Company Description:
(2002 Entry)
Wireless Applications, Corp. provides RF engineering, GIS mapping and
microwave engineering consulting services plus specialized web and intranet-based business
operations software tools for the wireless telecommunications industry.
Our services include designing, analyzing and evaluating RF sites;
geographically / thematically mapping data files; completing FCC registrations and FAA filings;
plus designing, validating and protecting microwave paths.
Our products help locate and identify co-locate opportunities; generate
fast and accurate online RF propagation and microwave terrain profile projections; track, map
and manage engineering projects; enhance customer trouble ticket tracking and management;
improve Call Center customer service; and help plan and design RF sites and systems.
Situational Analysis
Situation:
A non-engineer or engineer in a construction, site acquisition, finance
or engineering department is given the responsibility of researching a build-out area,
evaluating each potential site, and recommending the top tower co-locate options.
Challenges:
Completing comprehensive searches. With towers owned by both carriers
and tower companies, a thorough search must scan multiple resources. Researching only tower
company data will return incomplete results.
Finding an easy-to-use resource. Mapping tools can be slow,
cumbersome and lack interactive features that make a tool easy-to-use.
Evaluating site locations. For non-engineers, generating
engineering-quality analysis to evaluate sites requires engineering assistance.
Engineering-quality analysis helps determine if a site can be networked with an existing
system and/or project the site’s signal coverage.
Completing competitive analysis. Researching technology and
ownership data for a specific market block can be difficult to find but can provide valuable
competitive insights to enhance site evaluation.
Solution:
PowerSearch was designed to be an all-in-one tool to help non-engineers
and engineers meet the specific challenges above. By using an interactive-mapping interface
plus offering advanced analysis features, users can efficiently locate and complete thorough
site evaluations.
To search for towers, select a search button (Antenna Reg., Structure
Search, Tower Co./Carrier, FAA Search). Enter search parameters or select the "Search Area"
button to place a customized search area. For custom search areas, after clicking "Search
Area," click the polygon (bottom) map tool. Click on the map to start your polygon. Each click
will place a new side of your polygon. Click "Return." Refine your search parameters and/or
click "Research." Results will appear on the map with tabular data below the main screen. To
interactively view site details, select the "i" map tool and click on the site’s icon.
For a more comprehensive search, complete your first search, then select
the "A" button next to the "Search Area" button. Follow instructions to carry over search area
parameters. Select another search button, such as Tower Co./Carrier and click "Research" to
perform another search using the same search area. To combine results click "Layering" then
"Power Layers" and select the layers you want to combine. To view tabular data click each
appropriate search button.
For site coverage, click "RF Propagation." Enter coordinates then click
"Full Propagation." For non-engineers, click the "Level Four" checkbox under Contour Color
Selection to set coverage thresholds. Click "Propagate." Zoom in to view your coverage
contours, which were created using known industry modeling and design specifications.
To determine if the site(s) can be networked into your system, select
"M/W Profile." Enter site coordinates. Click "Basic Profile." PowerSearch will immediately
display the microwave terrain profile. To adjust site heights, close the profile window. Adjust
site heights then click "View Profile" to generate a new profile.
To research competitive ownership and technology data, click "Mrkt
Ownership." Select a market block and area. Click "Research" to see the available technology.
Soon PowerSearch’s "Basic Ownership" feature will let you view full ownership data including
affiliate information.
Company Description:
(2003 Entry)
Wireless Applications, Corp. provides GIS mapping, RF engineering and
microwave FCC consulting services plus specialized web and intranet-based software tools for
the wireless telecommunications industry.
Services include Geographical Information Services for data and
production; FAA filings, tracking; designing, analyzing RF sites; FCC filings; filing and
protecting microwave paths.
PowerSearch locates discrepancies, co-locates, generates fast, accurate
online RF propagation, microwave terrain profile and designs; address lookup, exports, traffic
counts, Market ownership, demographics and spectrum totals. SiteSync /
Xwac enhances customer trouble ticket tracking
and management for Call Center customer service with coverage, tickets and address lookup; and
RFPlan desktop for full RF design.
Situational Analysis
Search:
Designed from working experience with RF/ Microwave design, Budgeting,
FCC and FAA filings, we made it a goal that these features existed in the layout. It needed to
be sexy, it needed visual mapping and display, it needed summaries, it needed full details, it
needed exporting and it needed access. We built the entire application for complete access
through a web browser – no downloads. We built in searching of records for FCC, FAA, Microwave,
Tower Companies totaling over 740,000 for the US and another 430,000 records for Canada. We
built full wireless Market analysis of both PCS and Cellular down to sub county level, and we
built in capabilities of designing RF sites or Microwave in multiple Countries.
