Jump to content

How to Spot Sprint Antennas and RRUs (Ericsson)


lilotimz

Recommended Posts

29xvoti.jpg

Ericsson RRUS31 B25 + RRUS11 B26

These are the newest and greatest remote radio units to come from Ericsson. 

The new Ericsson RRUS31  B25 should be fairly distinctive compared to the earlier RRUS11s and now the RRUS12s being deployed by ATT and Verizon. One of these new RRUS31s can do the job of two earlier RRUS11s thus reducing deployment costs for Sprint and complexity in deploying new sites and making it easier for users to spot as there are now 4 jumpers coming out of one RRUS31 rather than two from each RRUS11 that Ericsson originally deployed. 

All future deployments will be utilizing the new Ericsson RRUS31s. In addition Ericsson are sending crews to their original deployments and swapping out older RRUS11s for these new RRUS31s due to the aforementioned fact that one RRUS31 can do the job of 2 RRUS11s. Weight savings will be significant at sites where there are 4 or 5 RRUS11 B25s that can be replaced by one or 2 RRUS31s. The Ericsson RRUS31 deployment project is known as the 65 Mhz Project. 

I1mkYxKl.jpg
 

OzGC0V6.png

Ericsson RRUS11 B26 top and RRUS31 B25 bottom

Bz7Qmd9.jpg
 

TZgzfRS.png
 

Ericsson High Capacity / 4x4/2 MIMO Deployment
Note the additional antenna + PCS radio.
Previously Ericsson utilized additional PCS radios and used RF combiners for high capacity setups where they utilized three or more PCS radios. This new setup will utilize a completey new antenna + radio set just like Samsung and run 4x2 MIMO on the LTE antenna / radio set. 
 

uQoHEEx.jpg
 

U7ghY58.jpg

 

gr2Urg2.jpg
 

Ericsson RRUS11 B25 [EOL'd] and B26
A standard Ericsson Network Vision 1.0 site with 3 RRUS11s where two are dedicated to PCS and one to SMR.  

This type of setup is no longer deployed or utilized in new sites. Existing sites will be slowly converted to newer RRUS31 B25 via the Sprint 65 mhz project. 

r1mLaQL.jpg
 

Ericsson NV high capacity site [EOL'd]
3 or 4 PCS RRUs are present for a total of 4 or 5 RRUS11s per antenna. 

msN9oRI.jpg
 

Cg7L4ft.png
 

DxWrTXX.jpg
 

Close up of Antennas
 

j7cE0uz.jpg
 

Ericsson cabinets 
(center)

6Lwdp6U.jpg

All credit to those who took the photographs. They know who they are! :)

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

so whats the purpose of each of the 4 boxes on the back of each antenna?  is it just an ericsson antenna specific thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so whats the purpose of each of the 4 boxes on the back of each antenna? is it just an ericsson antenna specific thing?

Those are the RRUs. Remote Radio Units. See the FAQ for a detail explanation.

 

They are not an Ericsson thing. All of the OEMs use them. Though they all look different, as each company develops their own technology. Samsung uses 2 RRU(H)s, as does Alcatel Lucent.

 

 

Sent from my LG G3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so perhaps a stupid question, but as i seen from the map samsung is the northwest antennas, but i have seen a few that look like these ericson models?  Do other carriers have deals with ericson up here in the northwest?  or do they tend to stay in the same territory for each carrier?  like does verizon use samsung/ericson/altel lucent as well?  or do they have their own manufacturer?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so perhaps a stupid question, but as i seen from the map samsung is the northwest antennas, but i have seen a few that look like these ericson models?  Do other carriers have deals with ericson up here in the northwest?  or do they tend to stay in the same territory for each carrier?  like does verizon use samsung/ericson/altel lucent as well?  or do they have their own manufacturer?

 

ATT -- Ericsson / Alcatel-Lucent

Verizon -- Ericsson / Alcatel-Lucent

Tmobile -- Ericsson / Nokia Solutions & Networks

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

so sprint is the only one that uses samsung equipment then?

