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LTE deployment:
Getting it right the rst time
By Allie Winter
Launching a behemoth wireless network
like LTE requires the consideration of
many factors. It is not only about meeting
a deadline, getting it going quickly or being
the frst to market even though carriers
would have you think so. Deployment
must be done right and within budget.
Not only is evolving technology making
network installations more diffcult,
carriers must also balance costs and risks
against the long-term benefts associated
with adopting new technology. As part
of this equation, would-be adopters need
to understand available best practices
for mitigating the risks that accompany
the process of maximizing capacity and
bandwidth. Being proactive, ensuring
accuracy and taking the initiative will
help you future-proof your network
investment for predictable and exceptional
long-term performance.
LTE Not a question of why, but when
As LTE adoption accelerates, North
American carriers are following suit.
They are being extremely aggressive in
the implementation of this new, dynam-
ic network, but they have no choice. As
wireless data usage expands, operators
need to continue meeting customer de-
mands. LTE is the inevitable solution.
The new technology not only makes the
wireless experiences better, it allows all
major carriers to survive.
Although we hear much about advance-
ments in HSPA technology, as smartphones
and associated data usage proliferate the
fact is that LTE, and LTE-Advanced will
be must-deploy technologies for wireless
network operators as they seek to deal
with the multitude of challenges that are
coming, said Jason Marcheck, Managing
Director of Insight and Analysis at RCR
Wireless News. That said, the challenges
associated with deploying LTE can be, in
some cases, as big as the problems they
are intended to solve.
For commercial deployment, many fac-
tors must be considered. Years of techni-
cal research informs the process. Carriers
must build out an extensive network and
execute the proper tests. Before any of
these activities transpire, carriers need to
acquire the appropriate space. With years
of wireless service and countless networks
deployed, space begins to run out.
Challenges
The lack of spectrum availability is
only one of the many challenges that
accompany rolling out a new network,
especially an LTE network. Beyond
spectrum, there is an entire category
of challenges surround zoning and the
physical nature of additional tower
placement. How will operators continue
to add layers of capacity while running
simultaneous neighboring technologies
such as 3G? Adding new sites is ex-
tremely expensive and geographically
diffcult. As time passes, the amount of
space available for wireless networks
shrinks and operators are driven by the
need to balance coverage capabilities in
a smooth, cohesive fashion so that thou-
sands of subscribers are not affected.
This dilemma, coupled with data-
hungry wireless customers, makes
installing a new network not only
necessary, but downright nerve-wracking.
While carriers tackle the challenge of
deploying in limited space, the pressure
is on to launch a network that can handle
massive amounts of data usage.
Emily Edmonds, Director of AT&T Cor-
porate Communications, described this
struggle, Were managing many complex
moving parts, including adding equipment
to existing towers and facilities, keeping
aggressive rollout schedules on track, as-
signing resources and staff to complete the
upgrades, and maintaining the highest
quality standards at every step.
Consumers are adopting smartphones
in droves, creating an insatiable demand
for bandwidth. Michael Fabbri, VP and
GM of Site Solutions and Services at
CommScope, helps carriers solve net-
work build-out challenges. He recognizes
that keeping the customer happy is the
No. 1 goal. Requirements are growing
by 100% over very short periods of time,
he explained. The challenge for opera-
tors is to continue to invest in additional
technology that will meet and exceed the
needs of their customers.
That is often much easier said than
done. Marcheck noted that, Carriers
need to pay particular attention to how
they deploy capacity in an LTE environ-
ment. With the emergence of small cell
architectures, an improper deployment
can actually degrade capacity within a
cell. For this reason, sophisticated soft-
ware and advanced antenna placements
are necessary. This is where sectorization
and sophisticated tower deployment sce-
narios become very important.
One step ahead
This is not wireless operators first
rodeo. Luckily, this is not the wireless
operator communitys first rodeo. Not
F EATURE REPORT
only are these challenges expected,
they are built into deployment plans.
