A new project has been launched by Broadband Forum to help connect
Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs), such as apartment complexes, with 5G Fixed
Wireless Access (FWA) to help reach up to multi-gigabit connectivity
speeds.
The “Fixed Wireless Access Extension” project from Broadband
Forum’s Wireless Wireline Convergence (WWC) Work Area will focus on
reusing the existing property infrastructure cabling to extend FWA
connections.
Telco operators can realize greater scalability, shortened deployment
times, faster time to revenue, and achieve OpEx and CapEx savings.
Apartments can be reached using the existing property infrastructure
cabling, such as twisted pair or coaxial cabling, from the attic or
basement of the building.
“Mobile operators are investing heavily to acquire spectrum space and
base station infrastructure,” said Helge Tiainen, of InCoax Networks,
a Broadband Forum member. “They then seek a fast return on investment
by turning DSL customers into 5G FWA subscribers. By using the cabling
already available in the building, it will save operators’ time and
money, and give consumers a better broadband experience.”
“This project will have a huge impact on how telco operators can
deploy 5G FWA connections in metropolitan areas,” Mr. Tiainen
continued. “Since the deployment of FWA infrastructure has already
been initiated, it is fundamental that we solve the MDU reachability
challenge faced by the broadband industry today.”
One issue commonly faced when using 5G mmWave technology, is the
difficulty sending mmWave signals through walls. Gigabit and
multi-gigabit services require operators to use mmWave within the 24 –
100GHz spectrum to reach the service speed criteria. At these high
frequencies, signal strength can be attenuated as much as 45dB through
each wall resulting in the 5G mmWave in-door coverage being uncertain
and, in many cases, not possible.
A further challenge needs to be overcome if FWA modems are installed on
the rooftop of an MDU as expensive Ethernet cabling must be laid to each
apartment. Today, typically one FWA modem for each subscriber is
deployed on the rooftop. In a large MDU this could require more than 100
modems to deployed, which presents the challenge of finding adequate
rooftop space, the required RF separation, and co-site interference
issues.
“Broadband Forum is aiming to address and solve these challenges by
leveraging the existing in-building infrastructure, such as telephone
wiring or coaxial cabling, to extend 5G FWA to each apartment within a
hotel block or apartment complex,” said Christele Bouchat, Nokia and
Wireless Wireline Convergence Work Area Co-Director at Broadband Forum.
“We have launched this project to bring tangible benefits to operators
and make the rapid and efficient delivery of multi-gigabit connectivity
for residents and building owners a very real possibility.”
For more information about Broadband Forum, visit:
https://www.broadband-forum.org/ [1].
About the Broadband Forum
Broadband Forum is the communications industry’s leading open
standards development organization focused on accelerating broadband
innovation, standards, and ecosystem development. Our members’ passion
– delivering on the promise of broadband by enabling smarter and
faster broadband networks and a thriving broadband ecosystem.
Broadband Forum is an open, non-profit industry organization composed of
the industry’s leading broadband operators, vendors, thought leaders
who are shaping the future of broadband, and observers who closely track
our progress. Its work to date has been the foundation for broadband’s
global proliferation and innovation. For example, the Forum’s flagship
TR-069 CPE WAN Management Protocol has nearly 1 billion installations
worldwide.
Broadband Forum’s projects span across 5G, Connected Home, Cloud, and
Access. Its working groups collaborate to define best practices for
global networks, enable new revenue-generating service and content
delivery, establish technology migration strategies, and engineer
critical device, service & development management tools in the home and
business IP networking infrastructure. We develop multi-service
broadband packet networking specifications addressing architecture,
device and service management, software data models, interoperability
and certification in the broadband market.
