OldSpottingThread (Ericsson Style) [Abandoned]

[digiblur]

Everyone take a seat in the desks....and welcome to Sprint RRU Spotting 101. 

 

First lets look at what to NOT look for. In our area, AT&T has RRUs that look almost identical to the ones Sprint has. They are both made by Ericsson.

 

 

 

The box circled above is NOT an RRU. Do not confuse these. These are probably some sort of junction box and/or amplifier that AT&T used on previous deployments. Take note of the size.

 

 

 

Hey that's an RRU! Yep. One big problem though. Where are the others? Not to mention the antenna next to it is another give away. We will get to that in a minute. Since there is only one RRU located on this sector and antenna, this is NOT Sprint's.

 

 

 

Let's look at the cables. Notice there are only 2 hooked up the antenna itself? (Do not confuse the ACUs hanging out of the bottom). There are 4 inputs on this antenna but only 2 are used. Easier to see in the next picture. Again this is AT&T's equipment for LTE.

 

 

 

See what I'm talking about now? AT&T is only using one side of this antenna. Hence the one RRU. Those other little pieces sticking out of the bottom are actually stepper motors that change the downtilt of the antenna from a remote location. They daisy chain from one another.

 

 

 

This is a different site. Do you notice the same thing? One RRU with only 2 cables on the one antenna. This is AT&T again. "But but..where's Sprint?" Read on...

 

 

 

Looks like the same RRU right? Count them! 2 back to back, then one at the top. Some sites will have more depending on the traffic.

 

 

 

Look! It's three RRU's again.

 

 

 

Now let's look at the antennas. Notice how the cables are right up at the front of the antenna and not in the center? Also, count them. There are 6 inputs. 2 for PCS 1X/EV, 2 for 800SMR, and 2 for PCS LTE. There are also 3 ACUs for downtilt control (more on that later). See how all the cables are hooked up?

 

 

 

Six cables all hooked up again. Creates almost a "wall" of cables where you can't even see the ACU's tucked in behind them.

 

 

 

A little different angle. But again 6 cables hooked up. Look behind the cables on the bottom of the antenna and you can see the 3 ACUs with the RFS stickers on them. This allows Sprint to remotely control the downtilt of all three interfaces all independently. 1X/EV, 800SMR, PCS LTE, could all have their own downtilt setting. If another site comes online or even another site is added later due to capacity or to thicken coverage. Sprint could change the downtilt angles of the adjacent sites all without ever visiting the site.

 

There's also another type of antenna to look for on Network Vision upgrades. See below:

 

 

This antenna is a narrow beamwidth antenna used in some dense urban areas and even rural areas to "shoot" down the interstate to the next city. This different antenna is circled on the sector on the left. Notice the regular antenna on the left? You can also see the narrow beam legacy antennas with the "fins" on the sides of them on the same sector. But once again the dead give away are the multiple RRU's behind the antenna. (Thanks to kevins669 in the NOLA market thread for this picture)

 

I hope these graphics and explanations can help you recognize the Sprint equipment in your area. Just remember, every tower is different due to the thousands and thousands of variables between sites. If you are ever in doubt, take a picture and post it. You have to learn some how... that's what I did. Then you'll take on the addictive hobby of taking pictures like I have of the sites above.

 

Ericsson Network Vision Basestation Cabinets

 

 

 

http://imgur.com/adS2VyH,dIm2urh,b55Pfxj,op1zQZr,ymDHMkJ#0

[digiblur]

Let's see how you do on these three sites below. What do you see in each ? Don't mind the panel ornament.

 

 

[lynyrd65]

Let's see how you do on these three sites below. What do you see in each ? Don't mind the panel ornament.

 

Sprint (4 RRU/panel), AT&T(700 antenna only), AT&T(also looks like 700 only)

[gman561]

u got a real good camera dude the detail of the pics is sick an im on my new laptop which has a led screen an the graphics are just crazy lol. but thank you for taking the time to show every one the difference between at&t an sprints. by the way what does verizon look like?

[digiblur]

u got a real good camera dude the detail of the pics is sick an im on my new laptop which has a led screen an the graphics are just crazy lol. but thank you for taking the time to show every one the difference between at&t an sprints. by the way what does verizon look like?

 

Thanks and I thought some were kinda bad due to the very overcast days. I have many other pics in the New Orleans market thread.

 

Verizon is just panels.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[leerage]

Excellent work Digiblur. Maybe somebody in an AlcaLu and Samsung area can get some detailed pics of their RRUs.

 

I also thought it would be a good idea to have a thread for identifying at least the Big 4's panels and RRUs (if they are implemented). Im still learning myself to identify other equipment besides Sprints.

[gman561]

Thanks and I thought some were kinda bad due to the very overcast days. I have many other pics in the New Orleans market thread.

 

Verizon is just panels.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

now i for sure know what at&t ones look like an i can now spot sprints a lot better. i got 4 towers to see in my area ill get to them sometime soon an see if anything has changed but i have my doubts

[digiblur]

Excellent work Digiblur. Maybe somebody in an AlcaLu and Samsung area can get some detailed pics of their RRUs.

 

I also thought it would be a good idea to have a thread for identifying at least the Big 4's panels and RRUs (if they are implemented). Im still learning myself to identify other equipment besides Sprints.

 

I think it was the Minnesota thread that had the closeups of the Samsung RRUs. The tower rack was on the ground for a couple of days.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[SpenceSouth]

Thanks for this awesome guide! You are the man Digiblur! Many thanks!