Carriers are addressing issues head-
on and executing processes more
efficiently. To optimize the radio
frequency in use today, operators are
finding creative ways to reuse and
repurpose existing frequency and
spectrum for high-speed data.
Companies like CommScope step in
to provide the interconnection and sub-
systems operators need to successfully
launch a network. CommScope provides
guidance at different stages during
network evolution with solutions for
developing high-performing wired and
wireless networks. About four years
ago, CommScope recognized the mar-
ketplace need for these services and
purchased Andrew Solutions, allowing
the company to provide radio frequency
subsystem solutions for wireless net-
works. Whether a client requires an-
tennas, cables, connectors, jumpers
and everything from outside the base
station all the way up the tower, Com-
mScope has positioned itself as the RF
Path expert.
When it comes to direct involvement,
CommScope provides a host of services
and solutions that assist with LTE de-
ployment, whether that means tradi-
tional coaxial solutions or newer hybrid
fber-based solutions. CommScope also
maintains a services arm to help custom-
ers solve specifc problems with consult-
ing, design, installation and other issues
operators may face when attempting to
achieve a full migration or complete a
specifc project.
There are multiple ways these solutions
F EATURE REPORT
Today, they can utilize newer technology
to remove and replace an antenna from
one sector with a similar sized antenna
that virtually doubles the capacity.
Typically sector splitting involves
an antenna that is radiating a certain
technology, Fabbri noted. We can take
that antenna and replace it with a new
one, virtually doubling the capacity in
that sector by splitting it. The concept
of sector splitting has been around for-
ever, but this method is relatively new.
Executing sector splitting in this format
has not been widely practiced before,
since aligning and optimizing antennas
was diffcult. This method is now much
easier to implement. It provides opera-
tors with a way to use existing technol-
ogy to improve effciency.
Every operator is challenged by the
frequency or spectrum they have avail-
able, Fabbri continued. With geography
[challenges], leveraging sector splitting
can dramatically increase technology.
Until recently, it was diffcult to make
[these new methods] work. Going from
one to three antennas is very common
and adopted, but moving from three to
six antennas was challenging.
Small cells
Another way to add capacity is the in-
corporation of the aforementioned small
cells. These cells are low-powered radio
access nodes that act as mini base sta-
tions with a range of 10 meters to 200
meters. Small cells are used to provide
in-building and outdoor wireless service
by extending existing coverage, allowing
operators to offoad 3G data traffc.
Small cells are also vital to the build-out
can be delivered and customized. We
work directly with the operator or anyone
else in the supply chain to understand
what they want to do, then create a
specifc solution to meet their needs,
Fabbri said. For example, in order to
help some customers prepare their LTE
network, we created pre-confgured, pre-
tested capacity expansion solutions that
can be dropped right into an existing
customers network infrastructure.
Fabbri explained that CommScope
can also be recruited to help with
problems in the middle of a project.
If an operator is having trouble with
deployment in later stages, CommScope
provides performance metrics, site
auditing, and remediation you name
it. In North America, most of the
work we are doing comes in the early
stages, with early development and
configuring of LTE sites. For the most
part, carriers are focused on recruiting
companies like CommScope to help
repurpose existing architecture. Once
that decision is made, there are a
variety of methods we use to accomplish
this type of network recycling.
Sector splitting
There are two ways to add capacity:
operators can add more sites, or improve
their existing technology. Sector splitting
is a way to add capacity to existing sites.
Operators and carriers use sector split-
ting as a less expensive way to build a net-
work. Although this method has existed
for some time, it is now being performed
in more dynamic, effective ways. Early on,
operators would split each tower into three
different sectors to deploy a new network.