 

So this would be a samsung one then correct? hope you can clearly see it.  that was taken with the galaxy camera 2.

 

Yes...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

so sprint is the only one that uses samsung equipment then?

 

So this would be a samsung one then correct? hope you can clearly see it. that was taken with the galaxy camera 2.

Wrong thread. Again........

 

Sent from my LG G3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrong thread. Again........

 

Sent from my LG G3

 

thanks for the reply.  I deleted my post.

 

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Has anyone seen panels like these used in an Ericsson NV deployment? I found these staged at one of our few remaining non NV sites in Louisville, KY. These are slightly different than the usual panels.

 

These are Andrew panels, with input ranges of 698 MHz - 896 MHz and 1710-2360 MHz. 

 

7ATvfs3l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7ATvfs3.jpg

 

More pics and details here: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4956-kentucky-nashville-maps-and-stats/?p=358363

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone seen panels like these used in an Ericsson NV deployment? I found these staged at one of our few remaining non NV sites in Louisville, KY. These are slightly different than the usual panels.

 

These are Andrew panels, with input ranges of 698 MHz - 896 MHz and 1710-2360 MHz.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/7ATvfs3.jpg

 

More pics and details here: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4956-kentucky-nashville-maps-and-stats/?p=358363

Sprint uses off the shelf equipment from the antenna manufacturers. Antenna manufacturers try to include as many frequencies as possible to support a wider client base and limit development costs for multiple different antennas when one can do everything that needs to be done.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sprint uses off the shelf equipment from the antenna manufacturers. Antenna manufacturers try to include as many frequencies as possible to support a wider client base and limit development costs for multiple different antennas when one can do everything that needs to be done.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

OK, so hope is not lost yet. I was wondering as there are three other carriers on this tower and these are different than most of the other panels used for Sprint here. Hopefully these get mounted soon.  :tu:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, so hope is not lost yet. I was wondering as there are three other carriers on this tower and these are different than most of the other panels used for Sprint here. Hopefully these get mounted soon. :tu:

Remember antennas are agnostic. They can broadcast whatever as long as it's in the supported frequency range and are hooked up properly to a radio.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone seen panels like these used in an Ericsson NV deployment? I found these staged at one of our few remaining non NV sites in Louisville, KY. These are slightly different than the usual panels.

 

These are Andrew panels, with input ranges of 698 MHz - 896 MHz and 1710-2360 MHz. 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/7ATvfs3.jpg

 

More pics and details here: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4956-kentucky-nashville-maps-and-stats/?p=358363

 

 

Sprint uses off the shelf equipment from the antenna manufacturers. Antenna manufacturers try to include as many frequencies as possible to support a wider client base and limit development costs for multiple different antennas when one can do everything that needs to be done.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

It appears I was wrong, this was for another carrier. Went by the site again today and they were actively working on the bottom rack, Sprint is second from the top. Oh well, this site goes back on my watch list. 

 

DzSmYPml.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I also found a site, which has been marked in the sponsor area as "In Progress"...with the new RRUS31 being used.

 

I just happened to drive to the site out of the blue, and they were working on it. Talk about your ironic luck...

 

I hope this site goes live soon, but here's what I got yesterday and today (No change that I can see between today and yesterday, so I'm not sure what work they were doing)

 

Today

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gn086o78k3rop70/DSCF0001.JPG

 

Today

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yyb3npffhi9tjut/DSCF0002.JPG

 

Yesterday

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cjrxwc4tlld4iub/DSCF0380.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Do these new RRUS31 produce a stronger signal on PCS LTE Band 25 versus the old RRUS11?

Less weight for similar capability. Potentially stronger signal at the edge but other than that not much changes except you drop a lot of weight from removing two or three old rrus11s which allow you to have more rooms for activities... You know... Like installing a new radio head and antenna.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Less weight for similar capability. Potentially stronger signal at the edge but other than that not much changes except you drop a lot of weight from removing two or three old rrus11s which allow you to have more rooms for activities... You know... Like installing a new radio head and antenna.

