PCTEL, Inc. (Nasdaq:PCTI), a leader in Performance Critical TELecom solutions, announced today a series of 802.11ac antennas designed to boost Wi-Fi data rates for outdoor venues and public spaces. Enterprise-grade Wi-Fi access points leverage dual-band 802.11ac MIMO technology to deliver high-speed data to large crowds of users. MIMO delivers the best data rates when antennas are cross polarized. PCTEL’s new BOAH line of horizontally polarized base station omnidirectional antennas forms a cross-polarized, dual-band antenna system when paired with PCTEL’s existing line of vertically polarized BOA antennas. Together, PCTEL’s horizontally and vertically polarized omnidirectional antennas optimize MIMO performance and improve data throughput rates for 802.11ac access points on both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.

“The best way to deliver true enterprise-grade Wi-Fi is to focus on total system performance. PCTEL worked closely with leading radio manufacturers to develop a horizontally polarized 802.11ac antenna that works in concert with our existing BOA antennas,” said Rishi Bharadwaj, Senior Vice President and General Manager of PCTEL's Connected Solutions group. “In addition to antenna design and manufacturing, we also offer engineering services for both external and embedded systems,” added Bharadwaj.

PCTEL’s 802.11ac BOAH antennas are designed to meet stringent OEM performance, installation, and durability requirements. They are compact, yet provide 5 dBi gain for the greater coverage needs of outdoor environments. N-female and NC-male configurations offer installation flexibility. The antennas are IP67-rated, and they are constructed of fiberglass for long-lasting performance in harsh outdoor environments.

PCTEL will demonstrate its BOAH 802.11ac antennas June 26-28 at the Cisco Live World of Solutions, booth #2636. The BOAH series will be available in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz models for shipment this August. 

Source: PCTEL media announcement