TE Connectivity and Alcatel-Lucent Develop Innovative Solution to Cut the Costs of Delivering Mobile Ultra-Broadband Access in Large Public Venues

TE Connectivity and Alcatel-Lucent reduce the equipment and power needed to connect multiple mobile operators’ networks to a shared Distributed Antenna System in stadiums, business parks and stations

FlexWave CDIU card in TE's digital DAS host (Photo: Business Wire)

Mobile World Congress 2014

MINNEAPOLIS--()--TE Connectivity (TEL) and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU), world leaders in electronic connectivity, have developed a solution allowing mobile operators to reduce the time, materials and power required to connect customers in high-capacity locations such as sports stadiums, train stations and business parks. The solution delivers the first of its kind common digital interface between the Alcatel-Lucent mobile Ultra-Broadband access portfolio and the TE FlexWave, digital Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). It will be available for commercial deployment during the second quarter of 2014.

DAS networks deliver enhanced coverage and capacity to subscribers in high-traffic locations. With the ability to support multiple service providers across multiple technologies and multiple frequency bands – the TE FlexWave (Prism & Spectrum) digital DAS products enable huge efficiencies for operators. However, even with the efficiencies of TE’s DAS, the DAS still needs to connect to the macro network, which previously required each operator’s base station to be equipped with RF processing and attenuation panels.

The Alcatel-Lucent and TE pre-integrated solution removes the need for RF processing and attenuation panels on site which reduces physical equipment by more than 50% and cost of materials by 40%. Additional cost savings will also be achieved by using less power (equipment consumption & cooling), space and fiber utilization, resulting in operational improvements and meeting sustainability demands. By deploying the new solution in large, high-traffic shared-operator venues, mobile operators will be able to meet demand for coverage and capacity while lowering their cost of ownership.

Key Facts

  • Alcatel-Lucent and TE Connectivity are teaming up to save costs and power for operators deploying bandwidth in a private shared-operator location owned by a third party – such as sports stadiums or hotel complexes or wherever DAS may already be supplying multi-vendor coverage.
  • Pre-integrated solution cuts the time and space required to deliver mobile ultra-broadband connectivity at these locations.
  • Interoperability has been developed at the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) between the Alcatel-Lucent lightRadio™ Baseband Unit (BBU) and TE Digital DAS.
  • Alcatel-Lucent will provide a CPRI interface that plugs directly into the FlexWave universal host.
  • This is the first solution of its type. TE’s digital DAS is a patented technology – the only DAS that can accept a direct baseband interface along with legacy RF services over a single DAS network.
  • This solution allows customers to migrate their existing ALU and TE solutions to CPRI and support legacy services and can be applied to existing FlexWave deployments.

Quotes:

Peter Wraight, vice president and general manager of TE’s Wireless said: “This innovation makes DAS even more efficient for our customers and takes advantage of TE’s proven and unique digital transport for wireless services. Our digital DAS solutions already offer unmatched density, capacity management, scale, and performance, and the cooperation with ALU for CPRI interoperability adds to that by creating a more efficient network for our customers.”

Glenn Booth, vice president & general manager, LTE Business Unit and Wireless Strategy, Alcatel-Lucent said, "Wireless operators are leveraging new technologies to provide Ultra-Broadband wireless experiences for their subscribers while accommodating an ever-growing demand for capacity and speed. Alcatel-Lucent continues to focus on delivering comprehensive solutions with which to build those networks, including 3G, 4G, Small Cells, and Wi-Fi for outdoor, indoor, and venue applications. We are pleased to work with TE Connectivity to significantly evolve and enhance DAS solutions and add that to our portfolio of Ultra-Broadband wireless and IP network solutions."

TE will showcase the FlexWave CPRI digital interface unit at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, from February 24-27, 2014, in booth 6B52.

About TE Connectivity

TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $13 billion world leader in connectivity. The company designs and manufactures products at the heart of electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, healthcare, and aerospace and defense. TE Connectivity’s long-standing commitment to innovation and engineering excellence helps its customers solve the need for more energy efficiency, always-on communications and ever-increasing productivity. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, TE Connectivity makes connections the world relies on to work flawlessly every day. To connect with the company, visit: www.TE.com.

TE Connectivity, TE connectivity (logo), TE (logo), FlexWave and FlexWave Prism are trademarks.

All other logos, products and/ or company names referred to herein might be trademarks of their respective owners.

©2014 TE Connectivity Ltd. company. All rights reserved.

Contacts

Media Relations and Product Communications:
TE Connectivity
Danah Ditzig, 612-210-1023
Senior Marketing Manager
danah.ditzig@te.com

Release Summary

TE Connectivity introduces the first CPRI interface to their digital DAS systems in a collaboration with ALU to save time, space, and money for multi-band, multi-operator wireless access.

Contacts

Media Relations and Product Communications:
TE Connectivity
Danah Ditzig, 612-210-1023
Senior Marketing Manager
danah.ditzig@te.com