F EATURE REPORT
DAS
Another tried-and-true way to extend
your network without physically building
a new one is the use of Distributed
Antenna Systems. At its core, DAS
takes capacity from a base station and
distributes it over fber to a system
of remote antenna placements. This
solution was developed about 15 years
ago when base stations were extremely
large. The cables coming out of the base
station would lose service and power as
they exited. DAS products converted the
base station signal into fber to eliminate
the loss of power. Tony Lefebvre, Director
of Product Management for Wireless at
TE Connectivity, explained that initially,
DAS products were mainly used in
areas that would not accommodate giant
towers, such as subways, canyons or
dense downtown areas. Fiber extended
into areas where a tower could not
reach, Lefebvre continued. Then, over
time, everybody started using more and
more cell phones. As capacity increased,
coverage from the tower shrank.
Consumers began to hoard power at
those base stations. As this trend in-
creased, it became more diffcult for car-
riers to extend that power over a wider
area. As capacity grew and coverage areas
decreased, in-building systems grew more
popular. Now, with the infux of data us-
age, cells are shrinking even more. Small
cells like microcells, picocells and fem-
tocells build on existing infrastructure.
DAS builds on top of that. If you create
a small cell that will utilize DAS, you can
overlay multiple mobile services with
multiple frequencies, Lefebvre said.
Adding DAS to a small-cell situation
of LTE. Similar to sector splitting, they
offer a way to layer on capacity without
physically building new infrastructure.
This saves money and provides the
added beneft of individual, targeted
coverage. The most commonly used
small cells are microcells, femtocells and
indoor picocells.
A microcell is a base station used in
situations where a macrocell is super-
fuous, even though it is basically the
same design in a smaller form factor.
For example, in a large building requir-
ing a capacity of 100 or 200 callers, in-
stalling a macrocell would be a waste of
money. Operators provide the backhaul
and manage microcell base stations just
like macrocells. Microcell base stations
require the same maintenance as mac-
rocells and installation costs are simi-
lar but microcells are limited in their
expansion capabilities and are typically
installed indoors.
A femtocell is another small base
station utilized indoors. It is designed
for the home and resembles a Wi-Fi
access point. These cells are mainly
used by families who need better
coverage within their homes. Femtocells
are very common today Verizon
Wireless and Sprint Nextel have
provided them as coverage solutions
for years. Subscribers purchase or
lease femtocells themselves and place
them in their home. Because femtocells
broadcast on spectrum owned by the
cellular operator, where and how they
are broadcast is tightly controlled. For
example, to make sure that femtocells
only broadcast when they are physically
located in an area where the wireless
operator is licensed to operate, most
femtocells use some form of GPS
to verify their location. Wireless
operators also remotely administer
their femtocells. Should a customer not
pay their bill or discontinue wireless
service, the operator will remotely
deactivate the femtocell.
Picocells are typically used to add ca-
pacity for a small business or another
local solution. Smaller than a microcell,
but bigger than a femtocell, picocells
typically handle anywhere from 10 to
60 simultaneous callers, but they can
service up to a 100 callers if need be.
They are most frequently found in ho-
tels, hospitals, office buildings or oth-
er scenarios where adding coverage is
difficult. Indoor picocells are used in
locations that are sheltered from the
weather where a small boost in call-
ing capacity is required. Operators use
them when a site is isolated due to poor
location or RF penetration, or where it
is not cost-effective to deploy a micro-
cell or macrocell. Like microcells, wire-
less operators typically lease space for
indoor picocells from building owners.
Both carriers and original equipment
manufacturers have widely adopted small
cell use. As part of its continual process of
updating, investing in and optimizing its
network infrastructure, AT&T has turned
to small cells as well. We proactively re-
search creative technology solutions that
helps us better manage the growing traf-
fc load, Edmonds explained. We have
advocated small cells for several years
and weve been working closely with ven-
dors to develop small-cell solutions that
meet this growing traffc need.
provides the same results, but in a more
effcient way. For example, lets say you in-
stall small-cell infrastructure in an offce
building and want to spread that coverage
out, across the entire building. Without
DAS, antennas must be installed in vari-
ous areas throughout the space connected
to a small, fxed frequency in order to sup-
port one or two services like a hot spot.
