Alcatel-Lucent plans to support CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision B (EVDO Rev B) capabilities for 3G CDMA networks. The Alcatel-Lucent EVDO Rev B solution is a software upgrade to existing EVDO base stations and allows EVDO radio carriers to be deployed in increments of 2.5 or 3.75 megahertz (MHz), as opposed to the 1.25 MHz increments supported today.
Alcatel-Lucent said that by deploying wider carriers, mobile operators could see a two- or three-fold improvement in the forward link peak data rates (6.2 Mbps for 2.5 MHz and 9.1 Mbps for 3.75 MHz). Peak data rates for the Reverse Link are improved proportionally (3.6 Mbps for 2.5 MHz and 5.4 Mbps for 3.75 MHz). Alcatel-Lucent’s implementation results in higher individual user throughputs across the entire footprint of the cell, resulting in the perception by the end-user of a more uniform data rate as they move through different areas of coverage.
The new EVDO Rev B solution is a simple software upgrade into any of the Alcatel-Lucent 1xEVDO Rev A capable Base Stations (formerly known as the CDMA Modular Cell base stations). EVDO Rev B-equipped Base Stations will retain backwards compatibility and continue to support 1xEVDO Rev A and Rev 0 mobile devices that are already deployed.
In addition, Alcatel-Lucent introduced a new distributed base station that supports CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) services.
This “zero footprint” distributed base station seamlessly integrates into existing networks and can be deployed in a wide array of physical locations such as utility poles, the sides of the buildings and tower tops, without taking up any floor space at an existing site, or with minimal space at a new site, thus minimizing real estate costs, a key expense for operators. The platform effectively separates baseband and radio frequency components into a baseband unit and remote radio heads (RRH) allowing a wide variety of configurations, and enabling different elements of the base station to be separated by miles. This provides exceptional flexibility for operators facing physical site constraints and site acquisition challenges, allowing them to provide seamless coverage to their subscribers. Alcatel-Lucent’s RRH products are fanless and offer a 50 percent improvement in power saving over earlier generation products.
Alcatel-Lucent also noted that it is the first company to adapt the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) specification to CDMA. It allows the company to better support customers by leveraging development across multiple wireless technologies (CDMA and W-CDMA), and support a smooth, and consistent evolution path to 4G. http://www.alcatel-lucent.com
