Development of a WiMAX Radio Head, compatible with Multi-antenna systems by Sumitomo Electric
In a new wireless network setup, the power amplifier has been relocated from the base station inside a building to a location beneath an antenna outside as an independent Remote Radio Head (RRH) unit. The RRH is linked via a fiber optic cable to the base station providing flexibility for base station placement. Additional benefit in placing the amplifier close to an antenna, is in reducing transmission loss, resulting in saving a large amount of electricity, where otherwise would be wasted in a conventional power amplifier. On the other note, WiMAX as one of the next generation wireless broadband technology, if not the only one, have not been fully utilized, one for a lack of infrastructure and other being the interference of radio waves, specially in urban areas with proliferation of antennas.
To overcome this issue, Sumitomo Electric has developed a WiMAX RRH providing a more flexible layout of base stations. The newly developed RRH is capable of transmitting and receiving signals on up to four channels over a wide frequency range from 2.5 to 2.7 GHz, thanks to its compatibility with state of art muli-antenna systems, capable of avoiding the radio interference as well as enhancing the throughput and extending the coverage. This newly compact design RRH, requires no cooling fan, contributing to its power saving feature.
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