Alcatel-Lucent introduced its LTE radio access network (RAN) – targeting the Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and 5G services markets.
The Digital Baseband Unit (BBU) supports up to 24 radio cells (fully loaded at 20MHz) and 16,000 users in one unit in a compact d2U chassis. It increases capacity of previous generation BBUs by 260 percent, while consuming up to 50 percent less power.
It is optimized for LTE-A, supporting carrier aggregation across FDD and TDD modes. Alcatel-Lucent has already deployed the TDD platform, while the FDD platform will be commercially available during Q1 2015.
The new LTE RAN portfolio aims to address the demand for capacity-consuming data services such as video.
Michael Soper, telecom analyst, Technology Business Research, in February 2015 said that lower Capex (capital investment) spending in the U.S. will impact Alcatel-Lucent’s sales and margins in 2015. TBR expects Alcatel-Lucent’s revenue from American wireless operators such as Verizon, and especially AT&T, to decrease in 2015.
In the long term, the allocation of new AWS-3 spectrum will enable operators to build out LTE to new frequency bands. This will create opportunities for Alcatel-Lucent to sell more wireless access products in coming years, but it will be a more gradual deployment cycle.
Dell’Oro Group, in its latest research report said that the LTE macro and small cell RAN market will exceed $24 billion by 2019. Top LTE macro / small cell RAN vendors in third quarter of 2014 were Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia Networks.
Total RAN market — macro and small cell — expected to grow at a strong pace in 2014, will decline in 2015 and 2016 before stabilizing. WCDMA RAN market expected to be cut in half between 2013 and 2019.
Alcatel-Lucent said its new 9926 eNodeB – comprising a digital baseband unit and radio frequency (RF) platform – provides the flexibility to utilize existing radio spectrum and deliver the high-bandwidth LTE services to meet increasing demand.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
