Are You Maximizing In-Building DAS Performance?

As 5G technology becomes more pervasive worldwide, consumers and business professionals alike expect mobile service with faster speeds, better coverage, and higher quality — anytime and anywhere — including in your building or event venue. By installing the latest distributed antenna system (DAS) technology, you can help ensure that your tenants, visitors, and employees continue to enjoy seamless in-building connectivity. Yet, how do you ensure you get the most benefit out of your DAS equipment?

Evolution to 5G promises more capacity and data speed, but to deliver on that promise, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has introduced an array of new frequency bands with varying propagation characteristics. Additionally, next-generation mobile technology enables new features and capabilities, such as ultra-reliable low-latency networks, which require substantial changes in network architecture. All of this means that 5G brings increasing complexity to today’s networks.

So how can you and your network manager make sense of it all to realize the maximum return on your DAS investment?

Call on SOLiD Support

At SOLiD, we offer a suite of support services tailored to each customer’s needs, ranging from help desk telephone support to remote monitoring and maintenance packages. Our experienced DAS experts take the time to fully understand your technical challenges in order to resolve any technical issues as quickly as possible.

The SOLiD commitment to customer service begins with our ‘ACT’ process, during which we Assemble, Configure, and Test the DAS equipment before shipping. This quality control practice significantly reduces the chance of out-of-box failures (historically less than 1%) that could impact deployment timelines and costs.

Our support services team comprises senior-level engineers with more than 15 years of work experience in DAS technology and the RF industry. Plus, the SOLiD support team is directly linked to our R&D department through a streamlined communications channel. This not only ensures that customer requests can be promptly reviewed and resolved but also provides accurate feedback for continuous product improvement.

With our remote support service, SOLiD engineers can help you resolve RF issues, such as unexpected noise or low power. Likewise, our support team can conduct a remote session through Microsoft Teams viewer, Ultraviewer, or AnyDesk to address firmware and DMS issues.

Help Us to Help You

We know your time is valuable, so we want to share a few tips to maximize your interaction with technical support:

• Share as many details as possible about the technical problems you are experiencing. This allows our support engineers to better understand the issues for a successful conclusion.
• When possible, provide prior notification of your need for remote support on critical issues. By allowing us a little extra time to prepare, our DAS experts can deliver more accurate support in a timely manner.
• If you need remote support, be sure to have information on hand about your system, such as the model number and firmware version.
• Instead of contacting your SOLiD salesperson, the fastest way to get help is to reach our support team directly. You can either call (888) 409-9997 and select option 2 or e-mail support@solid.com to create an automatic support ticket via the ticketing system.

No matter the size and configuration of your DAS deployment, the SOLiD team aims to ensure you get the maximum return on your investment with fast delivery, peak performance, and a suite of support programs to exceed your expectations. To learn more, visit: www.solid.com/us/services/support-2.

by dyanne

Get in Sync with 5G

The ever-growing demand for mobile connectivity is driving a transformation in wireless technology. Without a doubt, the most significant shift happening right now is the adoption of 5G. Next-generation 5G technology allows enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) to deliver faster speeds across a wide coverage area, opening the door to a wide array of innovative and profitable new use cases — from automated factories and autonomous vehicles, to smart homes and cities.

Many of the new applications that 5G technology enables rely on more stringent performance and lower latency than previous mobile generations were capable of delivering. Achieving these technical requirements, however, requires a fundamental change in how the network uses radio frequency (RF) spectrum. Evolution to 5G introduces new, larger spectrum bands that exclusively use Time Division Duplexing (TDD), versus the Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) timing sequence that legacy mobile communications technologies employ.

Additionally, network operators are building out more dense cell sites in order to deliver sufficient coverage, capacity, speed, and performance in 5G, making it crucial that all the radio access network (RAN) elements and user devices are seamlessly synchronized with each other. Furthermore, 5G also takes advantage of advanced RF optimization technologies, such as massive MIMO, dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), beamforming, and carrier aggregation, which require accurate timing for proper operation.

