 administrators to manage base station operations remotely, reducing repair times, lowering costs, and improving range. The system was developed by Amper Soluciones, a Spanish company with expertise in telecom network management systems, and Ascom Energy Systems, a German company that specializes in industrial power plants. "Base stations for mobile phone networks are normally located in places where access is quite difficult," says Juan Carlos Galilea, Amper Soluciones' techni- cal and technological support director. "With our system, the operator can remotely determine the real problem in the base station and monitor other systems, such as alarms and communication lines, as well as air conditioning, an external beacon, and even whether the door is open." Some of the detected problems can be solved remotely, whereas others can be solved by mainte- nance staff on site. The control unit is built into a small cabinet and offers at least 25 percent more power in the same volume than existing units, says Galilea. The extra power increases the range of the base station, and the small size means that the station can be installed in awkward locations, such as gas stations or church spires. A battery subsystem can maintain operation even with a power loss. The unit's remote management strengths show through in daily station maintenance, says Galilea. He notes that administrators can monitor their base stations continually and fix any problems as they arise. Galilea stresses the importance of using software simulations to speed up the design process. Rather than build complete prototypes, the project part- ners used computer simulations to adjust the density of elements in the power system and keep the operating temperature under control. "Simulations and then mechanical prototypes were used to determine the final structure. This allowed us to reduce development costs," he says. The partners now aim to supply the unit to network operators in Europe and around the world. Chapter Connections in the Air Wireless Technologies