Nortel rolls GSM/UMTS basestation

Nortel Networks is providing an evolution path to 3G for existing GSM customers with the development of a dual-mode GSM/UMTS base transceiver station.

The 18000 BTS operates in the 800-, 1,800-, 1,900- and 2,100MHz bands and can support up to 18 radios when equipped with a single-carrier power amplifier or up to 27 radios when equipped with a multi-carrier power amp. The BTS delivers a typical -117dBm radio sensitivity when diversity antenna reception techniques are employed.

In a hybrid GSM/UMTS design, the 18000 provides a native ATM backhaul to carry both GSM and UTMS traffic. This backhaul can also be re-provisioned to meet emerging traffic profiles. Additionally, the BTS delivers support for the high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) protocol, which allows 3G operators to deliver high bandwidth data links to end users.

The 18000 BTS will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2005. It works with existing Nortel Networks GSM sites.

- Robert Keenan

CommsDesign.com