Lte concentrator and distributor system and method for coverage extension

An apparatus for extending coverage in Long Term Evolution (LTE), the system comprising:

• a first LTE concentrator and distributor device configured to communicate to a plurality of Wide Band Receiver Transmitter (WBRT) devices, other LTE concentrator and distributor devices, and to an eNodeB (eNB), wherein the first concentrator and distributor device comprises:
• a processor that is configured to:
• combine all uplink resource block signals received from the plurality of WBRT devices or the other LTE concentrator and distributor devices into a single uplink signal;
• provide the single uplink signal to the eNB, wherein the plurality of WBRT devices extend coverage of the eNB and each WBRT device is geographically deployed instead of a corresponding eNB;
• and
• provide a downlink signal from the eNB in simulcast to each of the plurality of WBRT devices or the other LTE concentrator and distributor devices.

A Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, comprising:

• a Long Term Evolution (LTE) concentrator and distributor device communicatively coupled to an eNodeB (eNB);
• at least one Wide Band Receiver Transmitter (WBRT) device communicatively coupled to the LTE concentrator and distributor device;
• another LTE concentrator and distributor device communicatively coupled to the LTE concentrator and distributor device;
• a low delay communication link between the at least one WBRT device and the LTE concentrator and distributor device;
• and
• another low delay communication link between the another LTE concentrator and distributor device and the LTE concentrator and distributor device;
• wherein the at least one WBRT device is deployed geographical instead of an additional eNB thereby extending geographical coverage of the eNB in a Public Safety LTE deployment or a sparsely populated commercial LTE deployment.