antenna or space diversity, there are other diversity techniques like frequency/time diversity, antenna pattern diversity, polarization diversity etc.

Splitting

The process of creating more coverage and capacity in a wireless system by having more than one cell site cover a particular amount of geography. Each cell site covers a smaller area, with lower power MHz and thus offers the ability to reuse frequencies more times in a larger geographic coverage area, such as a city or MTA.

Sectoring

A cell is subdivided to a sure number of fields, every one of which “is illuminated” from an antenna directive (or panel), that is an antenna that “does not illuminate” in all the directions, but concentrates the flow of power within a particular area of the cell, known as sector. Every field can therefore be considered like one new cell. By using directional antennas, the co-channel interference is. A typical structure is the trisector,also known as clover, in which they are 3 sectors, each one served by separate antennas. Every sector has separate direction of tracking of 120° with respect to the adjacent ones. If not sectorrised, the cell will be served by a unidirectional antenna, which radiates in all directions. Bisectored cells are also implemented with the antennas serving sectors of 180° separation to one another.

A BTS in general has the following units:

• TRX : Transceiver

- Quite widely referred to as DRX (Driver Receiver)

- Basically does transmission and reception of signals

- Also does sending and reception of signals to/from higher network entities (like Base Station Controller in mobile telephony)

• PA : Power Amplifier

- Amplifies the signal from DRX for transmission through antenna

- May be integrated with DRX

• Combiner

- Combines feeds from several DRXs so that they could be sent out through a single antenna

- For reduction of number of antenna used

• Duplexer

- For separating sending and receiving signals to/from antenna

- Does sending and receiving signals through the same antenna ports (cables to antenna)

• Antenna

- Antenna also considered as not a part of BTS

• Alarm Extension System

- Collects working status alarms of various units in BTS and extends them to Operations and Maintenance (O&M) monitoring stations

• Control Function

- Does the control of BTS

- Manages the various units of BTS

- Has the software for functioning of BTS

- On-the-spot configurations, status changes, software upgrades etc. done through the control function