CommScope and Nokia are jointly developing passive-active antenna systems for optimal tower space use and increased cell site capacity.

As operators seek ways to keep up with intense subscriber demand for mobile broadband, they must add capacity to existing radio technology layers. In many cases, as 5G rollout momentum builds, 5G massive MIMO antennas capable of 3.5GHz frequency bands may also need to be deployed at the same cell site.

To address this requirement, CommScope and Nokia new antenna solutions promise to significantly boost site capacity, while easing deployment considerations. The streamlined design of the passive-active antenna combines the capacity and beamforming benefits of massive MIMO adaptive antenna technology for 5G, as well as high performance antennas for existing radio technologies all within the available, often limited, cell site space.

“The passive-active antenna solutions give operators a strong business case for 5G ready networks, while also increasing the capacity and performance of existing technologies,” said Farid Firouzbakht, senior vice president of RF Solutions, CommScope. “We will continue to build on the momentum with Nokia, developing innovative solutions for operators.”

The passive-active antenna solutions will be released for commercial use later this year.