RFS’ HYBRIFLEX™ convinces Belgian operator Belgacom
During the trial, held throughout April, May and June, HYBRIFLEX was installed at a Belgacom cell site in Verviers, Belgium, on the roof of a residential building, and in Spa where the site was located between the two steeples of a church. At both sites, three RRHs were being deployed for each of the sectors to improve GSM, DCS and UMTS capacity within the city areas. RFS delivered a three-sector HYBRIFLEX cable combining three DC power pairs and three multi-mode fiber optic pairs. The cable’s ease of installation, robust design and weather resistance impressed Belgacom as well as its installation company.
“The installer teams enjoyed the quick and easy installation which cuts their installation time by almost one half, compared to a conventional solution”, says Michael Flitta, Product Manager for HYBRIFLEX at RFS. “The installers also spoke positively about the good protection provided by the corrugated armor and the clever RFS’ earthing solution with GKSPEED and J-STRIP”, adds Flitta. The trial has convinced the customer Belgacom of the benefits of the solution: “Both test sites are operating smoothly and efficiently within the network”, says Götz Hinselmann, Regional Sales Manager for Belgium at RFS.
Because it is a single, compact cable, HYBRIFLEX requires considerably less space than existing and competing cables. This is crucial at urban sites — particularly rooftops — where space constraints typically present major challenges. HYBRIFLEX also requires fewer installation materials and steps. This accelerates deployments to save both time and money.
“For future network evolution Belgacom prefers the installation of Remote Radio Heads at antenna level for his improved radio performance and a better TCO. Our requirements for cabling solution to RRH of the DC power, RF-signal over fiber optic and grounding are based on high liability, easy installation process and low total ownership cost .We are very pleased with the RFS HYBRIFLEX solution.” emphasizes Dirk Philips, Solution Engineer at Belgacom.
The handling of HYBRIFLEX convinced Belgacom: To simplify installations, HYBRIFLEX uses standard accessories and the same installation methods as other RFS radio frequency (RF) cables. No specialized accessories or knowledge are required. The cable length can be easily adapted to meet site constraints, such as differing distances to RRHs. Length can be adjusted using standard procedures for fiber optic and DC power cables.
HYBRIFLEX is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions such as high winds and lightning. Aluminum or copper armor provides robust protection of the fiber optic and DC cables. The aluminum armor and use of standard grounding kits also provide integrated lightning protection. The level of protection against lightning strikes is similar to that of RF feeder cables, which is much better than that of conventional DC cables. By reducing the number of hanging cables, HYBRIFLEX helps operators reduce the risk of damage due to high winds.
RFS unveiled HYBRIFLEX in April 2010.
Trademarks: RFS® is a registered trademark and HYBRIFLEX™ and HYBRISEAL™ are trademarks of Radio Frequency Systems. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About Belgacom
Belgacom is a sustainable, innovative and customer centric service company operating in telecom, IT, and media. Belgacom wants to be the preferred provider of intuitive end-to-end solutions combining fixed and mobile telecom, IT and media, thereby empowering its customers to master and enrich their professional and private lives in a sustainable way. As of December 2010, Belgacom had a total of 5,332 million mobile customers, which corresponds to a market share of 41% in Belgium. Furthermore, Belgacom had 1,558 million internet and 975,000 Belgacom-TV-customers. For more information: www.belgacom.com
About RFS
Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) is a global designer and manufacturer of cable, antenna and tower systems, plus active and passive RF conditioning modules, providing total-package solutions for outdoor and indoor wireless infrastructure.
RFS serves OEMs, distributors, system integrators, operators and installers in the broadcast, wireless communications, land-mobile and microwave market sectors. As an ISO compliant organization with manufacturing and customer service facilities that span the globe, RFS offers cutting-edge engineering capabilities, superior field support and innovative product design. RFS is a leader in wireless infrastructure.
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Peter Krause
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E-mail: peter.krause@rfsworld.com
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