Signal repeaters and boosters have shifted the conversation around network densification
Posted on October 13, 2020 by Pivotal Commware
It is widely accepted that to achieve the coverage and speeds promised by 5G, it will be necessary to increase network capacity via the addition of more cell sites. However, the level of network densification needed to keep up with increasing data demands poses its own set of problems, including — but not limited to — cost, policy and the sheer complexity of building out thousands of base stations.
While in some cases, there is no avoiding building an entire cell site, there will be a number of situations in which coverage can instead be supplied by signal amplifiers, such as repeaters or boosters. In fact, according to Pivotal Commware’s CEO Brian Deutsch, amplifiers have caused a shift in the conversation around network densification.
Specifically, repeaters that make use of beamforming technology could be used to offset the need for new base station buildouts. This has the potential to adding network density in terms of coverage, but not so much in terms of physical infrastructure, especially when it comes to the neediest spectrum: Millimeter wave.
Read the full article at RCR Wireless