Spotted a crew doing a RRU swap today, I believe it was Goodman Networks, they were working on the N and SE facing sectors, could only get LTE on the SW facing sector of the site.  I'll try to get pictures tomorrow depending on the weather and if they have finished up.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Less weight for similar capability. Potentially stronger signal at the edge but other than that not much changes except you drop a lot of weight from removing two or three old rrus11s which allow you to have more rooms for activities... You know... Like installing a new radio head and antenna.

 

I found a NSN/Ericsson Spark permit in my area which, in addition to adding 2.5 equipment and replacing RRUS 11s with RRUS 31s, also adds new 1900 MHz antennas -- APXVSPP18-C-A20 on the alpha and beta sectors, and APXVRR13-C-A20 on the gamma sector. The original NV antennas also remain, so this may be the first indication that Sprint will actually be using the 4x2 MIMO capability of the RRUS 31.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

New Ericsson high capacity setup in Lawrence, KS. (Plus Nokia...)

 

Courtesy AJ.

 

Yep. Looks like they're abandoning the Rf combiners in high capacity sites for another set of antenna and radio heads like Samsung.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this more for 4x2 mimo?

No. This is just another way to deploy high capacity sites. Samsung has been doing this type of setup since the beginning.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • In the conference call they had two question on additional spectrum. One was the 800 spectrum. They are not certain what will happen, thus have not really put it into their plans either way (sale or no sale). The do have a reserve level. It is seen as great for new technologies which I presume is IOT or 5g slices.  They did not bite on use of their c-band or DOD.  mmWave rapidly approaching deadlines not mentioned at all. FWA brushes on this as it deals with underutilized spectrum on a sector by sector basis.  They are willing to take more money to allow FWA to be mobile (think RV or camping). Unsure if this represents a higher priority, for example, RVs in Walmart parking lots where mobile needs all the capacity. In terms of FWA capacity, their offload strategy is fiber through joint ventures where T-Mobile does the marketing, sales, and customer support while the fiber company does the network planning and installation.  50%-50% financial split not being consolidated into their books. I think discussion of other spectrum would have diluted the fiber joint venture discussion. They do have a fund which one use is to purchase new spectrum. Sale of the 800Mhz would go into this. It should be noted that they continue to buy 2.5Ghz spectrum from schools etc to replace leases. They will have a conference this fall  to update their overall strategies. Other notes from the call are 75% of the phones on the network are 5g. About 85% of their sites have n41, n25, and n71. 93% of traffic is on midband.  SA is also adding to their performance advantage, which they figure is still ahead of other carriers by two years. It took two weeks to put the auction 108 spectrum to use at their existing sites. Mention was also made that their site spacing was designed for midrange thus no gaps in n41 coverage, while competitors was designed for lowband thus toggles back and forth for n77.  
    • The manual network selection sounds like it isn't always scanning NR, hence Dish not showing up. Your easiest way to force Dish is going to be forcing the phone into NR-only mode (*#*#4636#*#* menu?), since rainbow sims don't support SA on T-Mobile.
    • "The company’s unique multi-layer approach to 5G, with dedicated standalone 5G deployed nationwide across 600MHz, 1.9GHz, and 2.5GHz delivers customers a consistently strong experience, with 85% of 5G traffic on sites with all three spectrum bands deployed." Meanwhile they are very close to a construction deadline in June for 850Mhz of mmWave in most of Ohio iirc. No reported sightings.
    • T-Mobile Delivers Industry-Leading Customer, Service Revenue and Profitability Growth in Q1 2024, and Raises 2024 Guidance https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-q1-2024-earnings — — — — — I find it funny that when they talk about their spectrum layers they're saying n71, n25, and n41. They're completely avoiding talking about mmWave.
    • Was true in my market. Likely means a higher percentage of 5g phones in your market.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...