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Tradionally, distributed antenna systems (DAS) have used an RF interface to connect the DAS host unit

to mobile operator base staons. This necessitates the use of RF conversion, aenuaon, and interface

components such as radio heads and integraon panels, which require power, space, and cooling.

CommScope’s CPRI Digital Interface Unit (CDIU) eliminates RF interface equipment in a DAS head-end.

CDIU enables a direct digital interface with a mobile operator’s base band unit (BBU) into the DAS, thereby

eliminang the power, space, and cooling resources needed for RF interface equipment and improving the

business case for DAS deployments.

Challenge: Saving space, lowering

CapEx and OpEx

Mobile operators, neutral host operators, and venue owners are

connually challenged to reduce the space required for DAS head-

end deployments and to lower operaonal expenses (OPEX). DAS

installaons evolve over me, adding new frequency bands or

technologies to improve service for venue visitors, but head-end

space is limited. Using RF interface equipment can add hundreds of

square feet to head-end space requirements, and many venues may

not have the space, power, nor cooling necessary to support network

upgrades/addions.

At the same me, racks of RF conversion and aenuaon equipment

require power and cooling. One radio head uses approximately 350

was of power, and each BBU requires mulple radio heads – one

for each sector being served by the DAS. This equipment requires

HVAC resources because it throws o heat as part of the RF

generaon and aenuaon processes.

As a result, using RF interface equipment worsens the business case

for mobile operators, neutral hosts, and venue owners. Racks of RF

equipment take up precious space in a DAS head-ends or Central

Oces, and this equipment costs thousands of dollars to power and

cool every year.

Soluon: CommScope CDIU

CommScope’s CDIU establishes a direct, digital interface between

CommScope FlexWave DAS soluons and base staons in the

Alcatel-Lucent mobile Ultra-Broadband lightRadio porolio. This

eliminates the need for RF interface and aenuaon equipment,

saving space, power, and cooling resources to improve the business

case for DAS operators.

Consider a deployment consisng of 38 sectors (17 shared by two

operators and 21 used by each operator individually) supporng four

frequency bands: 700, 850, 1900 and 2100 MHz.

CapEx savings

RF conversion and aenuaon equipment represents a signi cant

capital expense in the head- end. By deploying CDIU and eliminang

radio heads and point-of-interface equipment at the head-end, the

deployment took costs down from $2.7 million to $1.7 million, a

36 percent savings.

Space savings

Floor space is at a premium in many DAS head-ends and central

oces. Tradional RF soluon occupies over 740 square feet of

oor space (at $500 per square foot, total build-out cost), cosng

roughly $374,000 per year. The CDIU soluon occupies only 81

square feet of oor space, cosng roughly $40,000 per year—an

89 percent savings.

Energy savings

In the DC power plant, it costs about $145,000 per year for an

RF deployment versus $26,000 per year for a CDIU deployment –

an 80% savings. Overall OPEX for energy costs was reduced from

$165,000 to $43,000 – a savings of 74 percent.

Reduced deployment me

By eliminang racks of RF equipment (RRHs and condioning panels)

and enabling a simple ber interface between BBUs and CDIUs, the

CDIU signicantly reduces deployment and commissioning me.

Engineers turned up the CDIU-fed DAS in a few hours, versus the

days it would have taken to turn up an RF-fed DAS.

SIMPLIFY

CPRI D

AS eliminates

edundant RF ampliﬁ ers

and int

egration panels

ALL

OTHER

DAS

FLEXWAVE

CPRI DAS

SAVE

Cost savings estimates from

a Bell Labs use case of a high

capacity, multi-operator v

enue

FLEXWAVE

CPRI DAS

ALL

OTHER

DAS

Simplify

CPRI DAS eliminates

redundant RF ampliers

and integraon panels

Cost savings esmates from a Bell

Labs use case of a high capacity,

mul-operator venue

ALL

OTHER

DAS

ALL

OTHER

DAS

FLEXWAVE

CPRI DAS

FLEXWAVE

CPRI DAS

Save