Ease:
Learning from the GIS world we have assembled details of mapping down to
street level, but still allow the users to control their own screen clutter through the
layering feature. We added to this layers such as Traffic Counts, Central Offices, FCC markets,
Township / Range and even Terrain Contours nationwide to name a few. Searching for structures
can be done in an individual database query such as FCC or FAA then compared together if
desired in the Layering – Power Layer area or in one full search in "Structure Search". This
much-desired method assists heavily in finding discrepancies amongst filings. Direct address,
Lat and Longs, inputted polygons, Companies, filing numbers or even certain heights of
structures, achieve searches.
Design:
Evaluating site locations and generating an engineering quality analysis
to evaluate sites should not constantly require high-level engineering assistance. Clients
should be able to get into a tool at any time and at nearly any location or even live during
meetings. Both low-level and high-level evaluations should be available for all skill levels.
Searching existing towers, select a power button (Antenna Reg., Tower
Co., FAA Search or Microwave). Hit "Search Area" button to place a customized search area.
Click "Return." Refine your search parameters if needed and/or click "Research." Mapped results
will appear on the map with tabular summaries seen by scrolling down. To interactively view
site details, select the "i" map tool and click on the site point.
To combine results of power buttons, click "Layering" then "Power
Layers" and select the layers you want to combine for viewing. This layering is very useful
when searching for discrepancies.
Our "Microwave" search has been up greatly improved to show all licensed
paths / structures straight to the user. Try inputting "Washington State*" in the Entity Name
field, hit "Research": this will show the State’s microwave system; and by selecting "i" and
clicking on a structure point it can take you down to the filed parameters complete with
Terrain Profile! "M/W Profile" generates a slice of terrain between two points.
"Mrkt Ownership" analysis can be found by clicking on the "Basic" button.
Company Description:
(2004 Entry)
Wireless Applications, Corp. provides GIS mapping, RF engineering and
microwave FCC consulting services plus specialized web and intranet-based software tools for the
wireless telecommunications industry.
Services include Geographical Information Services for data and
production; FAA filings, tracking; designing, analyzing RF sites; FCC filings; filing and
protecting microwave paths.
SiteSync / Xwac enhances
customer trouble ticket tracking and management for Call Center customer service with coverage,
tickets and address lookup; PowerSearch locates discrepancies, co-locates, generates fast,
accurate online RF propagation, microwave terrain profile and designs; address lookup, exports,
traffic counts, Market ownership, demographics and spectrum totals and RFPlan desktop for full
RF design.
Challenges and Solutions:
Ease:
Taking lessons learned from the GIS world we’ve assembled details of
mapping, large assortment of layering options and still managed to allow users to control and
run SiteSync on near autopilot. Adding Traffic Counts, Airports, FCC markets, Township / Range
and even Terrain Contours nationwide to name a few. Searching yours or existing structures is
achieved directly through mouse interaction, or through enhanced queries. Locating existing
structures of greater than 120 ft, in BTA 346, but only in Maryland? Query it. FCC fines are in
heavy order these days and we feel there is NO better engine then ours for finding your
discrepancies, whether you’re comparing coordinates, heights, owner, filing numbers or even
full painting and lighting requirements, our tool does it, and posts in pages with color
shading for issues, plus a interactive green to red graphing window for status.
Search:
Designed from working experience with RF / Microwave design, Budgeting,
FCC and FAA filings, we made it a goal that these features existed in both our PowerSearch and
the SiteSync tools. Complete accessibility through a web browser allows us to keep data fresh
and the users happy. Records totaling over 740,000 for the US in FCC, FAA, Microwave and Tower
Company databases have been loading into the tool for intensive research. Our exclusive site
"Prospectus" report provides a 1, 3 and 5 mile search resulting in Pop, Pop Density, closest
city, county, zip, state, FCC markets it falls into, then all the current carrier information
as to whom is there. Market analysis of both PCS and Cellular down to sub county level for
spectrum, ownership, Marketed Coverage and demographics.
Design:
Searching existing towers, select PowerSearch gray button. Refine your
search area by either zooming into the area or by pulling out the "query" tab on the left-frame
of the lower left window. If zoomed into an area (approx. 25 miles in the map scale), use your
mouse to drag out a query by Right-Click-Hold and drag down (and to the right, should see green
boxed area). When released the sites are queried. Mapped results will appear on the map with
tabular summaries seen both in the legend and in the summary window lower-left. To view
structure details, select the link for that record in the summary window.
To combine results of power buttons, just click another gray button,
such as the FAA and/or Tower Co, re-query.
You may also see our unique Painting and Lighting feature by
Right-Clicking the "FCC" button, select "Painting & Lighting". The results show the structures
and the actual required chapters, either FCC, or any FAA circular version, all of them are
looked up on-the-fly. In the FCC registration detail you may also pull live FAA OEAAA
information straight into the tool.
SiteSync contains many other features for discrepancies, trouble
tickets, market analysis and RF design.
Wireless Applications, Corp.
Awards
