EasyRET Solution
EasyRET Antenna Enhancing Reliability and Efficiency
The booming of the mobile broadband (MBB) promotes operators to deploy a multi-band multi-RAT coexisting network, and therefore fast deployment and high quality of MBB networks become operators' common appeals. Facing this challenge, Huawei antennas adopt the innovative "EasyRET" solution, against low-reliable and low-efficient traditional RET solution (see figure 1 and figure 2).
Figure 1 Traditional RET
Figure 2 EasyRET
Low Reliability and Efficiency of the Traditional RET System
Huawei's statistical data from Europe shows that 90% of RET system faults are caused by external RET component problems, including problems introduced in RCU installation and configuration, AISG cable faults, and RET component missing events. Therefore, traditional RET solution has low reliability and efficiency, which result in higher maintenance costs.
Figure 3 Connectors of traditional RET system
More connectors, lower reliability
RCUs are difficult to be installed due to complex connectors, which may lead to quality risks. For example, connectors of AISG cables may be exposed to air or water, resulting in connector rusts. In this case, communications between RET systems and base stations will be interrupted (see figure 3 and figure 4).
Figure 4 Rusty AISG ports
Limited RCU space, difficult installation
Each band of antennas matches one RCU, for example, a tripleband antenna needs three RCUs. As a result, the space reserved for connectors at the bottom of antennas is limited. RCUs and cables are difficult to be installed, especially when engineers perform operations with gloves on the tower (see figure 5 and figure 6).
Figure 5 Difficult arrangement of connectors
Figure 6 Difficult installation with limited space
Manual RET configuration, low efficiency
Many manual operations, including scanning RCUs, adding the RET, uploading configuration data, and calibrating electrical downtilt, are required to configure traditional RET components. Misoperations are prone to happen, bringing low installation efficiency
Overview of Huawei Innovative EasyRET Solution
Easy installation
RET components are embedded in antennas, and therefore RCUs and daisy-chain cables are not required. A triple-band antenna only needs one AISG cable (see figure 7).
Figure 7 Only one cable installed on EasyRET
Easy configuration
Configuration data has been uploaded and electrical downtilt has been calibrated before EasyRET antenna delivery. Electrical downtilt can be set directly after the EasyRET system has been installed onsite.
Easy maintenance
Various color: Different antenna ports are identified by various colors and shapes according to the AISG standard (see figure 9). Flexible RET sharing: Antennas can be controlled independently by two equipment vendors or different operators through two groups of AISG interfaces (see figure 8).
Figure 8 Antenna with two group of AISG ports
Figure 9 Various color
