Various types of wireless communication systems have become prevalent around the world. For example, cellular communication systems cover most major metropolitan areas as well as major highways through remote areas. Cellular systems permit individuals with cellular handsets to communicate with base stations that are connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or some other communication network.
As with any communication system, cellular systems can leave coverage “holes” where the signal from the base stations cannot reach. The holes can be in tunnels, valleys, city streets between tall buildings, or any other location where a radio frequency (RF) signal is blocked.
Placing additional base stations where these coverage holes are located is not always an option. Base stations tend to be very expensive due not only to the cost of the equipment but also because of land acquisition costs. Additionally, large base station antennas may not fit within an area either physically or aesthetically.
One solution to hole coverage is to use smaller remote antennas where coverage is needed but a base station is not warranted or desired. One problem with remote antennas, however, is that coaxial cable cannot be run long distances due to attenuation. Remote antennas are difficult to install along a highway or through a tunnel due to this attenuation problem. Using repeaters may not be an option since this only adds to the expense and complexity of the system. There is a resulting need in the art for a distributed antenna system that does not suffer from attenuation problems.