Huawei reveals modular, customizable equipment for 5G

Huawei revealed on Wednesday what it calls a “simplified 5G” deployment strategy that aims to minimize complexities and enable operators to upgrade networks to 5G more quickly with lower costs. The effort is largely anchored around a new equipment kit that can be customized with remote radio units, active antenna units and a baseband unit.

The Super Blade Site solution is modular so operators can install the outdoor equipment on existing infrastructure without the need to add cabinets or equipment rooms, according to Huawei. The Chinese vendor said the Super Blade Site requires zero footprint and as a result it won’t carry expensive rental fees, energy costs and complex operations and maintenance fees.

The outdoor baseband unit is component based so operators can assemble a solution with remote radio units, power supplies and batteries to reduce difficulties around site acquisition and speed the deployment of new hardware for 5G, according to Huawei.

“5G will witness unprecedented rapid deployment,” Peter Zhou, CMO of Huawei’s wireless solution division, said in a prepared statement. “Huawei is dedicated to taking complexity and creating simplicity. We are eager to make 5G deployment efficient and convenient through systematic innovation, help 5G enter the fast track.”

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Huawei said the Super Blade Site solution will be especially for operators that need to deploy sites in dense urban environments and high-speed railways that have limited space available for network infrastructure. While it took 10 years for 3G networks to reach 500 million users and five years for 4G networks to reach the same number of customers, Huawei said 5G will cross the 500 million mark within three years.

Huawei plans to showcase its Super Blade Site solution and other products at MWC Barcelona next week.