Taken together all of these technical complexities contribute to a critical need for precise timing and synchronization in 5G networks.

Timing is Everything

A key difference with TDD spectrum usage is that both the uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) signals are transmitted on the same frequencies, as opposed to the FDD method that uses separate, paired frequency blocks to transmit and receive traffic. 5G technology relies on TDD bands to provide support for larger channel bandwidth and asymmetrical UL / DL channels to make more efficient use of valuable 5G spectrum.

Yet, with both uplink and downlink data transmissions on the same frequency, there is a much greater chance of interference, with any lack of synchronization between UL / DL frames making matters worse. That means that exact time and phase alignment between base stations is required in order to prevent signal interference and dropped calls with TDD. In fact, 5G new radio (NR) specifications introduce very stringent restrictions on TDD transmissions, with an absolute time synchronization margin of just 1.5µs, compared to a margin of 10µs in the previous FDD LTE environment.

These requirements are particularly important when accommodating new use cases. While many service providers typically follow a standard 80/20 rule for downloading and uploading content, this network parameter is likely to cause congestion as traffic patterns change, increasing the odds of interference. For example, faster 5G speeds are expected to continue driving more uplink traffic, such as cloud storage, or the practice of uploading selfie photos and videos in crowded entertainment venues.

To accommodate the need for precise synchronization with TDD, 5G networks use a highly accurate timing sequence called the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) that shares the same time reference from end to end throughout the network. The PTP function maintains time, phase, and frequency synchronization from the network core to the edge of the service provider’s network. This helps to ensure good quality of experience (QoE) for subscribers using the outdoor macro network.

Get in Sync

But what about service indoors where roughly 80 percent of all mobile voice and data traffic occurs? For those commercial buildings, multi-dwelling units (MDUs), and enterprise offices with a distributed antenna system (DAS) deployed in-building, the PTP assurance of 5G timing and synchronization ends where the DAS begins. To provide reliable 5G service and ensure QoE for indoor subscribers, in-building DAS infrastructure needs to support the timing sequence of TDD.

With the SOLiD ALLIANCE DAS platform 2W, 5W, 20W and Multi-Power Remote Optical Unit, synchronization occurs at the remote unit on the edge of the network, not at the system headend. Likewise, the edgeROU fiber-to-the-edge remotes synch at the edgeHUB typically located in the independent distribution frame (IDF) closet on each floor.

By synching closer to the mobile device, our system provides improved timing and synchronization for seamless connectivity, reducing dropped calls and interference in-building. Additionally, if a sync detection module should fail, the area of impacted coverage is minimized. Alternatively, other systems that sync at the headend can suffer from an extra delay caused by the distance from where they sync to user devices, as well as being vulnerable to total outages, resulting in a poor subscriber experience.

The SOLiD DAS platform not only matches exacting timing and synchronization to improve service quality — similarly to how user devices operate — but our DAS technology also minimizes latency in 5G and LTE networks. SOLiD ALLIANCE DAS minimizes latency by using analog RF over fiber, eliminating the need for analog to digital and digital to analog conversions, which can add significant signal delay and latency.

To learn more about how to get in sync with SOLiD, visit www.solid.com/us/products/alliance-das.

by dyanne

Bringing True 5G Vision into Focus with the C-Band

The evolution to 5G is moving at a blistering pace.  In fact, the adoption of 5G is happening faster than any previous generation of mobile communications technology.  Yet we still have not realized the true vision of this new mobile technology.  In the U.S., this is primarily due to a shortage of suitable radio frequency spectrum.

To achieve the full potential of 5G, mobile network operators (MNOs) require broad, dedicated channels, ideally 100 MHz or larger.  The 5G standards permit channel bandwidths up to 100 MHz in frequency range 1 (FR1) below 6 GHz and up to 800 MHz in frequency range 2 (FR2) above 6 GHz, typically higher mmWave spectrum from 24 to 40 GHz.  All major network operators possess licenses in FR2, but building a network to provide ubiquitous coverage with mmWave is cost-prohibitive due to the very short transmission distances at high frequencies.  Therefore, FR1 bands large enough to support 100 MHz channels are the best alternative to provide wide-area 5G coverage that also offers true 5G capabilities.