[digiblur]

 

Sprint (4 RRU/panel), AT&T(700 antenna only), AT&T(also looks like 700 only)

 

Yes, only bonus was Sprint legacy is at the top of picture number 2.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[digiblur]

Thanks for this awesome guide! You are the man Digiblur! Many thanks!

 

Not a problem. Glad you like it. As long as one person gets something out of this then it was worth the time.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[theslacker29]

 

Not a problem. Glad you like it. As long as one person gets something out of this then it was worth the time.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

Thanks for putting together this post, digiblur, it helped me figure out which one is sprint!

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[DaQue]

Why 4 RRU per panel? They can run 2 per band per panel? If so what's the max number of RRUser panel?

 

Oh yeah thanks for the great guide it will help a lot.

[digiblur]

Each RRU is capable of 4 carriers per air interface.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[WiWavelength]

 

I just tweeted out a link to digiblur's super telephoto pic above because it shows that AT&T LTE panels' low and high frequency ports cover Lower 700 MHz, Cellular 850 MHz, PCS 1900 MHz, and AWS 2100+1700 MHz. Thus, AT&T needs only additional RRUs to support fully four bands of LTE.

 

We already have a number of guests viewing this thread. Make them feel welcome.

 

AJ

[digiblur]

I have original unaltered pictures if needed. I dug up the exact model of the panel too. No stickers on their original panels.

 

Will post the links to the full resolution pictures when I can get to a PC.

 

-- "Sensorly or it didn't happen!"

 

 

[digiblur]

I just tweeted out a link to digiblur's super telephoto pic above because it shows that AT&T LTE panels' low and high frequency ports cover Lower 700 MHz, Cellular 850 MHz, PCS 1900 MHz, and AWS 2100+1700 MHz. Thus, AT&T needs only additional RRUs to support fully four bands of LTE.

 

We already have a number of guests viewing this thread. Make them feel welcome.

 

AJ

 

AJ, all the original pictures of the site are located here: http://s4gru.com/ind...dpost__p__62215

 

The antenna model is : http://www.commscope.com/catalog/andrew/product_details.aspx?id=17610

 

The location can be found using the google map street view link: http://goo.gl/maps/PMEOy Streetview was from March 2011 and there is no RRU or middle panel. This same setup of single panel with single RRU hooked up to one side is all over the place in Baton Rouge. That would explain why they spaced them on just about every tower, AT&T has their 700mhz sites closer together than Sprint has the PCS sites, but since they want to use AWS/PCS then the spacing works out perfectly for thick coverage.

[WiWavelength]

 

Some have expressed interest in how digiblur captured the above super telephoto image. Good news, I just so happen to have a documentary photo of him in that process.

 

 

 

AJ

[digiblur]

Hahaha...well look at the street view link I posted 2 posts up with the antenna model number and such. You can park right under the tower and it is on the bottom rack. My camera does have a very nice zoom though and steady shot.

[digiblur]

I got one for you guys... figure out what those little black domes are I keep seeing on AT&T's racks around here. It's not a light either. Scroll up and look at the picture with the panel and single RRU and look just to the left of it.

[WiWavelength]

I got one for you guys... figure out what those little black domes are I keep seeing on AT&T's racks around here. It's not a light either. Scroll up and look at the picture with the panel and single RRU and look just to the left of it.

 

Those black domes are the antennas that broadcast Randall Stephenson's and the ghost of Steve Jobs' mind control to all AT&T subs.

 

AJ

[doug526]

I got one for you guys... figure out what those little black domes are I keep seeing on AT&T's racks around here. It's not a light either. Scroll up and look at the picture with the panel and single RRU and look just to the left of it.

 

The black dome looks like a fiber splice case mounted vertically. Maybe they run fiber up the towers to each RRU network interface. Look at your cable company's aerial fiber lines on the telephone poles and you'll see those black thingies hanging horizontally. They are all over the place in CATV HFC networks.

 

Interestingly, if you look closely next to one of the antennas it looks like a white GPS dome. I've never seen one mounted that high up in a tower. Usually those are down on the ground next to the controller cabinet (BTS?).

 

I really wish I could see a Sprint or AT&T-specific detailed schematic of the RRU interfaces. How do they provide power to them? I'd hazard a guess that they run a single dedicated 48V DC line up the tower and then somehow split it out to each RRU. Any other guesses?

Edited December 29, 2012 by doug526

[WiWavelength]

Interestingly, if you look closely next to one of the antennas it looks like a white GPS dome. I've never seen one mounted that high up in a tower. Usually those are down on the ground next to the BTS.

 

If a site uses RRUs, the BTS is effectively on the rack. So, the GPS antenna needs to be up top, too.

 

AJ

[doug526]

If a site uses RRUs, the BTS is effectively on the rack. So, the GPS antenna needs to be up top, too.

 

AJ

 

I may be incorrectly using the term BTS. I think BTS as a whole encompasses the controller cabinet/rack that sits on the ground and connects to the backhaul network, and the RRU's up top. In the context of NV, I do not know what the acronym/term is for the cabinet on the ground...

[WiWavelength]

I may be incorrectly using the term BTS. I think BTS as a whole encompasses the controller cabinet/rack that sits on the ground and connects to the backhaul network, and the RRU's up top. In the context of NV, I do not know what the acronym/term is for the cabinet on the ground...

 

Yeah, RRUs up top do complicate overall nomenclature. That is why I have long endorsed the generic term "cell site" to encompass all installed infrastructure. (In contrast, I hate the so often used term "tower" because it is so wrong in so many ways.)

 

Regardless, RRUs up top are the radios, which require GPS timing. The equipment below is largely relegated to IP routing and power management.

 

AJ