RNS News

Newlands Stadium in Cape Town scored during 2018 with the installation of a state-of-the-art Matsing Lens Antenna that was supplied and fitted by Radio Network Solutions (RNS).

This new addition to the stadium, which looks like a giant ball, is a multi-sector multi-band Lens Antenna that boasts industry records for data capacity throughput.

It encompasses world-class technology and wireless connectivity, which will provide seamless internet access to stadium visitors.

“It is a great honour to have completed this project, especially since Newlands stadium is the oldest rugby stadium in South Africa and the second-oldest in the world,” says sales director, Richard Hill. “This project is a prime example of how innovation, offering a full-service experience, and improving visitor satisfaction, all have become an integral part of customer relationship.”

The benefits of RF Lens antennas

Among its numerous advantages over traditional ‘panel’ antennas, RF Lens antennas have the ability to provide significantly higher capacity, multiple individual beams, individual tilt and multi-band coverage from a single antenna. Matsing Antennas make use of the latest RF lens technology, and provides the highest efficiency and -capacity multi-beam base-station solution.

How it works

A RF Lens forms and bends Electromagnetic waves through refraction, and creates a high-gain signal from the spherical lens by placing a single radiating element on the surface of spherical RF Luneburg Lens.

Its strategic design

Lens based antennas outperform the traditional or dish antenna technology, as multiple radiating elements can be positioned around a single sphere to produce numerous independent and high-gain beams, through the same lens.

The improvements of the RF Lens based antennas’ performance and capacity include its ability to have multiple independent beams for high order sectorisation, ultra-broadband coverage, as well as its high isolation between beams and individual beam tilt capabilities.

As a result of the RF Lens antenna installation, Newlands visitors can enjoy seamless connectivity during their next visit to the Stadium.

“We are proud to continuously innovate in the wireless communications industry and look forward to helping even more organisations improve on their wireless connectivity,” concludes Hill.