Information Classification: General

Finding the Best Antenna Approach

for Successful 5G Deployments
December 11, 2019 | 10am London

Information Classification: General

 Today’s Presenters

Wei Shi Pedro Torres

Colin Bryce
Intelligence Content Director of Mobility Network
Director of Mobile Network
Manager Engineering for Global
Engineering
Telecoms.com Strategic Accounts
CommScope
CommScope

Information Classification: General

Finding the Best Antenna Approach for
Successful 5G Deployments Colin Bryce
Director Mobile Network Engineering
 5G Other
2G
5%
5G is Happening 15%
20%
and Growing
Projected Technology
Mix in 2025 3G
4G 28%
• 55 Global 5G Networks by 60%
EoY 2019
- 12 in Asia/Australia
- 21 in Europe
- 14 in MEA
70%
- 8 in Americas
60%
• Mainly based on 3.5GHz 50%
bands (n78 / TDD) 5G Penetration %
40%
30%
• Initial mmWave in 2025 20%
deployments in USA on 10%
28GHz (n261) 0%
South USA Japan Europe China
Korea
Source: CommScope Analysis
& GSMA
4 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 Is 5G a Revolution
or an Evolution?
Large-Scale Arrays or Massive
• 5G is a product of the ITU – MIMO
IMT2020 Vision and
requirements, designed to
support RU
- New Bands CU DU RU
- Better Performance
RU
- Multiple use cases Dynamic Frequency -
Flexible Architecture Time Framing
• 3GPP developed the 5G-NR
radio standards to deliver the
IMT-2020 vision as an
evolution from 4G-LTE RANs
based on both new and
updated concepts and
technology
Scalable mmWave New Channel Coding
Numerology methods
5 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 Technical Innovation
• RF Technology light enough and efficient enough
to mount at the Tower top
• Digital processing capable of performing the
numerous Complex manipulations needed
• Deployment at higher frequencies keep array
sized to a manage level
Industry Support More Capacity
• Large body of Academic support for Ultimate Performance Benefits In • Urban Networks reaching capacity
performance benefits The Field Have Not Yet Been Fully • Limited available spectrum in the < 3GHz space
• Built into 3GPP standards process Demonstrated • Network Densification is expensive (and
• Supply chain developed to enable OEM delivery difficult)
More Coverage
• Desire to support higher spectrum bands
current macro cell grids
• Need to deploy 5G NR beyond the dense urban
environment
• mmWave offers very large capacity but poor
propagation

Massive-MIMO:
Why is it Happening Now?
6 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 • Beamforming techniques (incorporating Beam-steering)
This involved a combination of local power combination at the desired
Massive-MIMO: UE and possibly clearing constructive nulls at potential interferers
What is it? • Exploitation of spatial-diversity to increase capacity
This utilizes the multipath nature of ground level radio propagation to
send multiple streams of data on the same time-frequency domain
M-MIMO utilizes various
techniques and architectures to
exploit the cumulative effect of
large numbers of radiator
element in an antenna but
these can generally be taken in
two broad categories

7 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.

 Dipole Cross Pol Element

Simplest antenna element Two Dipoles

Transmits in one polarization Transmits in two polarization

Cross Pol Column

Stacked Elements Antenna Array
Transmits a flatter pattern
Side-by-Side Columns
Generates Horizontal Beams

Transceivers Added
Each sub array is connected
to 2 TRX (1 per pol)
mMIMO Array
Array divided into sub-Array
Sub-Array geometry determines the
angular coverage area
x2

The total number of

Transceivers gives the xT/xR
count
Multiple m-MIMO x2
configurations exist

The Anatomy of a massive MIMO Antenna

8 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 Listening to many discussions on m-MIMO it often seems that
the number of Tx/Rx is the only metric of consequence; Other
things matter as well:
• The antenna aperture size
• Total antenna element number and geometry
• Sub-Array geometry
• The analogue RF performance of the antenna array (e.g.
Coupling, X-Pol Discrimination)
• Yes – No of TRX
• Digital processing performance
- Adaptive “transmission mode” selection
- High performing beamforming and MIMO algorithms
- Appropriate scheduling
• Physical and electrical parameters

What’s Important?
9 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 MIMO
Spectrum Clutter Financials 4T4R
Frequency Bands Buildings & Population Cost & Revenue

=
MIMO BF
8T8R

+ +
High Rise
<1 GHz (FD BF) Low
MaMIMO BF
Urban/Suburbs
1.4-6 GHz (AZ/FD BF) Mid-High 16T16R*
Rural
>6 GHz (AZ BF)
Hotspots MaMIMO BF
32TR-64TR

*Potentially provided by passive BF.

Configuration Selection Factors

 Finding the Best Antenna Approach for
Successful 5G Deployments

Pedro Torres Martos

Director of Mobility Network Engineering
for Global Strategic Accounts
Information Classification: General
 N+1 1+1 All In One
(Maintain existing antennas for legacy + (Consolidate into single antenna for legacy + (Consolidate existing bands +
new antenna for 5G NR) new antenna for 5G NR) 5G NR into one single antenna)

Top box
with active
or passive
Active antenna
antenna

OR
+ OR

+
Passive
antenna

Legacy/Existing
passive antennas Legacy/Existing
at the site Legacy/Existing antennas antennas at the site
Legacy/Existing antennas at the site consolidated into one at the site consolidated consolidated into one
passive antenna for legacy bands / technologies and into one passive antenna modular antenna (two
potential evolution including 5G bands too modules) including 5G
bands too

5G Upgrade Paths
No “one size fits all” (each operator may choose one or several upgrade paths)
12 PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL © 2017 CommScope, Inc.
 5G NR spectrum (target 5G terminal Subscriber data
100MHz in 3.5GHz) penetration evolution consumption evolution

