Tuesday, 14 January 2025

Decoding Starlink: The Technology Behind the Revolution

Starlink has been a regular feature on our blog. The race to provide global connectivity has seen remarkable innovation, and Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, has been at the forefront. By utilising a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Starlink promises faster speeds and reduced latency compared to traditional satellite internet. But what exactly sets Starlink apart? Let’s delve into the technical marvels behind this ground-breaking system.

Traditional broadcast satellites operate in geostationary orbits, approximately 35,000 kilometres above Earth. In contrast, Starlink's LEO satellites, orbiting at altitudes of around 550 kilometres, drastically reduce the distance signals travel. This significantly enhances performance and reduces latency, forming the foundation of Starlink’s technological advantage.

With Starlink internet, data is continuously exchanged between a ground dish and a Starlink satellite zooming across the sky at an incredible 27,000 km/h. How can the dish and satellite maintain a continuous connection? And how is data transmitted so efficiently? The video below delves deeply into the workings of the ground dish and satellites, revealing how a beam of data is formed, how it is swept across the sky, and what precisely is in that beam enabling incredibly fast internet speeds. This is a remarkable feat of technology and engineering!

Inside the Starlink Dish: Dishy McFlatface

At the heart of the Starlink system is its ground terminal, affectionately known as Dishy McFlatface. This device features an aperture-coupled patch antenna, a sophisticated design that allows it to efficiently emit and receive electromagnetic waves. Unlike traditional parabolic dishes, Dishy is compact, sleek, and meticulously optimised for Starlink’s specific needs.

How Does Dishy Work?

Dishy’s ability to send and receive data hinges on two critical technologies: beamforming and phased array beam steering.

  • Beamforming enables the dish to focus its electromagnetic waves into a directed beam, efficiently reaching Starlink satellites in orbit.
  • Phased Array Beam Steering introduces dynamism, allowing the beam to move across the sky by electronically adjusting the phase of signals emitted from various antenna elements. This agility is essential for maintaining a seamless connection with rapidly moving LEO satellites.

A Look at Signal Transmission

Once a beam is formed and directed, Dishy employs advanced modulation techniques, such as 64QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), to transmit data. This method combines amplitude and phase variations, maximising data throughput—a vital requirement for high-speed internet services.

Scaling Down: Electromagnetic Waves and Dishy’s Dimensions

Despite its advanced functionality, Dishy remains surprisingly compact. This miniaturisation is achieved by leveraging the properties of electromagnetic waves and employing innovative design principles, as outlined in Starlink’s patents.

The Bigger Picture

Starlink’s phased array technology represents a monumental leap in satellite communications, with implications extending beyond internet services. Its ability to dynamically steer beams has the potential to revolutionise fields such as autonomous vehicles, IoT, and remote sensing.

Conclusion

Starlink isn’t merely about providing internet access; it’s about redefining the very concept of connectivity. Through ground-breaking innovations in satellite placement, ground terminal design, and signal processing, Starlink sets a new benchmark for telecom infrastructure.

Video Contents

All the above is explained in a fantastic manner in the video embedded below. The video’s table of contents with timestamps for easy navigation as follows:

  • 00:00 - Intro to Starlink
  • 01:00 - Overview of Exploring Starlink
  • 01:46 - Difference between Starlink and Broadcast Satellites
  • 03:28 - Parts Inside a Dishy McFlatface
  • 05:06 - How Does an Aperture-Coupled Patch Antenna Work?
  • 09:13 - Electromagnetic Wave Emission
  • 12:45 - Forming a Beam that Reaches Space: Beamforming
  • 15:22 - Brilliant
  • 16:52 - Steering a Beam to Sweep Across the Sky
  • 18:54 - Starlink: Phased Array Beam Steering
  • 21:11 - Notes on Phased Array Beam Steering
  • 22:24 - Sending Data in a Beam to the Starlink Satellite
  • 23:27 - Inner Workings of 64QAM
  • 26:02 - Actual Size of Starlink Dishy & Electromagnetic Waves
  • 26:55 - Images from the Starlink Patent
  • 27:49 - Outro

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Monday, 30 December 2024

Top Blog posts for 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time for our annual tradition of highlighting the most-viewed posts of the year. This list includes posts that garnered the most attention, regardless of when they were originally published. For clarity, I’ve included the month and year of publication for each.

