COMMENT
Why optical fibre is central to mobile communications Optical fibre - the future of mobile By Jonathan Lewis, technical manager@fia
Mobile broadband is now a reality with data rates of 100 Mbps already possible with 4G networks. The deployment of mobile networks is also advancing rapidly due to the explosion in mobile data volumes. If the demand for mobile data
Jonathan Lewis explains the optical element to 4G...
overtakes supply, a reputation for poor mobile data service leads directly to a loss of customers - and the provision of a powerful, resilient, data network is a strategic, competitive, requirement for mobile operators. Consequently, network rollouts are
implemented more aggressively than ever before with the required timeframes becoming ever tighter. In response, remote radio systems have become established as a standard solution for the wireless infrastructure market. In conventional systems, the distance
between the base station and antenna is limited to approximately 100m due to the analogue signal losses requiring either expensive telecommunications rooms to be leased near the antenna or costly containers to be installed on roofs or other outdoor areas and provided with a HV power supply. Instead, remote radio solutions
employ optical fibre to transmit digital
data between the base station and a remote radio head (RRH) over distances of up to 20 km. This approach improves network
quality and coverage by eliminating signal losses over these links and allowing base stations to be centrally housed in more inexpensive telecommunications rooms (e.g. base station hotels) and network planning is rendered more flexible and modular. Remote radio systems can
implemented for all types of RRH site (e.g. mast, building, roof-top). However, the number of RRHs at
each site has steadily increased for the following reasons:
More technologies/more frequencies: 2G, 3G and 4G networks are now being operated, modernised and extended parallel to one another while more and more frequency bands are being licensed and used in the mobile radio/wireless network requiring additional RRHs.
Network/site sharing: data demand is forcing mobile radio operators to invest heavily in LTE (4G) while the costs of setting up the 3G network have yet to be amortised. Increasingly, mobile radio operators are running ‘network sharing’ schemes or are sharing the costs for joint set-up and use of a 4G network.
Sector doubling: in urban areas, existing networks are reaching their capacity limits while, at the same time, new sites are proving impossible to find or approve. Some operators are doubling the sectors in their macro cells to increase network capacity. As a result sites with fewer than 3 RRHs are now quite rare and sites typically accommodate more than 15 RRHs.
This has become a challenge because 4G: many aerials make light work 14 NETCOMMS europe Volume IV Issue 3 2014
in addition to the optical fibre cable providing data to the antenna each RRH has traditionally required a dedicated power supply connection. However, multimode (e.g. 2G and 3G) and multi-band RRHs are now being adopted which use several optical fibre links but with single shared power supply connection. A fast and simple installation for 3
to 9 RRHs with a single hybrid cable (HTTA) has established itself as a standard solution on the US market. Hybrid solutions minimize installation costs, the number of mast cables and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Unlike the corrugated coaxial cables
used in the conventional systems, which are easy to terminate in the field, the optical fibre cables for RRHs are factory-terminated and of lengths as required for each installation. As a result, efficient logistics channels and local production facilities are an essential requirement in many cases. FTTA installation, although using familiar media, has some distinct challenges for those more used to purely internal installations, but a sound understanding of the methods and practices of that more straightforward side of fibre optic installations are a useful base on which to build. Cable management and optical
fibre handling, inspection and test are common skills, whilst optical fibre end- face cleaning is a skill that all installers should be completely comfortable with. However, cable systems may also
need adaptation for length adjustment, which would involve stripping, cutting and re-sealing. The basic commissioning of
OEM equipment may be required as powering-up is generally specified in installation contracts. In conclusion, the FTTA installation
market is relatively new but with the increase of wireless cellular communications and other associated wireless systems, can be considered to be only likely to grow in the future. Our insatiable demand for mobile
data will continue to drive ever-higher speed connections, which at least for the moment involve a significant infrastructure investment in FTTA cabling systems with which to feed the antennae.
Jonathan Lewis is the Technical Manager of the Fibre-optic Industry Association and works for Huber Suhner (AG) within the Data Centre Business Unit as Market Manager for Structured Cabling Systems.
www.fia-online.co.uk www.netcommseurope.com
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