DoCoMo turns to remote radio heads for LTE strategy
Published: 18 December, 2009
READ MORE: Japan | NTT DoCoMo | Core Network | WCDMA | LTE
As a few operators gear up to launch LTE next year, a key issue is how to reuse existing assets from the 2G/3G network and ensure integration and roaming. Japan's NTT DoCoMo, always in the vanguard of new networks, is preparing for 4G by deploying HSPA base stations with newly developed remote radio head equipment (RRE) to support easy migration to LTE, and parallel 3G/4G services.
The RRE equipped base stations will account for about 50% of the initial LTE roll-out, which will support first commercial services one year from now, says DoCoMo. Like other frontrunners like China Mobile (in the TDD space), DoCoMo plans to create its initial LTE network as an overlay for 3G, delivering enhanced data capacity where it is needed, and making heavy use of common IP core networks. This allows for gradual expansion of 4G on an as-needed basis and the RRE systems will allow for dual HSPA/LTE services. DoCoMo's LTE system will run in the 2GHz band.
The RRE approach is gaining popularity among carriers, especially those looking to support two or three different technologies, because a new system can be added relatively simply to an existing network. It also lowers opex costs because of its small size and energy consumption. The RRE base station consists of a master unit for signal processing and the remote radio head for modulating/demodulating W-CDMA and LTE signals. The two are linked by optical fiber.
In other LTE news, Chunghwa Telecom of Taiwan is the latest to kick off a trial, this time with Ericsson. They will start testing the network in northern Taiwan and initial results will be released in the middle of next year.
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