Interestingly, none of the top five posts were published in 2024! So, I’ve also added a bonus section showcasing the top three posts actually published this year.

Do you have a favourite post from the blog? Share it with us in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!

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Tuesday, 17 December 2024

How Samsung is Leveraging vRAN to Match Traditional RAN (T-RAN) Performance

As mobile networks evolve, virtualized RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN architectures are gaining traction. Even operators who were initially sceptical are increasingly exploring and deploying these innovative solutions to meet the growing demands for flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability. Samsung, among other key players, has been at the forefront of large-scale vRAN and Open RAN rollouts across North America, Europe, and Asia.

The adoption of O-RAN-compliant, Open vRAN architectures has demonstrated the potential to deliver performance on par with—or even superior to—traditional RAN systems. While trials and commercial deployments have validated their capabilities, scaling these solutions introduces challenges, such as integration complexities, security concerns, and organizational disruptions. To address these hurdles, operators and vendors alike are focusing on building robust ecosystems, fostering collaboration, and driving continuous innovation.

As adoption expands, operators are reaping an array of benefits from vRAN and Open RAN architectures:

  • Faster site activations: Accelerated deployment timelines facilitate quicker service rollouts.
  • Enhanced resource utilization: Flexible resource sharing improves overall network efficiency.
  • Energy savings: AI-driven solutions enable dynamic power management, reducing energy consumption.
  • Operational agility: Advanced monitoring and adaptive systems boost performance and responsiveness.

Vendors and partners are tackling the complexities of scaling vRAN and Open RAN through collaborative efforts, with Samsung introducing several solutions to improve performance and address integration challenges:

  • Containerized Virtual Cell Site Router (vCSR): The integration of vCSR within the virtual Distributed Unit (vDU) minimizes hardware requirements by utilizing server processing power more efficiently.
  • Energy-saving features: AI-powered tools like Samsung’s Energy Saving Manager (ESM) enable traffic-aware adjustments, such as dynamic power amplifier (DPA) levels, sleep modes for radio units, and CPU power optimization, demonstrating significant energy reductions in large-scale deployments.
  • AI/ML-powered automation: Comprehensive platforms, such as Samsung’s CognitiV Network Operations Suite (NOS), incorporate advanced analytics and automation, enhancing network optimization, troubleshooting, and reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).

The transition to Open vRAN is not just a technological evolution but a paradigm shift in network architecture. These systems prioritize flexibility and programmability, empowering operators to achieve business objectives that extend beyond cost savings, including faster service rollouts, better customer experiences, and improved energy efficiency.

While Samsung’s contributions in this domain are notable, the larger industry trend toward open and virtualized networks reflects a collective push to shape the future of mobile connectivity. Collaboration across the ecosystem is essential to address challenges and unlock the full potential of these transformative technologies.

Embedded below are some nice explainers and presentations on Open vRAN from Samsung:

As the industry continues to evolve, vRAN and Open RAN are set to play a pivotal role in driving the next wave of 5G innovation and growth.

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Tuesday, 3 December 2024

Deutsche Telekom's Hydrogen-Powered Mini-Masts

Earlier in the year we wrote about Deutsche Telekom's Mini-Mast a.k.a. “Cell Tower To Go”.  Last year, DT set a new benchmark in sustainable technology with the deployment of hydrogen-powered antennas at the Nibirii Festival in Germany. This initiative replaced the traditional diesel generators with hydrogen fuel cells to provide eco-friendly energy for mobile base stations. The hydrogen is sourced in a CO₂-neutral process, marking a significant step towards green innovation.

