Talley Inc

Like the roots of a well-established tree, op cal fiber has, over me, penetrated every part of the wireless operator's network— from the backbone and core to the access network. Its high-speed high-bandwidth capabili es make fiber the ideal medium to handle the tsunami of data the world produces and consumes daily. With the introduc on of the remote radio head (RRH), which decoupled the transmit and receive func ons from the radio and moved them closer to the antennas on the tower, fiber began being deployed up the tower. That was about 12 years ago, and fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) has been a core enabling technology ever since. Today, as 5G deployments con nue to ramp up (expected to increase 17 percent CAGR through 2028 i ), FTTA architectures play a cri cal role in helping mobile network operators (MNOs) expand and evolve their network services. However, the pace of change in end-user data demands and the network's need for improved capacity, bandwidth, and latency performance have led to more complex and crowded RF environments atop the tower. Network operators need their FTTA solu ons to deliver more than high-speed, high-bandwidth performance. These solu ons are being judged on their ability to help contain site deployment costs, accelerate return on investment, and make it easier to onboard addi onal capacity and new technologies as they become available. Installa on me. As 5G macro networks are deployed, speed to site turn-up is cri cal for wireless operators to start realizing revenues. FTTA installa ons can be complex and me-consuming— slowing down deployments and increasing the likelihood of installa on errors. Wireless operators need solu ons that offer reliable, repeatable processes that simplify cable management, streamline installa ons and shorten me to revenue. Tower loading. FTTA relies on both fiber communica on cable and copper power cable. Taken separately, that can add up to significant added load on the tower. It takes a specific kind of cabling to bring fiber to the antennas—and power them— without adding load (and lease costs) to the picture. Upgradeability. A third problem is how to ensure an open and seamless path for con nued network growth. This problem has two sides. First, to ensure room on the tower for addi onal future antennas and remote radio units (RRUs), operators must do everything possible to economize their current space u liza on. Second, they must priori ze, to a certain extent, the ability of their network infrastructure to easily and quickly grow and adapt. Environmental responsibility. Whether governed by regulatory authori es or simply a ma er of corporate goals, environmental impact will almost certainly be a factor. This specifically relates to the materials going on the tower—their content and sourcing. Going beyond the discrete FTTA model Recent improvements in tradi onal discrete FTTA solu ons have helped move the needle on some of MNOs' key concerns (see Part 1 of this blog series). But, given the escala on of 5G deployments in both the macro and small cell networks, the industry must do more to keep ahead of the demand. CommScope's Outdoor Wireless Network (OWN) segment has been heavily involved in the development of new architectures designed to speed up deployment while reducing tower loads and advancing customers' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. Among our efforts are two solu ons, now available, that are helping to make a significant impact on our customers' bo om-line performance. HELIAX® Trunk-to-Breakout Box FTTA solu on The HELIAX Trunk-to-Breakout Box design gives MNOs the agility, speed and accelerated deployment needed to keep pace with their network's evolu on. Instead of many discrete homerun fibers and cables, the solu on uses a single trunk cable containing up to 32 fibers and 16 power conductors that Changes on the tower demand new FTTA strategies (Part 2) Talleycom.com SHEET QUARTER 4 2023

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