Deployment of 4G networks is a huge theme at this year’s PCIA 2011 Wireless Infrastructure Show in Dallas, and 3M (NYSE MMM) is hoping to facilitate this transition with its new Tower Solutions line of products. “As wireless networks migrate from 3G to 4G, the future is fiber. 3M Tower Solutions can help service providers transition from traditional coax base stations to new fiber-fed Remote Radio Units,” said Steve King, 3M Communication Markets Division applications engineer.
3M says its fiber to the antenna design will enable denser coverage with fewer service gaps, and that its weatherproofing technology will also improve service. The company says tower mounted radio units can support advanced antenna techniques, such as multiple in multiple out (MIMO) and remote electrical tilt (RET).
Fiber offers multiple cost savings for tower operators, including lower real estate costs because of the smaller footprint of fiber, and less energy consumption because the signal transmits more efficiently from the base station to the antenna and the base station does not need to be cooled as much as it does when coaxial cable is used.
3M is a $23 billion dollar global manufacturing company that now earns two thirds of its revenue outside the United States. Its Tower Solutions products are part of its Communication Markets Division. Watch for the RCR Wireless News 2011 Global Tour, Conference Series & News Desk to feature 3M Tower Solutions at the PCIA Wireless Infrastructure Show today in Dallas Texas.
