The development of new technologies, such as the Internet of Things and 5G, are enabling a society where everything around us is connected. 5G has already become a highly competitive market for a number of global players, but success of the jump from LTE (4G) to 5G comes at a great price. Not only in terms of investment, but also in terms of higher operating expenses as 5G radio heads need several times more power than 3G or 4G equipment.

To address and solve the increasing power and expansion challenges that customers are facing as 5G roll-outs approach, HUBER+SUHNER has developed a fiber/power hybrid cable system (HTTA) that allows for 230 VAC or higher instead of the common 48 VDC to the remote radio heads (RRH). This reduces the power loss along the cable substantially and the carbon footprint of telecom operators.

Facilitating the ever-increasing power and connectivity demands faced by operators worldwide, HUBER+SUHNER needed to create a solution that could deliver power directly to the RRH, whilst reducing the power dissipation along the cable.

The MASTERLINE Ultimate Hybrid High Voltage (MLUH HV) is a smart hybrid cable system with European CE certification for RRH installation. By being able to offer the capability to deliver 230 VAC up the mast, the system allows for much longer cabling with significant cost savings on cables and a more efficient power transfer.

The 230 VAC cable developed by HUBER+SUHNER is directly proportional in terms of functioning to the 48 VDC cable but provides the customer with a solution that reduces power loss along the cable and can be more than 50% lighter in weight.

With many services and applications in demand, 5G will need a higher power consumption of up to 1500W per RRH. This is a large increase in comparison to the third and fourth generations, which typically needed around 300-500W. Cable power dissipation from the line was recorded up to around 18% for the 48 VDC cable, whereas around 4% of power was lost when testing the 230 VAC solution. This saves the customer operating cost and avoids unnecessary CO2 emissions.

In addition to the massive reduction in power loss that the 230 VAC provides, it is also lighter in weight in comparison to the standard 48 VDC solution, saving unnecessary expenditure during transportation to the installation site.

Furthermore, providers are currently faced with the challenge of weight load on the mast. If the weight load by cables and fittings exceeds the maximum approved load, no additional equipment can be mounted. With the cable solution from HUBER+SUHNER, more RRH or Active Antenna Units (AAU) can be mounted onto the same mast.

The reduced power wire cross-section results in a reduced cable diameter of the entire hybrid cable system. This means there is less space taken up on the mast, an improved cable capacity on the spool and the cable is more flexible which simplifies handling and installation. The smaller copper wire cross section also makes the cables less attractive to thieves, who have been known to target cables due to their high copper content.