5G / LTE: Designing and Deploying HetNet Infrastructure

Growing consumer mobile bandwidth demand, increasing connectivity for IoT and sensor devices for smart city applications, along with emerging applications like Augmented Reality (AR) and self-driving cars, among others, are taxing the limits of what today’s LTE networks can deliver. As a result, industry leaders like the 5G Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership (5G-PPP) have joined forces to drive upgrade of mobile networks globally. Fundamental to this initiative is the goal to broadly enable various industries’ use of 5G mobile networks to enhance productivity and simplify operations through high bandwidth connectivity.

On the network infrastructure, 5G requires new technologies and solutions to deliver an order of magnitude higher capacity, performance, and functions at a fraction of the cost (on a per bit basis) than ever before, driving new solutions from equipment manufacturers to meet these new requirements.

To deliver high bandwidth and low latency, 5G is set to utilize a diverse range of spectrum. On the lower end, 5G will certainly use classic LTE frequencies at < 2.5GHz. In addition, 5G will stretch this to 3.5GHz and, in some cases, all the way to 6GHz. On the higher end, many carriers are planning to implement 5G connectivity at classic microwave (28GHz and 32GHz) as well as stretching to millimeter waves (V band and E band – up to 71GHz).

5G RAN (Radio Access Network) is expected to take advantage of multiple form factors – like macro cell and small cells – further driving the HetNet (Heterogeneous Networks) concept that started during the LTE deployment cycle.

Beyond wireless, 5G mobile networks will also drive upgrade of wired access, backhaul and core networks of most of the telecom carriers around the world.

Microsemi has been at the forefront to deliver technology and products that meet stringent demands of 5G. Microsemi enables equipment manufacturers to design equipment, and carriers to deploy them, for 5G networks. Specifically, Microsemi offers:

• Very high accuracy synchronization of various network nodes through packet sync technologies like IEEE 1588
• Extremely low power consumption FPGAs for radio unit (RU) and microwave modems
• Highly integrated and optimized Ethernet solutions, including:

• Lowest power Ethernet switches with full MEF feature suite for eCPRI, Ethernet or OTN-based RAN transport
• ns-accurate time stamping Ethernet PHYs, with or without 256-bit AES MACsec

Tier 1 OEMs designing and deploying wireless infrastructure widely use Microsemi products in multiple equipment types ranging from macro base stations, small cells, microwave backhaul and RAN transport, including fronthaul / midhaul / backhaul.

Explore Microsemi’s portfolio for designing and deploying 5G networks:

 
As a long-time supplier to the aerospace, communications, defense/security and industrial industries, Microsemi offers one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios of semiconductor technology. Microsemi is well-known for its high-performance analog and mixed-signal solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability, and performance. Leveraging our technology and expertise, we can help drive innovation in your next-generation network equipment designs that address your carrier customers’ needs.

Contact your local Microsemi sales office today to find the right technologies and products to solve your next-gen wireless network equipment design and deployment challenges.