The new radios will be available next year and are designed for global markets.
NEC says its new radio units will conform to “fronthaul interface specifications defined by the O-RAN Alliance”.
They will also be compatible with base station equipment from different vendors, “making it possible to realize open, flexible and optimized networks according to a wide range of use cases,” according to the statement.
The units will be compatible with the n77, n78 and C-Band 3.7GHz frequency band (3.3-4.2GHz), which is globally used as a 5G frequency.
The ultra-multi-element antennas use Massive MIMO and digital beamforming for high-precision beams are intended to provide high-speed, high-capacity communications between a wider range of terminals.
Wider faster coverage
The new RUs are said to have higher output and wider bandwidth compared to conventional products, expanding the coverage area and providing high-speed transmission.
NEC claims its proprietary high-density mounting and power-saving technologies, and fanless design are in a lightweight, compact format. The units will conform to O-RAN fronthaul interface specifications defined by the O-RAN Alliance.
Patrick Lopez, VP of Product Management, 5G products, NEC, said, “NEC has long been developing 5G base station equipment for global markets.
“As illustrated by the announcement from Vodafone earlier this month, NEC is investing to maintain a market-leading position in the Open RAN ecosystem.”