MU-MIMO
domain (*)

SU-MIMO domain

Single 5G band
Multiple 5G bands domain (5G NR CA)
domain

NSA domain
SA domain (Revolutionary 5G)
(Evolutionary 5G)

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

5G Domains
(*) MU-MIMO used in highly loaded sites (high PRB utilization), non bursty traffic and good SINR conditions
 Key selection criteria:
• Coverage (NSA and SA)
• Capacity
• OPEX (energy cost)
• Time to benefits
• EMF considerations
• Elevation plane beamforming
• Impact on existing technologies/sites
• Deployment constraints
• Antenna or site sharing strategies
• Predictability
• TCO and business case

A Toolbox of Passive and Active Solutions is Required for 5G

14 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 The 5G Coverage
Challenge at 3.5GHz
TDD
In 3.5 GHz, there exists a
large uplink and downlink
coverage gap due to two
main reasons
• Difference in RF power
between the UE and base
station (approx. 20dB)
• TDD ratio: which allows to NOTE: 5G NR control channels (PUCCH and PDCCH)
allocate more coverage must be able to support 1Mbps DL and
transmission slots to DL 30kbps UL throughput at cell age (MCL=143dB)
than UL. It reduces the
effective total power in UL
vs. DL (6-7dB vs FDD DL)

Source: GSMA, 5G Implementation Guidelines March 2019

15 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 NSA Mode SA Mode
Two Scenarios to Non-Standalone Standalone

Study Coverage:

NSA And SA Or Single

Band Vs. Multiple
Bands With NR-NR
Carrier Aggregation
• The UE has two simultaneous UL
connections (LTE and 5G RAN
networks respectively)
• It provides a safe deployment of 5G
since LTE provides all the support
needed for mobility, connection
management, etc. thanks to its
continuous coverage
• Typically a single band is deployed
for 5G (e.g 3.5GHz) although several
also possible
16 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
• The UE can be connected to the 5G
RAN network and 5G Core without
anchoring on the existing LTE network
• Target architecture for most
operators but it requires a continuous
coverage of 5G
• Expected to be first deployed in Asia
• Typically multiple bands (e.g.
700MHz, 3.5GHz, 2100MHz, …) are
deployed for 5G
Source - figures: GSMA, 5G Implementation Guidelines March 2019
 Capacity

• Immediate SU-MIMO capacity

gains from Massive MIMO come
from the improved SINR in the
system
• MU-MIMO gains depend on
multiple variables (UE distribution,
SINR distribution, traffic
burstiness, etc.) which may be Source: GSMA, 5G Implementation Guidelines March 2019

difficult to predict at this early

stage
• The value to operators of
Capacity 64T64R 64T64R 8T8R 8T8R
enhanced capacity with Massive
breakdown MU-MIMO SU-MIMO MU-MIMO SU-MIMO
MIMO will be larger in the future
when additional capacity is Urban (*) 3 1.5 1.5 1
required
(*) CommScope’s internal estimations

17 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.

 • Operator’s electricity bill
can rise significantly
when using Massive
MIMO active antennas
compared to 8T8R radios
• In Europe, the estimated
increase in the annual
electricity bill for a 3
sector site with 64T64R
vs 8T8R ranges between
1500-3000 EUR (500-
700W)

Note: Electricity prices in EU and other regions can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/epc_report_final_1.pdf

OPEX Electricity Bill

18 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 Massive MIMO
Elevation domain
?
Elevation beamforming adds complexity
and cost Most subscribers served by one beam
• Increased number of TRXs/filters

?
Scanning/beamforming angular range
determined by subarray size
• Example: 2V elements -> less than 30º
scanning range total
• Large quantization lobes driven by
length of subarrays

Added value/gain expected in short ISD

and high rise scenarios
Even distribution of subscribers
• Scanning range in elevation matching per beam
the subscriber distribution

Less value expected in European

urban/suburban scenarios
• Subscribers may be confined in a subset
of the scanning range

19 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.

 • Multiple operators in all
regions planning to
deploy 5G 8T8R at TDD
<6GHz bands
commercially in any
scenario (dense urban,
urban and rural)
• 8T8R radios and 5G NR
SW commercially
available in
Q4’19/Q1’20
• Massive MIMO
solutions will also be
deployed as part of the
5G toolbox
Explicit interest or actual deployments in 5G 8T8R TDD <6GHz

5G 8T8R in TDD Bands Gaining Momentum

20 © 2019 CommScope, Inc.
 CommScope’s Presence
in 5G Deployments in
Europe
• European operators are now
deploying FDD/TDD 8T8R
and/or standalone 8T8R
antennas for 3.4-3.8GHz band
to be used in their 5G
commercial deployments in
Q4 2019 and during 2020
• Initial pre-commercial and 5G
NR technology trials tend to
use Massive MIMO
equipment
• Major rollouts will be based
on active(M-MIMO), passive
(8T8R) and modular
(active/passive) solutions

5G 8T8R launched commercially in networks with Expected 5G 8T8R deployments

21 © 2019 CommScope, Inc. CommScope’s passive antennas in 2020
 • A toolbox of passive and active solutions is
required for 5G
• Multiple criteria need to be evaluated to
identify target sites/scenarios for M-MIMO and
extract its full potential to justify the additional
Summary investment
• 8T8R offers a competitive coverage and
capacity solution in mid TDD 5G bands that can
be complemented with other FDD/TDD bands
• 5G NR 8T8R radios and antennas now available
in the market and in deployment by multiple
operators
Thank you
 Q&A

Wei Shi Pedro Torres Colin Bryce

Intelligence Content Director of Mobility Network Director of Mobile Network
Manager Engineering for Global Engineering
Telecoms.com Strategic Accounts CommScope
CommScope

Information Classification: General