Page 84 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NGMN Recommends Common RF Cluster Connector to Cut Costs

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Chairman of the NGMN cluster connector CEO, added, “This will accelerate time-to-
(NGMN) Alliance has recommended the project and Site Infrastructure Expert at market and decrease installation costs.
cluster connector type C (MQ4/5) as a Deutsche Telekom, said, “This cluster The selection of a cluster connector marks
common radio frequency (RF) cluster connector industry recommendation, a significant step in this mission, and we
connector for early 5G deployment. NGMN’s aligning equipment suppliers towards are committed to continuing to work with
new white paper – Recommendation for RF using a common type of connector, will the industry as we move forward towards
Cluster Connector for use in 5G NR 8T8R help operators to simplify logistics and the new era of connectivity that 5G is set
TDD Deployment – describes the selection reduce operations and maintenance to bring.”
process and explores the features that expenditures.” Dr. Peter Meissner, NGMN
make a common RF cluster connector the
most suitable for early 5G deployment.
Across the mobile communication
industry, there is increasing demand for
highly integrated antennas with a large
number of RF ports. At the same time,
antenna size is a critical factor in network
deployment which limits the number of
connectors. Cluster connectors solve this
problem by integrating several RF ports
into single connectors. The NGMN cluster
connector project, bringing together
international operators as well as network
equipment, antenna and connector
suppliers, worked to align the industry
towards using a common cluster connector
to deliver operations and maintenance
benefits to operators. Tomas Sedlacek,

FCC Finds 5G Poses No New Risk

US officials set public concerns about the the acceptable amount of energy absorbed 1 gram. FCC officials said renewing the
health impacts of 5G aside, concluding by the human body when exposed to limits will ensure all authorized uses of
there is nothing about the technology electromagnetic fields. On a call with RF are safe, regardless of technology or
or the bands it operates in which would journalists, senior FCC officials noted the frequency employed. They added there
require new limits on radio frequency US’ current RF standards for handheld is nothing special about 5G which would
(RF) exposure. After a six-year review devices in particular, are among the require additional protections. Pai’s
of existing RF standards, Federal strictest in the world. They added a review push to renew the existing FCC standard
Communications Commission (FCC) of scientific evidence conducted by the comes as operators battle public concerns
Chairman Ajit Pai proposed an order to Food and Drug Administration’s Centre for about the safety of 5G and mmWave
renew them and impose new service- Devices and Radiological Health found no devices and equipment. Though the move
agnostic rules for compliance. The order adverse health effects in humans caused would, among other things, require some
would cover all sources of RF emissions, by RF exposure at or under the current operators to change the formulas used to
including handsets, laptops, small limits. Many countries follow IEEE RF calculate the placement of antennas, the
cells and tower operations, across all exposure guidelines for handheld devices, officials said it is not expected to represent
technology iterations including 3G, 4G and which allow 2 Watts per kilogram averaged a major shift for industry players.
5G. The regulations aim to protect people over 10 grams of tissue. However, the
against harmful RF exposure by limiting FCC uses a standard of 1.6 Watts over

84 AUGUST 2019