HECL installs India's first GSM & CDMA service Coverage for Delhi Metro
DEC 2004

Himachal Exicom Communications Limited (HECL) has installed GSM & CDMA service Coverage for Delhi Metro (DMRC) in the Station Building & Tunnel for first metro section from Vishwa Vidyalaya (Delhi University) to Kashmere Gate (ISBT) of 4Km tunnel length. The metro service in this section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh on December 19th.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2004

YOUR CELL WON'T LOSE SIGNAL AT METRO STATIONS

Mobile phones now work in underground metro stations and tunnels. Delhi Metro Railway Corporation and their contractors working in underground stations and tunnels can now communicate while working underground. Himachal Exicom Communications Limited (HECL), a Group Company of HFCL commissioned their underground GSM communication system to enable persons in underground stations and tunnels to communicate with the outside world.

Mobile networks generally do not cover underground subways and tunnels. To overcome this problem, Himachal Exicom installed underground Communication Systems under initiative of DMRC and GSM Operators in Delhi-Airtel, Hutch, Idea and MTNL. "Such systems are not available in many world metros and this technology is being implemented first time in India by Himachal Exicom in collaboration with WRI who has a vast experience in this field and have installed similar systems in other countries, says Y.S. Choudhary, Managing Director, Himachal Exicom.

GSM System uses POI equipment to combine signal from all four Operators and uses Optical Fibre Repeater Technology to distribute the signals to various stations and tunnels. Leaky co-axial cable is used for tunnel coverage and Passive Distribution System to cover platforms and subways. Thus, if you are traveling in Metro, whether you are on station or inside the tunnel in the train, you are always connected to the GSM Mobile Network.

Himachal Exicom is also installing another similar system for CDMA Operators - MTNL, Reliance and Tata which will enable CDMA subscribers also to have similar facility while traveling in underground Metro. CDMA system combines signals from their BTS installed at each station using POI equipment and uses leaky co-axial cable for tunnel coverage and Passive Distribution System for platform and subway coverage. Both GSM and CDMA systems provide coverage in both 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz. bands and the Company claims special precautions have been taken to ensure there is no interference between two systems.


HECL AWARDED CONTRACT BY DELHI METRO FOR GSM COVERAGE
MARCH 2004
Himachal Exicom Communications Limited (HECL) has been awarded the contract by Delhi Metro (DMRC) for providing GSM Coverage in the Station Building & Tunnel for first metro section from Vishwa Vidyalaya (Delhi University) to ISBT of 4Km tunnel length. DMRC provides metro rail services in India's capital -Delhi.

The contract has been awarded after detailed techno commercial evaluation by a Joint Working Group (JWG) comprising of GSM operators- Idea Cellular Ltd., Hutchison Essar Telecom Ltd., Bharti Cellular Ltd. and MTNL.

Limited tender for this project was invited by the JWG in the month of October 2003 from five companies. HECL participated in collaboration with Wuhan Hongxin Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd., a WRI group company specializing in GSM and CDMA repeater solutions.

The systems will be based on Optical Fibre Repeater Solutions of WRI and Leaky Feeder Co-axial Cable System for covering Metro tunnels.BTS signals from four GSM operators will be combined at ISBT station and shall be relayed to various stations by repeater system. The stations will be using Optical Fibre repeater System for in-building coverage while tunnels will utilize Leaky feeder Co-axial Cable.

Wuhan Hongxin Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd.is one of the leading suppliers of repeater systems in China with 30% share of GSM and CDMA market. It has also installed a number of tunnel communication projects including those at Shanghai and Guangzhou Metro.

WRI manufactures variety of repeater products for in-building and outdoor coverage of GSM and CDMA system including Amplifiers/Boosters, RF repeaters and other accessories like combiners, splitters , couplers , indoor and outdoor antenna system.

FUTURE POTENTIAL

The system is first of its kind in India. Second phase of Delhi metro network from ISBT to Central secretariat consisting of 8 stations and 6.45 km of tunnel is expected to be operational soon and will be extended further. Similar Underground Metro network is planned in several Indian cities.

HECL is also bidding for number of in-building GSM coverage projects with WRI products. HECL is also the lowest bidder among five suppliers for annual rate contract of MTNL Mumbai for coverage of 50 buildings. HECL bid has also been technically qualified.

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