Pole-Mounted Base Stations for WiMAX Networks

 Solving the Problem of Insufficient Sites While Lowering Engineering Costs

The acquisition of suitable sites for equipment installation plays an important role in speeding up network deployment and can save on investment. Traditionally, mobile operators have installed their macro Base Stations (BSs) in shelters or houses. When building a new network, they may consider using these existing sites. Most new operators, however, lack such sites and require simple installation solutions to reduce the number of shelters and equipment rooms. In this way, they can rapidly bring their network into operation while lowering investment costs.

Operators face the following problems when planning to build a new site:

■    For operators with existing sites: They have insufficient space on poles for more antennas, insufficient space in equipment rooms for more racks, or insufficient space in racks for more equipment. They aim to make the most of their existing sites.

■    For operators that lack sufficient sites: They hope that radio equipment has a small footprint, is lightweight, and requires little of its installation environment. If so, they can install equipment in any site, thus reducing site rent and the amount of labor involved in installation.

■    Installation difficulties have long been an issue for operators. Most 2G and 3G macro base stations have high requirements of their installation environments. Air conditioners, for example, are required in equipment rooms or shelters. Renting equipment rooms demands much coordination work and the rent is often very high. Shelters must also be transported by large cranes, which require significant amounts of money and manpower.

Tailored to operators’ diverse needs, ZTE’s pole-mounted base stations have effectively solved problems that plague operators during network construction. This solution is more than a product solution; it is a total solution covering product design, logistics, engineering, and installation. It can reduce installation time by more than 50%, reduce installation expense by more than 30%, and requires half the number of installation engineers by virtue of the features detailed below.

Division into installation packages

In ZTE’s pole-mounted base station, all equipment (including cables) is divided into several installation packages. One installation engineer can carry each installation package without using any auxiliary tools. (According to international standards, the maximum weight-bearing capacity of one person is 40 kg. Auxiliary tools are required if one person is required to carry a load more than this).

■   Base station package

The base station installation package includes outdoor Remote Radio Units (RRUs) or integrated BSs. One site (containing three sectors) has three BSs, and each BS weighs less than 15kg. Therefore, the package can be installed in a location by a single person without the need for auxiliary tools.

■   Antenna package

Antennas for the three sectors are less than 30kg.

■   Cable package

This package includes cables and installation materials. During equipment production and packaging, each sector is equipped with one cable package. The weight of each box is less than 10kg.

■   Cabinet package

Devices such as the Indoor Unit (IDU), Baseband Unit (BBU), and power supply can be installed in a small outdoor cabinet. ZTE’s tailored small outdoor cabinet can be mounted on a pole. It weighs less than 15kg and has a height of 600mm.

Easy installation engineering

To speed up installation engineering, the base stations can be customized according to the size and weight of the installation packages. Installation engineering includes the following steps:

■    Step 1: Transporting equipment to the site;

■    Step 2: Carrying equipment to the place of installation;

■    Step 3: Installing the equipment.

ZTE’s pole-mounted base station significantly simplifies these steps. Due to the compactness of the equipment, Step 1 can be completed by a single worker in any vehicle. In Step 2, the worker can shift all equipment to the top of a building or tower by himself (unlike 2G or 3G macro BSs, which have to be carried by cranes or by multiple people). Similarly, in Step 3, only a single worker is needed to complete installation.

Flexible installation modes

Where new poles are built or there is enough space on existing 2G/3G poles (see Figure 1), the base stations and microwave transmission devices can be mounted on these poles.

Where there is no space on the poles, base stations can be mounted on a wall, pillar, or other surface (see Figure 2). This enhances installation flexibility and eliminates the need for new poles.

Power supplies and batteries are required at new sites. Power supplies can be installed in a small outdoor cabinet, and mounted on a pole. Due to their size and weight, batteries can be placed near the sites.

ZTE’s pole-mounted base stations allow for flexible installation as they reduce dependence on specialized equipment rooms. They also allow operators to more than halve their transportation expenses. Because the need for purchasing shelters and air conditioners is eliminated, the site cost is reduced by more than 60%. With its customized, easy-to-follow installation packages, only one or two workers are needed to finish the installation of a site, thus reducing labor expenses by at least 30% and doubling the speed of the installation process.