Frequency translating repeater

Hello,

I'm currently left wondering about a very basic question: In a cellular
network, say GSM or UMTS or - my particular interest - mobile WiMAX, is
it at all possible to deploy a simple amplify & forward repeater with
frequency translation?

More precisely, the repeater should just downconvert the incoming signal
to an intermediate frequency, amplify it and then upconvert it to
/another/ RF frequency, e.g. a different channel of the frequency reuse
scheme.

I'm wondering if this would lead to any problems in the MAC layer. For
example, what about network entry of a mobile station? If the MS
receives both the signal from the BS and from the repeater, it would
assume two different BSs (because the signals come on different
channels), but the contained data (including BS identity information)
would be the same on both. And all signalling information would also
come on both channels. Wouldn't that severely confuse the MS? Also,
during handover it's the same situation.

Does anyone have experience in this? Or does anyone know of a frequency
translating repeater ever deployed in such a network? As said, I'm
mostly interested in mobile WiMAX, but information on other network
types is also highly appreciated.

Thanks for any hints,
Georg