As new technology is continuously introduced to the market and the demand for data traffic continues to rise, telecommunications providers must serve their customers to the highest degree possible. Recently, Sprint (News - Alert) required some assistance in order to allow its 40,000 cell sites to use innovative 4G technology. To help solve their problem, the company turned to HUBER +SUHNER, a provider of wireless connectivity solutions to allow around one third of all of their cell sites to contain equipment from Ericsson (News - Alert), while also leveraging products from HUBER +SUHNER.
HUBER +SUHNER powers a wide array of connectivity solutions for FTTA technology, which wasa factor behind Ericsson’s decision to work with the company. Beginning in the fall of 2010, the companies worked together to supply power and data to the remote radio heads at the top of the antenna. Due to the fact that Sprint is required to shell out a monthly fee for each cable on the mast, a single cable containing both the fiber optic and power supply lines was an extremely cost-effective option. How did the gigabit wireless provider do this? They seamlessly integrated the MASTERLINE extreme fiber optic cable system with the legacy MASTERLINE extreme power products, allowing for five remote radio heads to rely on only one main cable.
Many of the company’s cable assemblies range in length from 40 to 80 meters; however, they have been designed to reach up to 150 meters when needed in order to integrate the base station with the remote radio heads on the antenna. Extremely long and even heavier, these cables couldn’t be shipped from overseas without a huge transport price tag (News - Alert). Luckily, HUBER +SUHNER’S Vermont location had the cables that were needed.
Additionally, around the same time it was decided that a new Mexican plant would be built within a small time period, Ericsson received the first cable connectivity solutions shipment. In only two months, production increased to 250 assemblies per week and a second production line for Ericsson products had to be installed, according to the company. This extremely small period of time it took to get the production location up and running proves that HUBER +SUHNER offers its customers a high degree of flexibility, as well as that the company can quickly deliver products based on customer’s individual needs.
In the very near future, Ericsson will see even larger deliveries on a weekly basis as HUBER +SUHNER continues to up the ante on the gigabit wireless products that are being developed at the Mexico site.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.
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Jamie Epstein is a TMCnet Web Editor. Previously she interned at News 12 Long Island as a reporter's assistant. After working as an administrative assistant for a year, she joined TMC (News - Alert) as a Web editor for TMCnet. Jamie grew up on the North Shore of Long Island and holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication with a concentration in broadcasting from Five Towns College. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Rich Steeves