For anyone who doesn't understand what hydrogen fuel cell is, this video has a good explanation.

At the festival, a hydrogen-powered mast supported 30,000 attendees with seamless LTE and 5G connectivity. The fuel cells, developed by SFC Energy, ensured reliable, uninterrupted service for 28 days, showcasing their potential for large events, emergencies, and remote areas. This shift underscores Deutsche Telekom's commitment to combining sustainability with technological advancements.

Additionally, compact mobile masts and stage-mounted small cells enhanced coverage and user experience. These innovations promise to redefine mobile connectivity, emphasizing rapid deployment and reduced environmental impact.

You can read the full story here.

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Tuesday, 19 November 2024

SK Telecom's Vision for Future Telco Infrastructure in the AI Era

Last month, SK Telecom released a 6G white paper that explores the evolution of wireless and wired infrastructure through the convergence of AI and telecommunications. The white paper highlights how Telco Edge AI infrastructure can redefine the value of network systems by enabling real-time data processing alongside AI-driven services. You can find my detailed blog post on the white paper here.

Dr. Takki Yu, Vice President of the Infra Tech Office at SK Telecom, leads R&D efforts across end-to-end mobile communication technologies. His work spans Radio Access, Core, Transport, Devices, Location, and Network AI. Dr. Yu’s primary focus is on advancing mobile communications, including 5G and Beyond 5G (6G) systems, as well as innovations in network virtualization, cloud, location-based quantum security, and AI integration. Notably, he played a key role in the successful commercialization of the world’s first 5G network in Korea and continues to lead the charge in developing Beyond 5G and 6G technologies.

At the Brooklyn 6G Summit (B6GS), Dr. Takki Yu delivered a keynote presentation titled "The Path to AI Telecommunications Infrastructure Evolution as Future Architecture." In his talk, he shared SK Telecom's vision for the future of telco infrastructure, reflecting on the expectations of the 6G era and the transformative shift towards AI-driven telecommunications infrastructure.

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Tuesday, 29 October 2024

China Deploys 5G-A Synaesthesia in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)

As a non-native English speaker, I had never come across the word synaesthesia (UK)/synesthesia (US). The Cambridge dictionary explains this as a condition in which someone experiences things through their senses in an unusual way, for example by experiencing a colour as a sound, or a number as a position in space. Wikipedia says that it is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.

Earlier this year Light Reading reported that Tibet's $500M 5G network in Tibet has 2.3 million 5G users and penetration rate of 62%. The Diplomat reported that China has already built 11,719 5G base stations in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Quoting from the publication:

The 5G-A synaesthesia integrated base stations have been described by Huawei as a new revolutionary technology, along with passive IoT and endogenous intelligence, spurred by the 5G-A era.

China has developed the new 5G-A base stations to overcome the longstanding challenges faced by its traditional radars and cameras in terms of detecting and identifying small-sized drones operating within low-altitude airspace. These 5G-A base stations are equipped with comprehensive sensing capabilities that enable identification, real-time positioning, speed detection, and tracking of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles, and other illegally intrusive targets. Following the completion of the first station, the China Mobile Tibet Company announced that its 5G-A base station has detection capabilities surpassing traditional radars. According to the company, the goal of these base stations in Tibet’s border areas is to build low-altitude sensing networks, thereby fostering the development of drone inspection and early warning systems. 

The low-altitude economy refers to various economic activities occurring within the vertical airspace that extends from 1,000 to 4,000 meters above the ground where civil-manned and unmanned aircraft vehicles operate and promote the integrated development of related fields.

The innovation of synaesthesia integrated technology in 5G-A has garnered great attention in China recently. 5G-A synaesthesia integrated technology combines multiple capabilities such as communications, imaging, and computing power, turning a regular communication network into a supercharged “radar,” with high-precision and resolution perception capabilities.

You can also learn more about the solution here. The MIIT press release emphasises that Redcap is available as part of the solution.

