NJ’s Bell labs says it can shrink those wireless phone antennas

A mobile phone innovation with New Jersey roots could make big rooftop antennas a thing of the past.  

A two inch cube has been invented at Bell Labs in New Jersey that could revolutionize mobile phones and wireless data transmission.  Steve Kemp of Alcatel-Lucent says the cube condenses down the radio frequency transmission and reception equipment.

“We’ve reduced many of the RF equipment that used to take shelves and shelves of equipment into a two by two cube,” said Kemp.

Kemp says even with the shrinking of the equipment, it is more efficient than ever.

“We’ll be able to offer broadband connections that are the equivalent of today’s wired connections which we think subscribers are starting to require as they adopt iPad and Samsung Galaxies and you name it,” he said.

Kemp says the antennas our devices connect to will also shrink, removing some of the unsightly blight that soars high above buildings and other structures.  The equipment is expected to receive some real time testing this year on Verizon’s network.