Except for the 2.5 GHz BRS band used by T-Mobile, each of the legacy bands previously used for 3G and 4G typically provide just 10 to 40 MHz of bandwidth to each network operator, so they could not support 100 MHz channels.  As a result, the initial 5G deployments in the U.S. did not enable wireless service providers to maximize their networks' speed and capacity. Still, they did enable coverage maps showing large areas of 5G coverage.  Finally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released additional spectra in the C-Band 3.7 to 3.98 GHz and 3.45 to 3.55 GHz to enhance the MNO's 5G capabilities.  The U.S. C-Band is a sub-set of the frequency band identified as n77 by the global 3GPP organization that spans 3300 MHz to 4200 MHz.

C-Band will offer significant improvements over the previously released millimeter-wave spectrum for wide-area 5G network deployments.  The n77 spectrum has already been used in 5G networks for two to three years by MNOs worldwide, and most 5G networks operate in this mid-band spectrum.  Here in the U.S., however, MNOs just recently started switching on their C-Band 5G networks after intense negotiations with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over concerns about interference with airplane radar altimeters.

Now that the U.S. Tier One service providers are using C-Band in their 5G networks, it's important to ensure that existing mobile communications infrastructure is compatible — including your in-building distributed antenna system (DAS) equipment.  For building owners, enabling seamless 5G connectivity is crucial to keeping tenants happy as more subscribers adopt this next-generation technology and MNOs begin to turn off previous mobile generations.  And for those enterprises wanting to benefit from the latest innovations such as IoT connectivity, analytics powered by machine learning, and smart manufacturing, 5G private networks are the answer to achieving this as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Learn the ABCs of C-Band

The C-Band was previously reserved for satellite TV transmissions. Still, with advanced digital encoding methods, the satellite companies can "repack" their broadcasts into the upper portion of the band to free up the lower portion for 5G.  Interestingly, after auctioning the frequency licenses last year, the FCC is making C-Band available in two phases as they clear the spectrum.  This means that MNOs' timeframes for the availability of 5G in the C-Band will vary considerably depending on their licenses, with roll-outs extending from early this year to the end of 2023 and different portions of the band being used in various markets.  In other words, the overall deployment picture is far from simple.  For example, one MNO received an initial spectrum allocation this year that will shift 80 MHz higher within the band in 2023.

C-Band offers greater capacity with an increased channel size, but the coverage area will be reduced or require more output power to achieve the same footprint as previous frequencies.  Additionally, the C-Band spectrum offers just one-fourth of the legacy mobile communications bands' signal propagation characteristics because it spans higher frequencies.  As a result, achieving the same coverage footprint with C-Band will require a higher effective output power from the antenna.

Likewise, the higher frequencies also do not penetrate building materials as well as lower frequencies.  This means that coverage from outdoor networks is less likely to provide service inside buildings.  On the plus side, in-building coverage systems, such as Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), will have less outdoor network interference to overcome.

A dedicated in-building system can provide reliable C-Band coverage, but the interior building materials impede these higher frequencies.  In comparison to legacy mobile communications frequencies at the same power level, indoor C-Band coverage is roughly 15 percent per antenna.  For example, an antenna providing a little more than 1,000 square feet of coverage for a 4G 20 MHz channel in the legacy Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) band would cover a little more than 150 square feet with a 5G 100 MHz channel in the C-Band, assuming an office environment with sheetrock walls.