Huawei recently shared a video of them deploying 5G infrastructure in Tibet. The video is embedded below:

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Tuesday, 15 October 2024

BT/EE’s Growing Dependence on Small Cells to Boost Network Performance

EE, the consumer division of BT Group, stands as one of the UK’s largest subscription businesses, serving 25 million customers. Backed by the UK’s fastest mobile network, EE claims to deliver superfast connections in more locations than any other mobile network operator in the country.

Back in March 2022, EE announced that it has successfully deployed 200 new small cells across its UK network to boost capacity in high demand areas, allowing customers to benefit from download speeds up to 300Mbps. The press release noted:

EE has successfully deployed 200 new small cells across its UK network to boost capacity in high demand areas, allowing customers to benefit from download speeds up to 300Mbps. Small cells are mobile radio cells that help to provide better coverage for customers at street level, where it’s often impractical to build larger sites. Located on a variety of existing street assets, including BT’s iconic red telephone boxes, the units offer discreet boosters for coverage and are part of EE’s investment to maintain the UK’s best network.

Working in partnership with Nokia, EE uses advanced network analytics to identify areas where small cells will deliver a boost to network performance. A 4G small cell solution is then deployed which uses multiple spectrum bands to give a better experience. EE’s licenced 1800MHz and 2600Mhz spectrum bands are coupled with unlicenced 5GHz spectrum, to deliver standout speeds in densely congested areas. Working with local authorities, EE is making use of existing street assets to minimise their impact, including lamp posts, CCTV columns and BT phone boxes.

As well as Leeds, London and Manchester, EE and Nokia have also brought these new small cells online in parts of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Scarborough. Hundreds more small cell deployments are planned in the next 18 months, as EE uses the technology to bring additional network capacity to more locations, including some summer hotspots. EE’s commitment to providing the highest possible quality of experience will also see its use of small cells extend to its 5G network, with trials expected to begin soon. Nokia’s AirScale portfolio can also be seamlessly upgraded to 5G.

Then a BT press release in June 2023 highlighted that EE now had 611 small cell sites carrying 20TB of data traffic every day – the equivalent of streaming 8,000 hours of HD video or 280,000 hours of music – demonstrating the substantial value they offer to customers in high demand areas, as well as the importance of EE’s strategy to build prior to the arrival of any congestion whenever possible.

The most recent announcement from Aug 2024 highlighted that EE has now deployed over 1000 small cells across the UK, marking 400 new deployments over the last 12 months including its first 5G sites, recently installed in Croydon, London. The press release said: 

EE’s first 5G small cells are also now live as part of a trial taking place in the London Borough of Croydon. Seven sites, including four along Croydon’s London Road – a busy thoroughfare lined with businesses, shops and homes – are now supporting the local community, seeing over 3TB of traffic each day.

EE uses advanced network analytics to identify specific locations which would benefit from the performance boost enabled by a small cell. It then works with partners Nokia and Ericsson to deploy the solution itself, reducing congestion and enabling customers to benefit from speeds of up to 300Mbps for 4G cells, and 600Mbps for 5G. EE is unique within Europe in combining licenced 1800MHz and 2600Mhz spectrum with unlicensed 5GHz spectrum in its 4G small cells, which helps to deliver excellent capacity and speeds. The new 5G cells in Croydon are configured with licensed 1800MHz spectrum for 4G and 3.5GHz for 5G.

In addition to the above announcements, Freshwave, a connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider, announced that they have deployed neutral host solution in the City of London and EE are the first MNO to go live on this infrastructure. Their press release said:

A first-of-its-kind outdoor small cell project in the City of London has been such a success that it has now moved beyond the trial phase. Twenty-five new sites for mobile network operator (MNO) EE are now live on Freshwave’s infrastructure, adding capacity and enhancing the 4G and 5G network experience for EE mobile users in one of the world’s preeminent financial districts. Dozens of additional new sites for EE are also currently being built and will enhance mobile connectivity to the UK’s best network(1) in even more of the Square Mile when they are brought live in the future.

