Huawei Blade RRU Solution Helps Operators Deploy the Best MBB Network

Huawei, a leading global information and and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, recently launched the innovative Blade RRU solution at the company’s 2012 Wireless Network User Group (WNUG) meeting in Rome. The Blade RRU’s unique blade server-like design for seamless module assembly is set to establish a new industry standard for building cell sites in the mobile broadband (MBB) era. It enables flexible multi-band, multi-RAT, and multi-sector scalability for MBB networks while helping operators reduce site rental and deployment costs.

Huawei’s 2012 WNUG meeting was held from October 24 to 25, and was attended by around 200 senior representatives from leading global operators. Huawei launched several innovative solutions at the WNUG event including the Blade RRU, which was presented by Ying Weimin, Huawei GSM/UMTS/LTE Product Line President.

The growth of data services has been rapid in the MBB era. Multi-band, multi-mode networks have been deployed on large scales, doubling the number of required modules for traditional sites. Traditional site space is becoming more and more insufficient, resulting in the need for more site construction and higher O&M costs. The Blade RRU is perfect suited to meet these challenges thanks to the following:

Uniquely Seamless Assembly and Scalability: The Blade RRU’s modules utilize a standardized blade server-like design and are capable of seamlessly assembling into flexible combinations of different bands, modes and sectors. This greatly saves site space and reduces site rental costs to meet operator demands for network capacity for the different stages of a network’s development.

Industry’s Lightest and Smallest Design: The size and weight of each Blade RRU module is a mere 12L and 14kg with 50% more integration than the average industry RRU. An engineer can install a Blade RRU module in only five minutes, which greatly helps operators achieve rapid network construction and expansion.

Best RF Performance: The Blade RRU is powered by the excellent RF performance of Huawei’s base stations. Thanks to efficient, industry-leading power amplifier technology that supports 60MHz IBW (instantaneous bandwidth), each 12L module is capable of transmitting power up to 2x60W while significantly reducing the number of required modules for each site. The Blade RRU also complies with all 3GPP MSR standards, supports mode migration via software configurations, supports optimizing configurations for coverage, capacity, multiple network standards, and frequency resources to help operators build the best MBB network.

Multiple RRUs seamlessly assembled into one box

In 2004, Huawei launched its first distributed base station (DBS) solution. The Blade RRU is an innovative update of this solution’s RRU component.

Ying Weimin said during his launch of the Blade RRU: "Spectrum resources are more valuable in the MBB era. SingleRAN is evolving from multi-mode convergence toward integration and effective coordination between multiple spectrums. Due to the Blade RRU’s superior performance and multi-band, multi-mode integrated capabilities, it has already seen a commercial release in August this year on large networks in China, Thailand, Bulgaria, and others."

"We believe that Huawei’s Blade RRU solution will benefit more and more networks around the world in the future," Ying added. "It will help global operators achieve further business successes in the MBB era."