By Telecom Lead Team: Ericsson announced that it has
conducted demonstration of microwave connection between LTE main and remote
radio units for the first time in the world.
Until now, operators have been restricted to using
optical fiber to connect main and remote radio units (RRUs) in their networks.
However, there are situations such as in dense urban environments when using
fiber for this purpose can be difficult, costly and limiting.
Ericsson said it is possible to connect the main and
remote radio units with a microwave link, thereby offering operators greater
flexibility.
In the tests, conducted at the Ericsson premises
in China, the microwave connection between the main unit and the remote
unit was provided by a MINI-LINK PT, working in the E-band (70 80GHz). The
microwave link provided capacity of 2.5Gbps, which is sufficient for a wireless
main-remote system in compliance with Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI)
standards. This is one example of new applications with high-capacity packet
microwave products.
Since the MINI-LINK PT is compact and easy to install
outdoors, this solution will allow for rapid connection of RRUs including small
RRUs that can be used to add small cells to existing networks, thereby
transforming them into heterogeneous networks (hetnets) and boosting overall
capacity.
In situations where optical fiber isn’t the best option
due to cost or time to market, it is great that we now have an alternative in
the form of microwave that will allow operators to connect the main and remote
radio units in their networks. Making it easier for operators to do business is
our primary business,” said Ola Gustavsson, head of Product Line Microwave and
Mobile Backhaul at Ericsson.
