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Ranplan Offers Alternative to iBwave

June 4, 2015

By J. Sharpe Smith —

June 4, 2015 — iBwave may have a new challenger to its position as the dominant DAS planning software. Ranplan, a two-year-old UK-based startup wireless technology company, will launch a “vendor-independent” software tool for indoor DAS network planning next week at the DAS and Small Cells Congress in New Orleans.

“The market needs a second tool as an alternative to iBwave,” Alistair Williamson, Ranplan vice president, sales, said in a phone interview. “We see an entry point for an independent company like Ranplan in view of the Corning acquisition of iBwave.”

Ranplan designed iBuildNet DAS to address the market’s need for speed in the process of DAS network planning, design and optimization.

“We have found that operators are concerned about the high cost of rolling out in-building DAS networks,” Williamson said. “Everyone is talking about the plan-to-revenue cycle — the timeline from planning a network to turning it on – everyone wants to reduce that time line.”

To speed up the process, the product extracts existing data from CAD files to create a blueprint of the building in the software, which reduces the time the user needs to begin the network design process. It also automates the RF engineering functions.

iBuildNet DAS uses 3D modelling, 3D ray-tracing and data analysis to optimize antenna location type, power and channel assignment. “The tool automatically generates cable runs and places the antennas where they need to be placed to meet the RF KPIs [key performance indicators],” Williamson said.

The market for active DAS is growing, and small cells, while ticking up, occupy a separate market segment, according to Williamson. But in-building DAS growth will depend on lowering the cost of deployments.

Mario Bouchard, president and CEO at iBwave Solutions, addressed the issue of vendor neutrality in the wake of Corning’s purchase of iBwave. “Remaining vendor neutral and maintaining the trust of our customers is paramount to us, and Corning is imposing a mandatory firewall. We will communicate the details on this with the industry shortly,” Bouchard wrote.

In fact, because of Corning’s backing, iBwave is entering the Wi-Fi system planning space, beginning with new features for its iBwave Design and iBwave Mobile software suites

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