Motorola has expanded its portfolio of cellular base stations with two new addition: the CTU4 and RCTU4. The next generation radios are both based on Multi-Carrier Power Amplifier (MCPA) technology and are GSM, Evolved-EDGE (EDGE) and LTE capable.
Motorola's new CTU4 and RCTU4 offer two discrete form-factors that suit different network needs. The CTU4 is a plug-in unit for Motorola's existing Horizon II base stations that makes it ideally suited to established networks. The RCTU4 is a remote radio unit (RRU), which is particularly suitable for greenfield deployments or major system expansions and gives service providers an opportunity to achieve a minimum total cost of ownership without compromising on performance.
These new radio products are based around a modified radio architecture that sees the baseband and RF functions (traditionally in the same unit) split into physically separate modules that are connected via an optical fiber. Key attributes of both radio products include:
- Software definable radio with separate baseband units, maximizing the re-use of existing equipment
- The MCPA is a wide-band unit that is designed for a variety of modulation types. This means that the radio unit (plug-in or RRU) can support a 2x2 MIMO LTE carrier while offering efficient power consumption characteristics, which are a major consideration in today's energy conscious and challenging marketplace
- Up to six RF carriers capable of supporting E-EDGE, which will provide enhanced end-user experiences and enable more applications. Other carriers can be any combination of EDGE/GPRS or voice.
- The CTU4 and RCTU4 are expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2009.