If you have an existing 4G DAS, it may or may not support the new frequencies.  However, even if it does, it will certainly require amplifiers that provide 4 to 10 times more output power to match the existing footprint.  Yet providing higher power is not feasible if the existing system already uses high output power amplifiers.  Under that circumstance, use an overlay system for the higher frequencies, engineered for specific coverage requirements.  With the SOLiD Link Budget Analysis tool, you can easily analyze factors unique to your deployment to maximize capacity and coverage.

SOLiD ALLIANCE DAS provides a modular high output power C-Band remote and a lower power fiber-to-the-edge (edgeROU) solution for overlay applications.  The modular high output power (20W) remote supports all 380 MHz of licensed C-Band and Auction 110 spectrum with up to 2x2 MIMO in one chassis.  The edgeROU also supports the full C-Band with 2x2 MIMO and is available with integrated antennas or external antenna ports.  These options enable at least three approaches to add C-Band to your coverage infrastructure.  The high-power remote may be integrated with your existing DAS on a remote-by-remote basis if the existing remotes are 2W or 5W.  The edgeROU with integrated antennas may provide a complete overlay solution as simple as deploying Wi-Fi.  The edgeROU with external antenna ports may integrate with your existing DAS at each antenna location either with the existing antenna, if appropriate, or by replacing the antennas with a model that supports both legacy bands and the C-Band.

All of SOLiD's C-Band amplifiers support the full instantaneous and occupied bandwidth.  Full band capability ensures that the system will support the initial spectrum allocations and later transitions when satellite incumbents release the upper end of the band in 2023.

To ensure that your in-building DAS platform is ready for 5G service in the C-Band, select a solution that supports the full C-Band frequency allocation from day one, with multiple output power options to meet the unique needs of your venue.

Transition to Tomorrow

As 5G advances and new frequency bands become available, in-building wireless systems need to keep pace or be left behind.  Today's building tenants and enterprise employees expect excellent quality of service everywhere, even indoors, and 5G is no exception.  Are you ready to support the C-Band to take advantage of the true 5G promise?

To learn more about how to upgrade your in building DAS system to fully realize 5G, watch our webinar “Are you ready for 5G mid-band?”

by dyanne

Adapting to the New Normal to Fix a Broken Supply Chain

No matter what industry you are working in right now, odds are you’ve experienced at least some impact from supply chain constraints during the past couple of years. When the world economy tried to reboot after being essentially shut down for more than 18 months, we all learned the hard way how interconnected the global supply chain truly is and how much that affects all of us.

Now, as we navigate the ‘new normal’ sparked by the global COVID-19 pandemic, new patterns in supply and logistics are emerging and changing how we predict shifting demand. Some of these patterns will be temporary, while others will set a new baseline for years to come. In other words, business-as-usual is a thing of the past; at least for now.

A Cloudy Forecast

Well-informed, long-range forecasting continues to be critical during this ongoing supply crisis. To date, our ability to work very closely with our customers on forecasting their demand for products means that SOLiD has not had to disappoint our customers by failing to meet delivery deadlines. However, it would seem that others are not doing as well in this regard, because some of their customers are coming to us with demand for products.

On the one hand, this is a good problem to have because we love to work with new customers. On the other hand, the fact that they did not forecast demand with us in advance means that excess inventory could become depleted. Those system integrators who can’t get equipment as needed because their usual DAS provider can’t deliver could find themselves in a situation where they recognize significantly reduced revenue for the fiscal year.

One thing is certain: supply chain diversity has never been more important. If your usual DAS provider has let you down this year, give us a call to discuss diversifying your sourcing with SOLiD.

Trust is a Two-Way Street

Of course, product demand forecasting is a collaborative relationship built on honesty and commitment. If a network operator or system integrator says they need equipment on a particular date, they need to be prepared to take it. Don’t expect your supplier to sit on the inventory when other customers are ready to take it now.

It’s crucial that we all work together to understand immediate market needs and service priorities. Fixing the broken supply chain requires a better understanding of which changes in customer demand mix are short-lived and which represent a “paradigm shift.” These insights are a key element of integrated business planning (IBP), capacity planning, and capital planning processes.