If you then put that infrastructure in
with a DAS, you put that capacity in a
central location and shift the distribution
of the capacity, Lefebvre noted. Instead
of having little access points, you have
independent DAS remotes. They take the
signal and amplify it. If you transition
to a new protocol, you can do that at one
central location instead of addressing all
access points. This gives you greater con-
trol over how capacity is utilized.
While DAS doesnt create capacity, it
piggybacks onto existing coverage to ex-
tend its utility. It allows you to effciently
execute multiple services over a single
antenna system. You can also continue to
add small cells without experiencing any
backhaul issues. This proactively solves a
slow, yet lurking problem. Capacity still
needs to be generated by small-cell man-
ufacturers, Lefebvre explained. Rather
than put base stations everywhere, we
aggregate them for easier management.
For DAS providers such as CommScope
and TE Connectivity, the most common
customer is a carrier. Often, they seek
out DAS to deliver existing legacy servic-
es or move into public spaces. They cant
consolidate networks, so carriers look for
ways to share some of the access thus
the DAS solution.
Along these lines, another way to
improve network effciency both in
terms of deployment and integration,
as well as overall system performance
is through better coordination of the
hardware and software that compose a
DAS system.
One key trend in making DAS solu-
tions faster and easier to deploy, operate,
upgrade and maintain is to integrate the
components and embedded intelligence,
said Matt Melester, GM and SVP of Dis-
tributed Coverage and Capacity Solu-
tions at Commscope.
Overall, DAS has recently gained mo-
mentum in these types of business ap-
plications. Whether a wireless provider
faces space or power extension challeng-
es, it all boils down to more coverage and
capacity. DAS provides that little extra
push that enables these methods to reach
their full potential.
So why have carriers not always turned
to DAS in times of trouble? DAS wasnt al-
ways easy to fnd. In the past, fber avail-
ability was the most common challenge.
In order to transport radio frequency, a
dark fber was required. Today, this type
of fber is much easier to access. DAS
has always been this niche application,
but it was diffcult to acquire [because of
limited fber], Lefebvre explained. Now,
as the need for small cells grows, we are
coming into our own.
This small-cell market is mainly where
TE Connectivity focuses its efforts. While
they have the ability to assist with cov-
erage solutions for larger sites, it makes
more sense to stay in the small-cell mar-
ket for now especially when industry
giants like Verizon Wireless and AT&T
are embracing DAS.
A bright forecast
Despite current challenges and the
opinions of industry skeptics, many tele-
com veterans still believe LTE will be a
success for the wireless industry. This re-
inforces just how important it is for oper-
ators and carriers to promptly resolve the
challenges that accompany LTE deploy-
ment. It is better to take every proactive
precaution; carriers simply cant afford to
see LTE fail. Thankfully, LTE is making
headway every day. With each new de-
ployment, operators discover new ways
to enhance the network and it shows.
Fabbri noted that consumer response
has been mainly positive. If you look at
larger network deployments, expecta-
tions have been met, he said. [Carriers]
are trying to stay ahead of a curve thats
doubling and tripling rapidly.
Lefebvre has similar expectations.
Though LTE was no overnight discovery,
it has and will continue to improve the
wireless data usage experience. Years of
research, building and testing have led us
to this point and were barely scratch-
ing the surface.
The confdence level for LTE is quite
high, Lefebvre said. People like their
mobile data. LTE is much more effec-
tive than HSPA. Were seeing strong
deployment. We see it working in con-
junction with Wi-Fi networks. Operators
are building out in a way that sets up
LTE as solid, fxed coverage, but it can
also rely on Wi-Fi in areas where LTE
is not yet established. Overall, theres
no doubt that the quality of service will
continue to rise as the deployment and
management of LTE networks continues
to fourish.
F EATURE REPORT
2012 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved. AD-105943-EN
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