Qualcomm is attempting to make it more economical for operators to make use of their millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum assets by introducing the Compact Macro 5G RAN platform that it says can boost the range of the cell site by up to 240%. This means that operators can deploy fewer outdoor base stations and dramatically reduce the cost of delivering services using mmWave spectrum.
The Compact Macro 5G RAN platform incorporates Qualcomm’s FSM200x small cell but also includes a macro-grade antenna module with 256 antenna elements that can deliver up to 60dBm of peak EIRP, which is a measure of RF power, and up to 1 GHz of spectrum. By combining the company’s small cell design with the macro cell antenna, the Compact Macro 5G RAN is able to extend the range of coverage but still maintain the small cell form factor and price, said Gerardo Giaretta, vice president of product management at Qualcomm Technologies.
Giaretta added that the smaller form factor of the Compact Macro 5G RAN platform allows it to be deployed on light poles, which previously had been limited to lower EIRP products. “This is a hybrid,” he noted, because it can be both deployed on light poles and rooftops, which had previously been where operators deployed high EIRP cell sites.
Qualcomm estimates that by deploying these compact macro cell sites as opposed to a traditional mmWave deployment, operators can cut their infrastructure costs in half. Giaretta said that this solves a major hurdle for operators that have been slow to deploy their mmWave spectrum assets because of the cost.
Some U.S. operators like Verizon and UScellular have deployed 5G in their mmWave spectrum and are using it to deliver FWA. Giaretta said that this product can be used for both fixed and mobile services but he views it as “a good solution for FWA service at the right cost structure.”
Qualcomm said the Compact Macro 5G RAN platform will be commercially available in 2023 with deployments in the field expected in the second half of 2023. “We already have customers lined up for this product,” Giaretta said.