Supply of Patience

Clearly, the normal way of doing business simply isn’t happening right now. But because today’s global supply chain is so inextricably interconnected, we can’t just insist that “the hole is in the other side of the boat” — we will all sink together regardless. For example, the prolonged shortage of components such as semiconductors has resulted in lead times exceeding a year, with component suppliers demanding upfront payment. That means tying up capital investments in product delivery for as long as two years instead of the typical 3 to 4 months, requiring us to take on considerable risk.

Yet, despite the current situation, SOLiD is succeeding thanks to our close working relationship with good customers and partners. Careful collaboration on demand forecasting and delivery allow us to maintain clarity despite a cloudy forecast, as we all stock up on plenty of patience and perseverance for the long haul. To learn how to confidently diversify your sourcing with SOLiD to achieve your revenue goals, contact your local SOLiD sales representative, or visit solid.com/us/contact.

by dyanne

What is DAS And What Does it Mean For the Middleprise?

When it comes to running your business, you demand only the best services and technologies for your customers, employees, and partners. That includes the availability of seamless communications services throughout your building or campus. With today’s busy lifestyle, constant connectivity is an absolute necessity, otherwise business simply doesn’t work.

However, neighboring buildings and other obstacles can restrict cellular radio frequency (RF) signals from reaching your buildings. Plus, modern building materials are more dense and energy-efficient than in the past, including increased use of LEED certified materials and reflective surfaces such as ‘Low-E’ glass, restricting outside mobile communications signals. Compounding this issue is the fact that walls, furniture, and cubicles tend to block or diminish the RF signals that do penetrate your building. All of these factors degrade the mobile device connectivity inside your building, resulting in weak signals or frequent dropped calls indoors.

Stuck in the Middle

Businesses of all kinds are facing many economic and logistical challenges these days, draining budgets and squeezing profits. If you operate a middleprise business, such as healthcare, hospitality, higher education, or commercial real estate, the pressure is only intensifying as we navigate a ‘new normal’ sparked by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Mobile voice and data communications are increasingly essential to your employees, building tenants, and visitors. When you factor in the needs of public safety professionals, reliable 24x7 connectivity can become a matter of life and death. Yet, despite your need for reliable mobile connectivity, the major telecom service providers only provide in-building infrastructure to cover very large venues exceeding 500,000 square feet of space.

Keeping up with communications technologies can be confusing, as the state-of-the-art continues to change rapidly. For example, growing adoption of 5G is driving more demand for data on the go, as well as the introduction of new RF spectrum, such as CBRS and C-Band, to enable more network capacity. Likewise, increasing reliance on the internet of things (IoT) and ‘smart’ building technologies means that the number of devices continuously connected to the mobile network is skyrocketing with no end in sight.

Luckily, there is a simple, affordable way to ensure seamless, in-building mobile connectivity that is ideal for the middleprise, allowing you to take charge of your company’s future.

A Future-Ready Investment

With the installation of a distributed antenna systems (DAS) in your building, you can enable dedicated, reliable, in-building coverage for 4G/ 5G cellular connectivity and emergency communications, all supported by the same platform. The SOLiD ALLIANCE 5G DAS offers unprecedented mobile communications from the rooftop to the basement — and on every floor, in every room, and around every corner — to improve productivity, ensure customer satisfaction, and increase property values.

The patented SOLiD ALLIANCE fiber-to-the-edge DAS system is an easy-to-install, in-building, multi-operator solution that delivers reliable cellular coverage throughout any building, campus, or venue. The ALLIANCE 5G DAS platform efficiently pushes more power through the in-building cellular network to blanket a larger coverage area with stronger signals and fewer antennas. As a result, employees, building tenants, and visitors will experience unmatched signal strength, faster data speeds, and best-in-class communications.