Freshwave, a connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider, built new mobile infrastructure for the project and EE was the first MNO to go live in December 2022. Across all of the sites involved in the initial pilot, EE is seeing up to 7.5TB of data downloaded per week. 

Freshwave’s bespoke solution enables the network to accommodate all four MNOs on 4G and 5G from day one with no adjustments needed to the infrastructure – making it a UK first. The solution features specially designed wideband antennas, cabinets and columns and extensive dark fibre to each cabinet.

As a neutral host, Freshwave operates the network deploying shareable infrastructure, reducing equipment duplication and creating a more cost-effective solution. This approach also minimises street clutter and the associated disruption during street works. Shareable infrastructure also reduces the environmental impact, while still assuring the mobile connectivity people expect when out and about.

The 25 new live sites are strategically located throughout the Square Mile, including notable landmarks such as outside St Paul’s Cathedral, Cannon Street and the Bank of England on Threadneedle Street.

Outdoor small cells are installed at street level which make them ideal for adding capacity to mobile networks. In busy urban areas, where large numbers of people use their mobiles simultaneously, demand on the macro network can be substantial. Outdoor small cells help alleviate some of this demand themselves, relieving the macro network and ensuring a better experience for users. 

I anticipate many more announcements like these in the future, as the industry increasingly relies on higher frequencies to relieve capacity constraints in densely populated urban areas. 

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Wednesday, 2 October 2024

Planning, Constructing, and Commissioning a Mobile Network Site

In an earlier post we looked at Cell-Site Construction And Evolution Strategies. A slightly older post on LinkedIn detailed the Telecom Site Installation process. Taking the post, the comments, some help from ChatGPT, here is a detailed process of planning, constructing, and commissioning a mobile network site. If you have an experience in this area, feel free to chip-in. 

1. Site Planning and Design: This phase involves assessing the need for a new mobile site, selecting a suitable location, and designing the layout of the infrastructure.

  • Coverage and Capacity Analysis:
    • Conduct radio frequency (RF) planning and coverage analysis to determine areas with poor or no signal.
    • Analyze user demand and traffic patterns to ensure the new site will meet current and future capacity needs.
  • Site Selection:
    • Identify potential site locations that meet RF requirements, zoning laws, and accessibility needs.
    • Conduct a site survey to evaluate the physical space, including accessibility, security, and suitability for equipment installation.
    • Ensure the site provides optimal line of sight for network coverage.
  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):
    • Assess the environmental impact of the site, including factors like wildlife, vegetation, and local landmarks.
    • Identify any potential noise or visual pollution issues and assess community concerns or objections.
  • Permitting and Approvals:
    • Obtain necessary zoning permits and approvals from local authorities.
    • Secure additional permits, such as construction permits, environmental approvals, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Network Design and Engineering:
    • Design the overall site layout, including tower or mast structure, equipment placement, and power supply.
    • Conduct interference analysis with other nearby frequencies or signals to prevent service disruption.
    • Develop an engineering plan for the site, including foundation design, structural analysis, and electrical system requirements.

2. Site Acquisition and Preparation: This phase focuses on securing the site and preparing it for construction.

  • Leasing or Purchasing the Site:
    • Negotiate lease agreements or purchase the land with the landowner.
    • Finalize contracts with the property owner, detailing the duration, costs, and terms for operating the mobile site.
  • Site Preparation:
    • Clear the site and ensure it’s ready for construction, which may involve land leveling, vegetation removal, and installing access roads if necessary.
    • Secure the site with fencing or barriers for safety and to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Utility Coordination:
    • Arrange for the provision of utilities, including electricity, water, and access roads if needed.
    • Plan for backup power solutions such as generators or batteries to ensure continuous operation.
  • Material and Equipment Procurement:
    • Order and procure necessary materials and equipment, including towers, antennas, base transceiver stations (BTS), and other essential hardware.
    • Arrange logistics for equipment delivery, warehousing, and on-site storage.
An example of a pelican case with equipment safely stored for transport

3. Construction: This phase involves the physical construction of the mobile network site and the installation of all required equipment.

