Infrastructure news: LTE in China, wireless backhaul in the U.S.

In infrastructure news this week, LTE tower technology advances in China, wireless backhaul innovations in the U.S., and another acquisition in the infrastructure services space.
Huawei’s active antenna unit
Huawei and China Mobile said this week that they’ve deployed the world’s first LTE TDD 8T8R active antenna unit. The solution integrates the antenna unit and the remote radio unit (RRU) in one box. The first unit has been deployed in Hebei, China. Huawei says that in field tests the active antenna unit produced a 55% increase in cell edge download times.
LTE FDD operators in ten countries have already deployed active antenna units made by Huawei, according to the company. TDD is the LTE technology used by China Mobile, the world’s largest carrier. Huawei is one of nine vendors for China Mobile’s LTE deployment. The others are Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia, ZTE, Datang Mobile, FiberHome Technologies, Potevio and New Postcom Equipment. 
Wi-Fi for backhaul
Here in the U.S., a new radio for mobile networks claims to break new ground by offering real-time spectrum analysis without service interruption.  Mimosa Networks’ B5 radio provides real-time and historical spectrum data to operators. The $900 radio uses Wi-Fi to deliver a wireless connectivity solution for mobile operators that the company says will be a competitor to fiber for backhaul traffic. 
Mimosa’s 4 MIMO stream, colocatable radio is meant to be the first in a series of wireless network products based on Wi-Fi. Mimosa Networks is led by serial entrepreneur Brian Hinman, who founded PolyCom and PictureTel. 
DAS deal
Wireless infrastructure service providers say that distributed antenna systems are a growing part of their businesses, and recruiters say they are getting lots of requests for DAS technicians and engineers. Forward-thinking contractors are developing DAS expertise in-house, and one has just announced a DAS acqui-hire. BlueStream Professional Service has purchased DAS assets from Tempest Telecom and has brought on key personnel from Tempest, including Darlene Brauschweig, who worked in DAS sales at Corning MobileAccess before leading Tempest’s DAS unit.
“BlueStream Professional Services and Tempest Telecom Solutions share an unyielding commitment to customer service,” said Braunschweig, who is now general manager of BlueStream’s DAS and small cell unit.”This focus together with the breadth of services offered through BlueStream Professional Services enables us to expand the exceptional services and capabilities to solve deployment challenges.”
BlueStream’s DAS deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions in the wireless infrastructure services space. Earlier this year MasTec acquired Dynis and more recently Nokia announced a deal to buy SAC Wireless.
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