SOLiD, a cellular in-building and public safety solution provider, has launched the SOLiD RocketWAVET 5G off-air repeater platform to provide millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) signal distribution, 5G performance, speed, and capacity indoors. The wew RocketWAVE mm-wave products offer a simple, economical solution to assure seamless in-building service for mobile operators wishing to extend their mm-Wave networks indoors in the United States. RocketWAVE mm-Wave products will support 24 GHz, 28 GHz, and 39 GHz individually.
Without reliable in-building solutions, 5G subscribers will experience a drastic drop in performance indoors, resulting in a poor customer experience often leading to high churn rates. This issue is particularly problematic with new mm-Wave frequencies, given their higher attenuation and short propagation rate. Moreover, the challenge of extending 5G coverage indoors is further complicated by the increasing use of energy-efficient building materials, which can block or weaken many RF signals.
The reliance on an outdoor-to-indoor strategy for 5G mm-Wave coverage depends on the assumption that small cell sites on lower height poles and structures are readily available. EJL Wireless Research has proven this strategy to be flawed, given the state of 5G mm-Wave networks across the U.S. currently. The RocketWAVE solution bypasses the requirement for small cell sites to deploy 5G mm-Wave radios and allows for the mobile operator to directly feed 5G mm-Wave signals indoors from off-air repeaters deployed on rooftops. This enables support for enterprise users without the need to try to beam the signals through Low-E Glass windows or require outdoor CPEs to be mounted below the tree line.
While everyone is focused on how to plan their networks to build out sufficient 5G outdoor coverage, the fact remains that up to 80% of mobile traffic occurs indoors. The new RocketWAVE 5G technology platform unleashes the full potential of mm-Wave 5G performance where 5G subscribers want service, indoors. RocketWAVE will provide ‘hotspot’ 5G service exactly where the mobile operator wants it, allowing carriers to deliver an outstanding, seamless 5G experience that lives up to the hype.
SOLiD has not yet announced a shipment date for this new product, but deliveries are expected to begin in 2020. SOLiD showcased the RocketWAVE solution at MWC 2019 Los Angeles.