  • Tower or Mast Construction:
    • Construct the tower or mast, which may be self-supporting, guyed, or mounted on a rooftop, depending on the site.
    • Install safety features on the tower, including lightning protection, fall-arrest systems, and grounding systems.
  • Shelter and Equipment Installation:
    • Install a shelter or housing unit for network equipment, such as base stations, power supplies, and batteries.
    • Set up the power system, which includes connecting to the power grid, installing backup generators, or solar panels if needed.
  • Antenna and Radio Installation:
    • Mount antennas, microwave dishes, and any other required transmission equipment on the tower.
    • Connect radio units, transceivers, and other radio-frequency equipment to the antennas and configure them for optimal coverage.
  • Cable Installation:
    • Install coaxial, fiber optic, and power cables to connect antennas, base stations, and other equipment.
    • Ensure proper cable management and secure all cabling to prevent wear and damage.
  • Site Testing and Quality Assurance:
    • Perform structural testing of the tower and foundation to ensure stability and compliance with standards.
    • Conduct electrical and grounding system tests to verify operational safety.

4. Commissioning: This phase involves configuring and testing the equipment to ensure the site functions properly and is integrated into the larger mobile network.

  • Initial Power-Up and Configuration:
    • Power up the equipment, including base transceiver stations (BTS), antennas, and other network equipment.
    • Configure settings on the BTS, radio equipment, and other hardware according to the network design specifications.
  • Network Integration and Testing:
    • Integrate the new site into the mobile network, linking it to the network core and neighboring sites.
    • Test network connectivity, handover capabilities, data throughput, call quality, and signal strength.
    • Conduct drive tests and performance monitoring to assess coverage and adjust configurations as needed.
  • Optimization and Troubleshooting:
    • Fine-tune settings based on initial performance testing and feedback from engineers.
    • Address any connectivity issues, interference, or hardware malfunctions to ensure optimal performance.
  • Regulatory Compliance Testing:
    • Conduct tests to ensure the site complies with all regulatory standards, including RF exposure limits, signal interference, and safety protocols.
    • Verify that the site meets environmental and local authority requirements.

5. Handover and Maintenance Planning: After the site is fully operational, the last step involves handing it over for ongoing maintenance and ensuring a plan is in place for regular site management.

  • Site Handover:
    • Document all installation and testing details and hand over operational responsibility to the network operations team.
    • Train maintenance personnel on site-specific details and procedures for routine maintenance.
  • Routine Maintenance Scheduling:
    • Establish a schedule for regular maintenance, including checking equipment, tower structure, and electrical systems.
    • Plan for ongoing monitoring of performance and implement a system for handling fault reports and corrective maintenance.
  • Monitoring and Optimization:
    • Set up remote monitoring tools to continuously assess site performance, traffic loads, and equipment health.
    • Periodically re-evaluate coverage, capacity, and performance to make adjustments based on network growth and user demand.

Each phase involves careful coordination, especially for securing approvals, coordinating with equipment vendors, and ensuring that all safety and regulatory standards are met. This approach ensures that the mobile site is built to provide reliable service and can adapt to future demands.

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Tuesday, 17 September 2024

High-Speed FWA Using mmWave With the Help of Li-Fi

On a regular basis I keep reading about how Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) continues to gain ground at the expense of cable operators, especially in the USA (see articles by Ookla, OpenSignal). One of the challenges with FWA is the need to (generally) install external antennas, especially when higher frequencies like mmWaves is involved.

One of the approach would be to use transparent antennas that I have explained here. This would be difficult for residential consumers. The other approach, championed by pureLiFi is to use Light Based Communications to let the signal pass from outside to inside. Both these approaches were my wow moments at MWC 2024.

TelecomTV has a nice write-up on the pureLiFi/Solace solution from the conference here. Quoting from that:

This week, pureLiFi announced the LINXC Bridge, a self-installable double limpet that attaches itself to both sides of a window (see picture, above). 

