Building on previous collaboration, CommScope and Nokia have teamed up to develop a solution to reduce the interface complexity between a base transceiver system (BTS) and active distributed antenna system (DAS).
Per the companies, using Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI), the new solution will remove the need for the radio heads normally needed to feed an active DAS, hence reducing the space and power requirements of an active DAS. CPRI is a specification for the communication link between radio equipment controller units, typically known as baseband units, and remote radio heads.
The CPRI interface will link Nokia’s AirScale baseband unit to CommScope’s Era C-RAN antenna system and will dramatically reduce the time, space and power required to connect subscribers in high-capacity public venues and enterprises, according to the companies. This new agreement builds on the partners’ previous, successful co-development work.
“The benefits of a CPRI solution have already been well-established in distributed antenna systems—a much smaller headend unit is easier to deploy, uses less power and saves valuable room on-site,” said Matt Melester, senior vice president, Distributed Coverage and Capacity Solutions, CommScope.
The interoperable CPRI baseband solution from CommScope and Nokia removes the analog conversion stage, keeping the whole system digital until the distributed antennas.
“Nokia is constantly innovating to increase the flexibility and efficiency of mobile networks for operators and their subscribers,” said Randy Cox, Business Management SC Lead, Nokia. “CommScope’s leadership and continued innovation in active DAS, combined with our two companies’ track record of collaboration, will allow us to offer a valuable solution with the greatest possible impact.”
CommScope and Nokia expect to make the new interface solution available in mid-2018, and for it to be interoperable with the CommScope ION-E distributed antenna system in addition to the Era system.