BROWSING: EXFO Evolution of RAN

  The dawn of 5G means the way we get, experience and manage information will change, putting user experience front and center. To enable services in each of the three 5G primary use cases identified by the 3GPP—eMBB, URLLC and mMTC—network operators must dramatically transform...

Real-time 5G analytics drive service assurance from fiber to applications Given the multi-year hype cycle that's finally coming to fruition with operator deployments, 5G has a lot to live up to. As such, it's important that the network delivers what it's supposed to, according to...

5G networks open up a host of new possibilities for mobile network operators. Three very distinct initial capabilities are envisioned for 5G networks: enhanced mobile broadband, with high capacity and gigabits-per-second speeds; ultra-reliable and low-latency communications; and massive machine-type communications to support the internet of...

The MNO’s RAN performance team noticed that the operations support system (OSS) flagged the presence of an RF noise issue in the network based on high uplink (UL) received signal strength indicator (RSSI) levels. In order to take a closer look and attempt to diagnose...

Mobile network operators (MNOs) have been driven to upgrade their cell towers through fierce competition to provide higher bandwidth and quality of service. Typical Internet traffic has been constantly increasing. Mobile video traffic by the usual suspects—YouTube, Vine, Netflix, just to name a few—is...

This white paper reviews the latest trends in the radio access networks (RANs) of mobile networks, including the evolution to Cloud-RAN, virtualized architectures. Although it can be difficult to make accurate predictions for some technologies, we are fortunate in the case of future RAN...

Each step in the evolution of radio access networks (RANs) brings unique opportunities and challenges for mobile network operators. Today, fiber has mostly replaced coaxial cables in new mobile fronthaul builds, otherwise known as fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA). The next technological innovation in mobile fronthaul is...

Mobile network operators (MNOs) are expanding their fronthaul networks to get ready for 5G. As more RRHs are deployed, the number of RF signals and fiber optic connections being monitored—and trouble tickets being generated—will skyrocket. All that change means field technician workloads are set...

https://youtu.be/AlLBJwUlG08 Sophie Legault, Director of Product Management at EXFO discusses and demonstrates EXFO's SkyRAN solution while at Mobile World Congress 2018.

EXFO has achieved its takeover of French performance monitoring and analytics company Astellia for about $31.6 million. EXFO said today that it has acquired 97.44% of Astellia's share capital and at least 95.07% of voting rights, after a second phase of a public offer. Now...

  It’s now possible to solve interference and other issues without spending countless hours on the road. Interference has always been a curse for the cellular industry. It degrades network performance, can render a base station or some portion of it unusable and impacts subscribers' quality...

EXFO SkyRAN combines RF and fiber monitoring for fronthaul networks Two key factors shaping the current state of increasingly advanced LTE networks, and setting the stage for future 5G networks, are massive investments in fiber optic networks and the pooling of network infrastructure. Consider C-RAN...

Evolving today’s fiber-based mobile networks to a centralized radio access network (C-RAN) delivers many advantages to mobile network operators (MNOs), including higher bandwidth support and reduced operational expenses. However, C-RAN comes with its fair share of challenges. This webinar will explore a C-RAN field trial...

Expected 5G spectrum utilization will mean major engineering and design challenges in terms of spectrum characteristics: very high frequencies and very large channels, with high expectations for performance. Vendors, operators and government initiatives around the world are testing and trialing 5G technologies to understand...

https://youtu.be/2LlGvJU6Uzw Todd Dover at EXFO demonstrates the new OTDR covering both CWDM and DWDM wavelengths, in Denver, CO.

For MNOs that want to deliver bandwidth and coverage today and tomorrow with 5G on the horizon, the move to fronthaul C-RAN architectures is a necessary step and delivers many benefits. However, as seen in this field trial, fronthaul C-RAN comes with its share of...

  Although 5G deployments are still some ways off, networks are already slowly transforming to meet the requirements for ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency and ultra-high capacity that are expected to be a hallmark of 5G systems. However, LTE still has a long life left in...

As new fiber networks are rolled out to meet the capacity and speeds required by access technologies and high-value services, ensuring quality installation is crucial. In challenging field testing environments, test process automation is one of the most valuable tools available to reduce human...

https://youtu.be/eY0Utm4Q4fY Marquis Dorais, fronthaul product line manager at EXFO, discusses how fiber helps mobile network operators build more efficient networks, and explains how operators can optimize their OPEX and improve the performance of next-generation mobile networks by adopting the right testing processes and overcoming the...

Migrating from distributed RAN (D-RAN) technology to centralized radio access networks (C-RAN) is the next innovation in mobile fronthaul architecture – a trend that is already taking off in many parts of the world. With the ability to centralize base stations (BBUs) in a...

Trends in backhaul, fronthaul, xhaul and mmW The full report is now available for download C-RAN and 5G create much stricter latency and capacity requirements for backhaul and fronthaul, and expand the role of fronthaul in transport. In this report we discuss the evolution of backhaul...

As carriers lay the groundwork for transforming their current networks to 5G, they face challenging – and sometimes conflicting – demands ahead. 5G is expected to have attributes that include: High-bandwidth applications such as fiber replacement, which carriers like Verizon are currently exploring with fixed...

A conversation with Marquis Dorais, Fronthaul Product Line Manager, T&D Metro / Access Business Unit, EXFO The below is only a summary. Download a transcript of the complete interview and the complete in depth report “C-RAN and 5G take transport to new capacity and latency levels. Trends in...

Radio frequency interference issues in mobile networks can significantly impact the customer experience, but they are not always easy to identify and resolve. EXFO has launched the new OpticalRFTM application for its compact and powerful FTB-1 Pro test platform, enabling network engineers and technicians...