With our FIBER2ANTENNA edge technology, you can benefit from improved speed and capacity, as well as increased deployment flexibility, security, and efficiency. Yet the ALLIANCE DAS platform is low cost and easy to install, with an inconspicuous, low-profile design that mounts on the wall or ceiling. Plus with a scalable platform, you can benefit from expanded capacity as needed. The ALLIANCE edgeROU solution supports up to eight bands over a single fiber strand, and works with every frequency band used for cellular communications, two-way radio, paging, and public safety.

By investing in ALLIANCE 5G DAS equipment, you can ensure seamless in-building connectivity with faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and lower latency. Plus, our modular platform allows you to optimize your investment by deploying what you need today, and expanding in the future as needed. This unique future-ready design also protects your investment from technological changes, like the migration to 5G, by enabling incremental upgrades to avoid expensive rip and replace scenarios.

Secure Return on Investment

Poor connectivity is no longer acceptable for today’s business. Secure your business future with unmatched bandwidth and coverage for the middleprise, while benefiting from reduced complexity, scalability for the future, and cost-efficient deployment and management. To learn more, visit: https://solid.com/us/industries/in-building-cellular-coverage-for-the-middleprise.

by dyanne

How Smart Transit Systems Meet Rising Demands for Mobile Connectivity

It’s estimated that there are now many more smartphone subscriptions than people in the world, and the rise of mobile communications is not slowing down anytime soon. As more network operators roll out 5G networks, an insatiable demand for streaming video and mobile data is fueling ever faster growth, while creating more network congestion. Yet expectations continue to skyrocket for seamless mobile connectivity anytime, anywhere.

The delivery of pervasive cellular communications is particularly challenging in high-capacity environments like subways, train stations, and airports. These hard-to-serve areas have stringent environmental, space, and reliability requirements that are further compounded by the need for scalability to serve dense crowds of commuters during peak travel times.

No matter which mobile network carrier they subscribe to for service, today’s transit passengers expect to stay connected with business associates, friends, family, and streaming media, as they attempt to get on-the-go updates. Even more importantly, transit staff and public safety personnel also rely on wireless networks to do their jobs and maintain a safe environment, whether in a crowded train or airline terminal, or throughout a subterranean subway.

This driving need for a seamless mobile experience is why many of the world’s busiest airports and subways rely on SOLiD distributed antenna system (DAS) solutions for smart transit connectivity.

Always-On, Everywhere

When transit passengers amass in a crowded terminal or underground subway, cellular signals become blocked and local wireless networks are easily overloaded by data and voice calls. These capacity constraints and poor connectivity lead to degraded quality of service, missed calls, dropped connections… and disgruntled passengers.

With SOLiD's modular in-building DAS equipment in place, subscribers’ phones automatically search for the mobile signals emitted by the DAS, achieving fast, dependable, and continuous connectivity just as if they were outdoors. In fact, we support uninterrupted mobile connectivity for some of the world’s largest transit systems, including New York City’s MTA subway, the London Underground, and many major U.S. airports.

Because every leg of a subway and wing of an airport terminal or train depot is different, SOLiD customizes solutions to suit each deployment. From narrow underground tunnels to expansive passenger terminals with high ceilings and other wide-open areas, our flexible modular platform provides broad coverage and high capacity in a small footprint that scales easily. Plus a wide range of technologies are supported, including 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and Private Cellular Networks leveraging the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS).

Our innovative DAS and Optical Network solutions are designed to cost-efficiently address the dynamic demands for voice, data, and public safety communications in high-traffic venues while optimizing resources. For example, SOLiD's neutral-host DAS supports multi-operator commercial cellular and public safety services on a single modular platform requiring just one strand of fiber.

Smart Transit Gets Real

Transportation needs are continually evolving. As transit authorities embrace technology to enhance the smart transit experience, they need to stay informed about evolving communications solutions as well. To help them prepare for next-generation mobile connectivity, SOLiD is showcasing 5G for transportation systems at the 2022 Smart Transit East congress, March 15-17 in Boston. Leading a panel of experts from Boingo Wireless and C Squared Systems, we will engage in an informative workshop to discuss real-world opportunities and best practices for transportation authorities to enable 5G communications — above ground, underground, within all stations, and across all platforms.

