Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), a global designer and manufacturer of end-to-end wireless connectivity solutions, has collaborated with Nokia to integrate its passive antenna technology with Nokia’s 5G Massive MIMO radios in a compact design to further enhance 5G base station capabilities.
The solution is a compact base station antenna that integrates an RFS passive antenna with a Nokia 5G NR massive MIMO radio in the same antenna system to create the Nokia IPAA+ (interleaved passive active antenna) radio solution, which is integrated by Nokia. In addition to a smaller form factor and lighter weight, the interleaved design addresses some of the challenges of tower loading while also maintaining 2G, 3G, and 4G antenna performance characteristics.
The modular architecture of the antenna system is designed to ensure easy installation. The antenna can be deployed as a full passive/active solution or rolled out in stages, with any upgrades being simple to install on site. Modules are robust and can be easily lifted and quickly fitted without needing specialist equipment.
Driven by a demand for 5G introduction with low visual impact, zero additional tower space, and optimized wind load, RFS developed its passive platform antenna to enable the integration of passive and active elements. This will result in a simplified deployment and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
This development builds on collaborations to combine passive and active components. Both passive and active modules can be customized to support various configurations, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, and cover all cellular frequency bands from 700 MHz up to 3800 MHz. In addition, the smooth introduction of the active module allows the straightforward introduction of 32- or 64-TX massive MIMO radios.
The first solution comprises of a passive module covering all cellular frequency bands from 700 MHz up to 2700 MHz supporting MIMO 2T2R, 4T4R. It also have an Active massive MIMO radio 32TRX or 64TRX in the 3.5 GHz band.
Jean-Pierre Harel, BSA R&D Manager at RFS, commented: “Over the past few years, we have been focusing on designing integrated passive-active solutions that push the capabilities of base station equipment designed to meet the real-world needs of our operator customers." We have worked closely with Nokia to combine its expertise on active equipment with our long heritage in designing passive solutions to deliver a best-in-class solution that meets the needs of our customers and helps serve the ever-increasing demand for data capacity.”
Click here to learn more about Nokia's 5G Massive MIMO Radios.
