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Demands for wireless data are growing all the time, with heavier use of media streaming and data transfers leading to huge increases in the amount of bandwidth required.
Indeed, one report from Bell Labs suggests that by 2020, as much as 80 per cent of network traffic will consist of audio and video streaming. By the same time, there will be as many as 20 billion connected Internet of Things devices in use that will also need to send data.
In order to cope with this, wireless operators are looking to expand the range of spectrum they utilise, thereby increasing the capacity of their wireless networks. But in order to take advantage of this, hardware will have to be able to access these new frequency bands.
Therefore, CommScope has introduced a new range of Ultra-Wideband antennas that are ready to support the next generation of wireless networks in both Europe and the US. These support the latest 1400 MHz and 600 MHz bands that have been released for use by cellular networks. The firm has already delivered these Ultra-Wideband solutions to a major European operator.
Many providers across Europe have already received licences to operate in these bands, which will help maintain high download speeds and offer network users a better overall experience. The challenge is therefore to provide the right hardware infrastructure quickly in order to ensure there are no delays in taking advantage of this spectrum.
"Speed to market is a critical success factor for network operators in today's competitive wireless industry," said Upendra Pingle, vice-president, Base Station Antennas, CommScope. "CommScope prides itself on responding to real market demand quickly, ready to help our wireless customers deploy their valuable spectrum holdings as rapidly as possible."
CommScope's Ultra-Wideband antenna provides operators with access to the full spectrum of 1427 to 2690 MHz. Unlike other offerings, it has separate inputs for the 1400 MHz band, enabling downtilt for just that band, while still offering 4x2 and 4x4 MIMO capability on the 1800, 2100, 2300 and 2600 MHz bands without increasing the size of the antenna.
Meanwhile, the 600 MHz Ultra-Wideband antenna aimed at the US market, where frequencies in this spectrum are currently being auctioned, offers improved narrow beamwidth performance, which CommScope says gives it excellent pattern containment, roll off and sector overlap control.
"These pattern characteristics reduce interference, boost network capacity and enable operators to get the most from their spectral investments. CommScope expects to begin trials of the 600 MHz Ultra-Wideband antennas this year," the company continued.
As well as supporting the new spectrum, CommScope's Ultra-Wideband antennas major frequency bands are already being used globally, which will enable operators to provide a variety of services from the same antennas. "Network operators typically need such multi-faceted network equipment in order to support the numerous wireless technologies and devices in use today," CommScope stated.
