Technologies developed in Gosselies (Belgium) enable to improve or block mobile communications inside a building.

The glazing of a building is likely to repel or to let pass generously the waves of the mobile networks. How can one or the other phenomenon be enhanced? In Barcelona, the Wave by AGC branch of AGC Glass Europe (formerly Glaverbel) is presenting its technological solutions developed at its research center in Gosselies at the Mobile World Congress. Wave by AGC is one of the thirty-five exhibitors in the Belgian delegation at the Mobile World Congress (February 28 – March 3, 2022).

Loss limited to 3 decibels
As the Wave by AGC website points out, 80% of mobile calls are received and transmitted from indoors. Insulation tends to attenuate the strength of the mobile signal. To the point of eventually disrupting communications.

“The evolution of buildings and their insulation means that there are more and more problems making phone calls indoors,” confirms Bernard Monville, head of Wave by AGC. “To solve this problem, there are two solutions. Either we install active systems that consume energy by re-emitting the waves inside. Or there is our solution called WAVETHRU. We apply an optical laser treatment to the existing glazing to better allow the waves to pass from the inside to the outside.”

According to Wave by AGC’s promises, this optical laser treatment reduces radio signal loss from 30 to 3 decibels on double glazing. “It’s applicable on existing glazing, on existing buildings,” Bernard Monville insists. “Our business is not oriented towards conventional houses at the moment. When we work on small buildings, for example bank agencies, the treatment is done in one day. If you let the waves pass better inside a building, the phone antenna will use less power. All benefits for health as well.”

Disconnected hotel rooms
On the other hand, Wave by AGC offers to block as much of the radio signals and electromagnetic waves as possible with its special WAVETRAP glazing. “It is increasingly requested for security, privacy or well-being of people who are hypersensitive to waves,” analyzed Bernard Monville. “The great advantage of the glazing we have developed is that the optical quality and transparency remain excellent.”

“We equipped an apartment whose owners are hypersensitive to waves. We also worked on the case of a hospital disturbed by the waves generated by the train passage in an underground station. There are also hotels that want to create totally disconnected rooms. It seems to be a business that is coming.”

This article is the translation of the original publication in French : https://m.lavenir.net/cnt/dmf20220303_01669876/des-vitrages-de-technologie-wallonne-pour-bloquer-ou-favoriser-le-signal-mobile