“The idea is to help the signal get through glass,” explained pureLiFi CEO, Alistair Banham. The device transmits an optical version of the incoming radio signal through the glass window so the data can then be distributed to a router or other device once inside the room.

According to Banham, “getting outside signals in” has become ever more difficult as radio technologies have climbed the frequency range and adopted complex encodings, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), while the materials used to construct buildings have become less  permeable to radio signals. This is a looming problem, he says, because telcos will increasingly rely on millimetre wave (mmWave) fixed 5G radio links to extend broadband services, especially to those hard-to-reach homes and businesses in remote locations, and mmWave doesn’t like walls or windows.

The pureLiFi LINXC Bridge, developed in partnership with Canadian company Solace Power, is designed to overcome some of those problems. “A top priority is the avoidance of truck roll, so a key attraction for our telco customers is the system’s ease of installation – there’s no requirement to for an outside antenna or hole-boring through the side of the customer’s building, as the LINXC is designed to be self-installed, which eliminates installation costs and shortens the time to market for telco-delivered wireless broadband,” said Banham.

But the real Li-Fi breakthrough came about halfway through 2023 when the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) took the wraps off 802.11bb, the optical variant of the Wi-Fi standard and, as a result, Li-Fi and Wi-Fi should be able to interwork within a customer’s premises. 

“Last year,” Banham explained, “we developed the light antenna so a Wi-Fi network can see it as just another antenna, so now we have full interoperability and that means we can demonstrate a complete ecosystem so that customers can see, touch, feel and understand its benefits.”

Perhaps the biggest benefit, and most attractive niche for Li-Fi, is within so-called radio sensitive environments which, thanks to the interoperability with Wi-Fi,  will enable it to selectively reach and connect things like critical medical equipment, for instance (a large and growing application area).

The new mmWave bridge product isn’t pureLiFi’s only offering –  there’s SkyLite, a “whole-room Li-Fi access point” and the Cube, described as a simple, secure working from home, gaming, streaming and on-the-move connectivity device.  

Banham says the ambition doesn’t stop there, as the company has plans to have Li-Fi “augment and extend other wireless and wireless technologies, ushering in a new era of bandwidth, speed and reliable communications."

The press release from Solace Power also includes the video of the solution and is available here.

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Monday, 26 August 2024

O2 Telefónica Deutschland's Sustainable Phone Mast in Bavaria

It's amazing to see that the German operators are always sharing a lot of interesting trials and results. Last month O2 Telefónica announced that they have put Bavaria's first mobile phone base station into operation that operates completely independently of the general power supply. The press release said:

In Sindlbach, in the district of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, photovoltaic modules and biomethanol fuel cells supply the newly erected mast with sustainable energy. O2 Telefónica is thus closing a white spot for its local customers. They can now surf and make calls using the modern 5G standard, 4G (LTE) and 2G (GSM). O2 Telefónica is working on closing the last white spots and driving forward the network expansion quickly and sustainably.

The new mobile phone mast in Sindlbach is located in the middle of agricultural and forestry land. A power line to operate the technology is lacking far and wide. The innovative solution: at the mobile phone tower in Sindlbach, the energy is generated directly on site and emission-free. The main source of energy is a photovoltaic system. The electricity is temporarily stored in large lithium-ion batteries and is therefore always available. A biomethanol fuel cell supplies the energy for days with little sunshine. This alone could supply energy for two months in continuous operation with just one charge. The system is controlled using state-of-the-art cloud technology and AI. This makes it possible to switch automatically between the two energy sources as required. The self-generated energy on site saves over 13,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year compared to a conventional installation.

In spring 2024, O2 Telefónica launched the first mobile communications site in Germany in Kirtorf, Hesse, that operates without a conventional power connection. In the video, Dag Hüdepohl, Senior Engineer Infrastructure, explains the goal O2 Telefónica is pursuing with this innovative concept.

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