CommScope announced the launch of new 3.5 GHz-capable antennas for macro and small cell densification to increase network capacity and migration to 5G.
Telecom operators deploying newly licensed spectrum bands can use CommScope’s 3.5 GHz-capable base station antennas to increase capacity in existing LTE networks and prepare for future 5G networks in 1999-2020.

CommScope will be presenting the 3.5 GHz-capable antennas for 5G at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2019) in Barcelona.

ABI Research earlier said while the use of mmWave is one of the most distinguishing features of 5G, the C-Band is emerging with the most global consensus for the timely launch of commercial 5G network in 2019.
CommScope 3.5 GHz-capable antennas support 3.5 GHz for macro cell and outdoor small cell deployments with a variety of single band and multiband options available, including beamforming.

This apart, CommScope 3.5 GHz-capable antennas enable spectral efficiencies with carrier aggregation, higher-order MIMO, interference management and beamtilt capabilities.

New antennas include:

# Sector antennas for macro cells with 2.3GHz beamforming

# Multiband antennas and combiners for macro cells with 1400 MHz support for use in the European Union

# Both 65° sector and quasi-omni small cell antennas

# Combiners and tower mounted amplifiers supporting 3.5GHz macro cell and small cell deployments

Iain Gillott, president of iGR, said: “3.5 GHz-capable base station antennas and RF path equipment for macro cell upgrades and outdoor small cell deployments will be critical for operators that are strained on network capacity.”

Farid Firouzbakht, senior vice president for Mobility Solutions at CommScope, said: “Supporting 3.5 GHz spectrum with antenna designs that additionally offer spectral efficiency are two ways CommScope’s 3.5 GHz-capable antennas open up new avenues of capacity to overburdened networks.”