Nokia’s been working on some upgrades to its Wavence microwave portfolio, culminating in today’s introduction of new Wavence microwave solutions for 5G deployments in both urban and rural areas.
While it might seem as though fiber is all the craze these days, it can’t easily reach every single place. In some cases, microwave is the preferred option, being lower cost and having a faster time to market while being relatively easy to deploy, according to Nokia.
The latest addition to its Wavence portfolio is the UBT-m XP, a high-capacity E-Band radio for outdoor installations.
It’s a small, light form factor with the highest transmit power available on the market, making it ideal for urban microwave transport applications, Nokia said.
The E-Band is 71-76 and 81-86 GHz, standardized worldwide, commonly referred to as "80 GHz," but it’s always that range, said Nokia Microwave Radio Links VP Giuseppe Targia, noting that the E-Band is suitable for both urban and suburban environments.
With the new additions to Nokia’s portfolio, it means the link reach can be extended versus traditional systems. Moreover, E-Band can be used in conjunction with microwave spectrum (6-40 GHz), forming a Carrier Aggregation link, which can reach more than 10 kilometers in distance, Targia said.
Bringing stability to E-Band
Nokia also flagged an industry first in the launch of the Nokia SteadEband, a stabilized three-foot antenna designed to combat common E-Band issues such as tower vibrations and movement due to thermal effects.
Combined with the UBT-m XP, the SteadEband can increase the typical E-Band link distance by up to 50%, the Finnish vendor said, noting that in recent tests, Nokia demonstrated a 12-kilometer-long link using the Nokia UBT-m XP and the SteadEband antenna.
“It’s no secret that capacity and radio efficiency are driving the market," said Emmy Johnson, chief analyst at Sky Light Research, in a statement. “According to Sky Light Research’s latest forecast, the high-capacity E-band market is expected to grow north of 60 percent in 2023.”
Johnson added that the sustainability and power metrics of Nokia’s latest products are impressive, as they not only lower the total cost of ownership but also help meet climate change guidelines.