With wireless operators deploying increasingly powerful remote radio units (RRUs) at the top of cell towers, and with those RRUs being further distanced from the power distribution points, delivering electric power efficiently becomes more challenging—and costly. To help solve the problem, CommScope introduces PowerShift™, a whole new way of managing power to RRUs at macro and micro cell sites.
CommScope believes PowerShift is the wireless industry’s first intelligent, plug-and-play direct current (DC) power supply solution for RRUs. PowerShift can help operators re-utilize existing power cable infrastructure, eliminate the need for deploying higher gauge conductors when installing new cabling and increase the useable length for cables by over four times. It can also extend RF battery uptime by up to 35 percent.
“Network operators are targeting energy consumption reductions of up to 25 percent over the next decade and beyond, and CommScope is responding with the industry-first PowerShift solution,” said Stan Catey, senior vice president and general manager, Cable Products, CommScope. “PowerShift is specifically designed for the advanced cell site architectures used for 4G/LTE and beyond, and to help our customers increase battery backup time, save CapEx and/or OpEx and build future-ready networks.”
In the majority of macro cell site installations today, the operator has installed an RRU close to the antenna to decrease RF signal loss and achieve other performance benefits. Separated from the baseband unit, each RRU needs its own power, typically between 300-600 watts but which can exceed 1,000 watts. In this site architecture, power cables deliver the energy from the power distribution point, which is usually at the bottom of the tower.
CommScope’s PowerShift solution automatically delivers the most efficient voltage to the RRU, utilizing technology CommScope developed with the power supply experts at General Electric®. The innovative PowerShift solution requires no manual calibration when managing power supply. It is currently available for trial with general availability expected in the first quarter of 2016. The benefits for operators can include:
- Reduced capital expenditures through the use of smaller diameter power cables, especially the ones already deployed on-site in RRU upgrade scenarios
- Decreased operating expenditures due to lower overall power consumption, more efficient inventorying, standardized installation and lower shipping costs
- Decreased weight and wind load on towers with smaller diameter cables
- Extended RF battery uptime of up to 35 percent more by taking full advantage of the existing battery back-up system
Related Video:
PowerShift™ the industry’s first intelligent, plug-and-play dc power supply
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How to Make a Standardized Tower Top
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PowerShift is a trademark of CommScope, Inc. General Electric is a registered trademark of General Electric Company and used with permission.
About CommScope:
CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM) helps companies around the world design, build and manage their wired and wireless networks. Our vast portfolio of network infrastructure includes some of the world’s most robust and innovative wireless and fiber optic solutions. Our talented and experienced global team is driven to help customers increase bandwidth; maximize existing capacity; improve network performance and availability; increase energy efficiency; and simplify technology migration. You will find our solutions in the largest buildings, venues and outdoor spaces; in data centers and buildings of all shapes, sizes and complexity; at wireless cell sites; in telecom central offices and cable headends; in FTTx deployments; and in airports, trains, and tunnels. Vital networks around the world run on CommScope solutions.
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News Media Contact:
Bill Walter, CommScope
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This press release includes forward-looking statements that are based on information currently available to management, management’s beliefs, as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results to differ materially from those currently expected. In providing forward-looking statements, the company does not intend, and is not undertaking any obligation or duty, to update these statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: CommScope