SOLiD (Plano, TX), a specialist in indoor and outdoor cellular and public safety communications infrastructure, has this month introduced its new RocketWAVE 5G mmWave repeaters, based on Intel mDR and FPGA technologies to address coverage challenges in high band spectrum.
The licensing of Intel technology enhances SOLiD’s prior investment and development of 5G mmWave repeater technology. Building on the success of multiple trials, the companies' alliance leverages Intel’s field-proven technology to accelerate the time-to-market and improve the features of SOLiD’s RocketWAVE 5G mmWave repeaters.
SOLiD notes there are three primary use-cases for enhancing coverage with 5G mmWave repeaters: mobile outdoor urban, mobile in-building, and fixed-wireless access.
Outdoor urban 5G mmWave mobile coverage faces challenges resulting from reduced range and easily obstructed high band signals. SOLiD says its RocketWAVE 5G mmWave repeaters overcome these limitations by extending coverage distance and retransmitting signals around obstructions, which reduces capex by decreasing the required number of 5G cell sites.
For its part, in-building 5G mmWave mobile coverage is not practical with an outside-in macro-cellular approach because high band signals do not penetrate buildings, contends SOLiD. To solve for this, the RocketWAVE repeater technology receives 5G mmWave signals from a rooftop or wall mounted donor antenna and repeats the signals to antennas inside the building.
Finally, SOLiD notes that fixed wireless access leverages the massive bandwidth of 5G mmWave to provide high-speed and low latency data connections. But these connections mainly benefit from line-of-sight conditions from the 5G gNb to the consumer premise equipment (CPE) typically located on the windows of a building.
In fixed wireless access applications, SOLiD says its RocketWAVE 5G mmWave repeaters extend line-of-sight conditions and overcome the coverage gaps in the network by intelligently repeating signals around obstructions such as foliage, buildings, and natural terrain.
“SOLiD’s development on Intel’s mDR and Intel Cyclone FPGA series can aid in overcoming connectivity challenges inherent in the mmWave bands. These technologies have the potential to significantly improve 5G coverage for operators rolling out 5G networks,” said Asha Keddy, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Next Generation and Standards at Intel.
SOLiD architected this new RocketWAVE iteration based on Intel 5G mmWave Distributed Relay (mDR) technology assets and the field-proven Intel Cyclone FPGAs.
“Integrating Intel’s technology will accelerate the development of RocketWAVE mmWave repeaters, which are a critical component of 5G deployments,” commented Ken Sandfeld, president of SOLiD Americas. “Our RocketWAVE repeater will soon provide flexibility to the operators for ease of installation and maintenance through its unique and powerful cloud-based management software.”