Fujitsu, a leading provider of business, information technology, and communications solutions, today announced the availability of its Smart CPRI Transport solution, creating an intelligent means by which mobile network operators can implement Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architectures. Specifically designed to support advanced C-RAN fronthaul deployments, the solution contains a smart WDM system with integrated diagnostics, remote visibility, self-healing functionality, and ultralow latency. The result is fast installation, high service availability, and a dense scalable architecture that easily adapts to growing demand.

Carriers are challenged to improve the performance of their radio access networks while reducing operating expenses. The intelligence of the Smart CPRI Transport solution meets these challenges through easy installation and upgrades, high reliability, and early fault detection.

  • Easy installation. Integrated engineering and installation tools reduce installation and maintenance expenses. Internal BERT, loopback, and distance measurement functions improve installation velocity. Optional FEC overcomes fiber impairments for substandard fiber pathways.
  • Easy upgrades. Pluggable optics simplify upgrades from CPRI service interface options 3 and 5 to CPRI option 7. Carriers can minimize capital expenses by reprovisioning transponders for new CPRI rates.
  • Fault detection. Extensive OAM for centralized remote visibility identifies alarm locations and distinguishes between radio and transport network faults, reducing MTTR, test equipment, and truck rolls. Custom threshold alerts enable proactive fault resolution before service is affected.
  • High reliability. Self-healing network operation for ring or diverse linear paths provides sub-50 millisecond protection switching. Integrated differential delay compensation maintains in-service calls upon protection switches. These network resiliency features provide five 9s availability and reduce customer churn.

“Mobile operators are increasingly seeking to deploy Cloud RAN architectures for efficiency and performance reasons,” said Gabriel Brown, senior analyst, Heavy Reading. “To disaggregate the radio access network into centralized baseband and distributed RF components requires a fronthaul solution that can meet stringent reliability, scalability, and opex targets.”

Scalable options with Smart CPRI Transport

In C-RAN architectures, the Smart CPRI Transport solution provides CPRI fronthaul transport between remote radio heads (RRHs) on cellular towers and centralized baseband units (BBUs). The highly scalable architecture transports up to 80 CPRI channels via CWDM/DWDM over a fiber pair, while facilitating easy operation and maintenance. The solution can be configured for point-to-point, linear chain, point-to-multipoint, or ring network topologies. It utilizes a remote terminal connected to each RRH and one or more aggregators connected to BBUs residing at a BBU hotel, central office, or super macrocell site. In partnership with HFR, Inc., Fujitsu is supplying Smart CPRI Transport products in North America. Three modular chassis are available:

  • The HSN8100NA is a remote terminal. The 2U shelf has two service slots and supports up to eight CPRI channels.
  • The HSN8300NA can function as either a remote terminal or a midsize aggregator. The 4U shelf has six service slots and supports up to 24 CPRI channels.
  • The HSN8500NA is a high-capacity aggregator. The 8U shelf has 20 service slots and supports up to 80 CPRI channels.

Carriers can use the Fujitsu NETSMART® 1500 to simplify network management, provisioning, and surveillance. With the adoption of cloud-based architectures, the Smart CPRI Transport solution positions the RAN for SDN and the BBUs for virtualization, providing enhanced visibility into the RAN through a self-optimizing network (SON).

Intelligent solution reduces operating costs, improves network reliability

“Carriers are seeking better ways to cost-effectively address the performance of next-generation mobile networks,” said Steve Pelosi, vice president and head of the Optical Business Unit, Fujitsu Network Communications. “Fujitsu Smart CPRI Transport is a proven, highly scalable solution that optimizes fronthaul network design for a C-RAN architecture — reducing operating costs and improving network reliability.”

The introduction of Smart CPRI Transport fulfills the Fujitsu C-RAN + Dynamic Core Evolution, an edge-to-core optical transport solution for carriers. At the network edge, Smart CPRI Transport is complemented by the Fujitsu GX4000 E-band radio, a microwave transport platform used for fronthaul and backhaul when dark fiber is unavailable or uneconomical. When used in conjunction with Fujitsu 1FINITY™ or the FLASHWAVE® CDS and FLASHWAVE 9500 packet optical networking platforms configured for 100G CDC ROADM operation, this comprehensive solution addresses fronthaul, backhaul, and metro core network requirements while enabling SDN management and control through the Fujitsu Virtuora® NC platform—from the small cell pole to the central core point of presence (PoP).

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. News Room
http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/telecom/news/newsroom.html

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.8 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

About Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc.

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., is a trusted partner to a broad spectrum of customers across all industries, enabling them to realize the maximum value from their communications networks. We are a market-leading U.S.-based manufacturer of network equipment and a top U.S. patent holder in optical networking. Our solutions combine the best wireline, wireless, and software technology with extensive multivendor services expertise to deliver custom, end-to-end network integration and management solutions. For more information, please see http://us.fujitsu.com/telecom, connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu-network-communications, and follow us on Twitter @FujitsuFNC.

Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo, 1FINITY, “shaping tomorrow with you”, and VIRTUORA are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. FLASHWAVE and NETSMART are registered trademarks of Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. (USA). All rights reserved. All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.