Analog and Digital Repeater are both used to enhance network coverage on the signal weak or blind areas. However, which one of them is suitable for your case? We need to start getting familiar with these two signal.

Analog Repeater

Analog signal is characterized by being continuously variable along amplitude and frequency with time. For example, when we talk, the vibration caused by sound will make changes to the air; if we amplify the vibration they will be converted into current or voltage fluctuations. These fluctuations in current are called an analog of the actual voice pattern. Hence, an Analog Repeater picks up the electric signals of targeted frequency range from BTS and keeps repeating the varying amplitude, so that to realize the stable coverage of the area.

Digital Repeater

Digital signal is quite different from analog in essence. Digital signal is a non-continuous electrical signal, which is a string of binary bits (1/0) representing two distinct amplitudes. That is each computer can use a coding scheme that defines what combinations of 1 and 0 constitute all the characters in a character set. A Digital Repeater translates the information from BTS into digital information in a square wave and amplifies the signal to realize accurate coverage.

Feature Comparison of Analog and Digital Repeater

-Data transmission: Analog will be subjected to attenuation by noise during transmission and write/read cycle. But Digital Repeater can be noise-immune due to coding.

-Error: Probability of Analog Repeater will be higher due to parallax.

-Bandwidth Requirement: Digital Repeater has higher bandwidth requirement for transmission.

Power Requirement: High power is required for Analog Repeater as it requires less bandwidth, while Digital Repeater consumes less power as it requires more bandwidth.

-Cost: Analog Repeater is usually lower cost than Digital owing to more bandwidth and higher technology.

Modulation Used: Analog Repeater uses amplitude and angle modulation, and Digital Repeater uses pulse coded modulation or PCM, DPCM, etc.

-Hardware Flexibility: For the analog technology is older, the Analog Repeater is not as flexible as Digital Repeater due to modules and equipment used in it are more compact in size and more efficient.

Though Analog Repeater is a little bit obsolete, it is still very popular in particular for shorter distances, where significantly low costs and multiplexing and timing equipment is unnecessary. Meanwhile, it is also tolerant to noise, makes good use of bandwidth and easy to operate. ACTION provides Analog Repeater often in wide band repeater. Of course we will follow the customer's requirement at the first place. 

On the other hand, Digital Repeater has it drawback as well. The precise binary numbers, if one bit is cracked, the whole coverage would fail. And the higher requirement on bandwidth raise its cost to a large extent. Nevertheless, it is the revolution fruit of new technology and tackle many problems that analog repeater cannot reach. ACTION is well keeping abreast with the latest digital technology. All of our band selective repeater, channel selective repeater, bandwidth adjustable repeater, channel adjustable repeater, frequency shift repeater, fiber optic repeater are updated with digital system. 

ACTION will always provide the optimal solution for your case. You can rely on us to analyze your coverage problem, to design the suitable solution and provide the high-quality Repeater to help you accomplish the better network coverage than ever.