Figure 1-1: Scala AP17-1900 2x3
Figure 1-2: Scala AP17-1900 3x3
Figure 1-4: Unisector repeater
| Licensee | Call Sign | Block | SID(s) | Market | MTSO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia PCS Alliance, L.C. | WPOH982 | B | 04178 | MTA023-2 - Richmond-Norfolk | Norfolk, VA |
| Richmond 20 MHz, L.L.C. | WPQL333 | B | MTA023-6 - Richmond-Norfolk | Richmond, VA |
PrimeCo, a joint venture between several RBOC companies (NYNEX, US West, Bell Atlantic Corp.) and Vodafone AirTouch, launched service in 14 states in 1996. However by 2000 the company was largely dissolved with parts being folded into the newly formed Verizon Wireless or spun off into independent regional companies which continued to operate under the PrimeCo name. These regional independents did not last long. In Houston the network was acquired by AT&T Wireless, the crown jewel and last remaining PrimeCo market, Chicago was taken over by U.S. Cellular. In Virginia (one of the last of the independent markets) it was decided that the more robust Richmond and Norfolk GTE Mobilnet networks would be retained. In turn Waynesboro based Clifton Forge-Waynesboro Telephone Company merged the PrimeCo Virginia network with the existing CFW Intelos PCS network to create nTelos. CFW Cellular was sold to GTE Mobilnet and facilitated Verizon Wireless's entrance into the southern Shenandoah Valley region. For awhile the nTelos mascot consisted of a large blue foot, a refrence to the newly acquired PrimeCo network. However, this new logo paled in comparison to the old mascot, Primetheus the pink alien.
The parent company of nTelos has since gone bankrupt (as did many telecom companies in the late 90s) and it seems the company is being transferred to Project Holdings Corp. a joint venture between Citigroup Venture Capital Equity Partners and Quadrangle Capital Partners. Perhaps yet another name change is in the not to distant future. The original Norfolk MTA license, KNLF246, went to Verizon Wireless and was replaced by WPOH982, a disaggregated portion of KNLF246. Both licenses are in the same block but different sub-market. KNLF246 was assigned to PrimeCo Personal Communications but WPHO982 is operated under the Virginia PCS Alliance banner. VA and WV PCS Alliance are the legal entities for the larger original CFW Intelos network.
Scala Americell Panel AP17-1900 antenna are the near exclusive antenna in use throughout the nTelos network. These very distinctive plump grey antenna with copper side trim are also used by Orange PCS in the UK. The AP17-1900 comes in two major configurations and two types of styles. The most common configuration is shown in Fig. 1-1 and consists of a traditional PCS 2 x 2 configuration. High capacity sites or sites located on electrical transmission towers are configured in a 3 x 3 configuration (Fig. 1-2). The other type of antenna, a Scala AP17-1900/090D/XP, is a thinner and flatter version of the AP17-1900 antenna. The thinner AP17-1900 is deployed in a 2 x 2 and found only in the Goochland/Louisa County areas (Fig. 1-3). Although, more common on the old CFW Intelos side of the network, repeater and unisector sites make use of a single Scala AP17-1900 antenna (Fig. 1-4).
Note: Sprint PCS has also started to make heavy use of the Scala AP17-1900 antenna in a 2 x 2 configuration for many of their new non-Smartcell sites.
Figure 1-1: Scala AP17-1900 2x3
Figure 1-2: Scala AP17-1900 3x3
Figure 1-4: Unisector repeater
BTS infrastructure is provided exclusively by Lucent. Most sites are composed of two to five Modular Cell (ModCell) 3.0 cabinets depending on the needed capacity. The most common configuration seems to be two cabinets flush mounted to a concrete pad (Fig. 2-1). High capacity sites make use of a fifth, slender add on cabinet (Fig. 2-2). All sites include an additional cabinet to house telco backhaul and electrical equipment. Many high Many high capacity sites have been upgraded to ModCell 4.0 cabinets (2-3). When a site is upgraded from a ModCell 3.0 to 4.0 nstallation the telco cabinet is not replaced. Repeater sites are housed in small metal boxes (2-4).
Figure 2-1: Lucent ModCell 3.0
Figure 2-3: Lucent ModCell 4.0
Outside of the occasional power meter tag or site # written on a cabinet in magic marker PrimeCo ever marked their sites. This has started to change as some sites are being taged with black on white and blue RF radiation warning placed on the main ModCell cabinet (Fig. 3-1).