Whether it’s streaming a movie or webinar in the terminal, or a quick text on the subway platform, commuters everywhere expect seamless, high-capacity mobile service as an integral part of their daily lives. Are you ready to meet the need for always-on connectivity? To learn more, join us at Smart Transit East or visit www.solid.com/us/industries/transportation.

by dyanne

Why Mid-Band Spectrum is Key to 5G Growth

Advancements in communications technology enable ever faster, seamless mobile connectivity to satisfy the insatiable demand for data.  To keep up, the FCC recently held yet another auction for RF spectrum licenses — the agency's third-largest spectrum auction ever, in terms of the amount generated in winning bids.  The new spectrum that the FCC released, which encompasses 3.45–3.55 GHz, is known confusingly as Auction 110, Andromeda, and Lower n77.

The Auction 110 band occupies a slice of the RF spectrum in the mid-band.  The mid-band spectrum available for mobile communications in the United States spans roughly 2.5 to 4.2 GHz.  Because the mid-band supports larger channel bandwidths without sacrificing reach, they are considered ideal for 5G services, offering an optimal mix of speed, capacity, and coverage that is particularly well-suited to densely populated areas where connectivity demands are high.

Winners and Losers

Due to the significant potential to improve 5G service delivery with the mid-band spectrum, there is a battle brewing for supremacy among leading mobile network operators (MNOs).  In the latest skirmish, the big winners who walked away with the most spectrum licenses were AT&T and DISH Network, followed by T-Mobile, US Cellular, several private equity companies, and regional telecom service providers.

The Auction 110 license winners plan to begin transmitting over these new bands later this year and into 2023 as the race to deliver new 5G services heats up.  We anticipate unusually rapid deployment, with the initial emphasis on high-capacity macro networks.  However, before they can take advantage of the new spectrum, MNOs first need to purchase and deploy a new radio infrastructure capable of broadcasting signals in the 3.45–3.55 GHz band.

On the other hand, most subscribers will not need to purchase new 5G devices, as currently available smartphones operating in the C-Band support the full n77 bands, including the mid-band Auction 110 spectrum.  In fact, for the average mobile subscriber, 5G is perceived to be a monolithic service that should just work no matter what bands the service provider is using for transmission.  And that means they expect excellent quality of service everywhere, even indoors.

Win the In-Building 5G War

As the FCC continues to release additional spectrum to meet the demands for 5G, MNOs and third-party operators need to keep pace with the latest technology or miss out on revenue.  Likewise, when legacy in-building wireless systems cannot upgrade to support the new spectrum, infrastructure replacement is the only recourse to provide 5G mid-band signals in-building.  This rip and replace scenario is an expensive and time-consuming prospect for those enterprises and building owners with outdated distributed antenna system (DAS) equipment.

Fortunately, SOLiD's modular in-building DAS equipment upgrades quickly and easily to support new spectrum bands.  In addition, the scalable SOLiD ALLIANCE Fiber2Antenna 5G DAS solution has the mid-band covered with advanced fiber to the edge technology.  This architecture is convenient to overlay legacy systems that do not offer modular upgrades or support mid-band frequencies.  SOLiD's modular and scalable solutions cover all of the mid-band,  including 2.5 GHz, C-Band, and the recently released Auction 110 band.  Whichever bands an MNO requires, they won't miss out on delivering lucrative 5G services to indoor subscribers.

Moreover, SOLiD provides the entire bandwidth in each frequency band to allow for maximum channel size, increasing speed and capacity.  And because the SOLiD solution covers the whole band, all of the MNOs are covered, whether they won licenses at the lower end of the mid-band spectrum or the upper end. In other words, when MNOs, third-party operators, and building owners deploy SOLiD solutions, they can achieve the best in-building coverage available, allowing them to dominate the battlefield and win the mid-band war.

by dyanne