[Video] 5G Macrocell Connectivity

5G macrocell connectivity is challenging. The need of multiGbps capacity at distances that can not be reached with E-Band call for a unique microwave solution. One that supports wide channels, multicarrier all-outdoor configuration and that can allow you to easily upgrade your existing infrastructure to support the 5G macrocell connectivity challenge.

5G Macrocell connectivity

Hi, everyone and welcome back to the Backhaul Lounge. We have Ulik with us today. Hi Ulik, thank you for joining. Ulik, today we're going to talk about 5G, but specifically, about 5G macrocell connectivity, right?

Okay.

So, what's so special about the challenge of connectivity of 5G macrocells?

So, if you look at the capacity requirements of 5G RAN, 5G radio networks, if you look at the capacity that the operators want to provide to their own customers, subscribers, like you and me, then you will see that the capacity implication on the backhaul is much higher than we're used to in the back days of LTE and 4G networks. If we were used to a few hundred Mbps, now we're talking about one, two and sometimes even up to four and five Gbps. Now this is a significantly higher capacity requirement, and if you take into consideration that the distance of these transmission links between the base stations, sometimes they go to one, two and even more kilometers, this is indeed a challenge.

Okay, and it's a challenge because typically, we talk about multi-Gbps connectivity and wireless connectivity.

We talk about millimeter wave, we talk about E-Band and in macrocells we are reaching the distance in which e-Band is less efficient.
So, what is the solution?
Because we don't want to go with fiber everywhere, we need some kind of microwave based solution, right?
Yes.
So if you look at the millimeter wave, the distance is limited as you mentioned, and we needed another different solution.
And now Ceragon has this different solution!
Wow, what a surprise!
Ulik, please tell us about the new IP-50C quad-carrier solution, right?
Yes. So Ceragon now has a solution, has a radio in a microwave which can go to a few kilometers, it is less limited than the millimeter wave and can reach multiple Gbps.
And you may ask how, and why, how come?
So I will tell you.
Ceragon IP-50C is really an innovative radio, innovative all-outdoor radio that can do a few things that no other radio in the industry can do.
One, it could go to very wide channels, up to 224 MHz channels, so in one box ,two carriers of 224 MHz channels can reach 4 Gbps.
2nd value is - Ceragon IP-50C can connect two boxes in one installation, in one simple installation
using layer 1 aggregation, meaning very efficient aggregation.
So Ulik, this is an all-outdoor solution, right?
So you put two boxes, connect them and direct them to 1 antenna and go up with what, a single cable?
Single cable, reaching up to eight Gbps in one installation.
One simple installation.
Wow. This is indeed unique and Ulik, what about non greenfield, like brownfield that has existing infrastructure.
Do they need to replace everything and put the new infrastructure in place or is there an easy evolution or upgrade path using the IP-50C?
Well Dudy, this is a great question, very good question.
All the studies show that in the next few years, most off 5G installation will use existing 4G nodes, 4G base station, sites.
So if we can reach a solution that can use, that can leverage, the existing links without dismantling them without installing them again, this is a great advantage.
So the IP-50C indeed is doing exactly that.
You can take an existing link, it can be a Ceragon link, it can be any other third-party link, and you can bring two units of IP-50C, connect them to the existing link and actually use the existing installation.
And without a lot of time of putting in cables and antennas, you can actually increase the capacity
of the existing link by a few Gbps.
Very easy, all-outdoor installation.
Wow, so, Ulik, let me just summarize in order to verify that I understood all these huge benefits of the IP-50C.
So we're talking about 5G macrocell connectivity which needs a lot of capacity, and for distances that are not the typical E-Band distances of a few 100 meters, so need a microwave solution.
So the IP-50C first of all can use wider channels up to 224 MHz so we can get four Gbps in a two-plus-zero configuration in one box.
But more than that, if we need more, then we can take two boxes in an all-outdoor configuration
and connect them to single antenna in direct mount and have a single cable because we have the layer 1 carrier bonding between them.
And that also means that we have more all-outdoor scenarios.
So more sites can be all-outdoor, with all the benefits off faster site acquisition, etcetera, etcetera,
and the last thing I think it's the most appealing feature is that if you have an existing network,
which most probably you have, you can upgrate it without replacing everything.
You can simply disconnect the cable from the existing node, connect it to the IP-50C and the IP-50C will take care of this multicarrier, multiband, just like we do with all the IP-50 radios and even the IP-20E.
So this is a feature that is across all Ceragon radios, that allows you to upgrade existing nodes without hassle of replacing the infrastructure and throwing away a radio that you paid a lot for just a couple of years ago.
Exactly, and it is available today.
Wow okay, so guys and girls, hurry - phone lines are open.
Make sure you have ordered your IP-50C.
Thank you very much Ulik for joining us today.
Thank you for watching.
Stay tuned for the next episode of The Backhaul Lounge.

Bye bye.

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