Wholesale Mobile Backhaul Application – Fiber Rich

Cell Tower Backhaul for Multiple Wireless Carriers

This application example illustrates how a backhaul service provider can wholesale cell tower backhaul capacity to multiple Wireless Carriers, with separate fiber strands for each carrier. In this example, three Wireless Carriers are transporting different generations of services:

Wireless Carrier 1 requires connectivity for eight T1s (Legacy TDM backhaul)

Wireless Carrier 2 requires connectivity for 16 T1s and Gigabit Ethernet (hybrid backhaul)

Wireless Carrier 3 requires connectivity for a Gigabit Ethernet circuit (LTE backhaul)

In this application, multiple strands of fiber have been run to the cell tower. The Service Provider (tower owner) connects the fiber strands to the Wireless Carriers’ equipment located in different cabinets, wall mounts or rack configurations.

Wireless Carrier 1 is transporting multiple T1s. The fiber strand connects to the SFP port in the iConverter T1/E1 MUX, which provides copper connectivity for eight T1s to the tower.

Wireless Carrier 2 is transporting multiple T1s and Gigabit Ethernet. The fiber strand connects to the SFP port in the T1/E1 MUX, which provides copper connectivity for sixteen T1s and Gigabit Ethernet to the tower.

Wireless Carrier 3 is using the third fiber strand to transport Gigabit LTE Ethernet. The fiber connects to the SFP port on the Network Interface Device (NID), which provides fiber connectivity to the tower.

At the other end of the three backhaul fiber links, a similar set of equipment mirrors the configuration shown at the tower, and provides connectivity to the Radio Network Controller (RNC) at the backhaul Service Provider’s facility.

This application illustrates how iConverter T1/E1 Multiplexers and Ethernet Network Interface Devices enable a mobile backhaul Service Provider to provide connectivity for multiple Wireless Carriers to a cell tower.

View a Wholesale Mobile Backhaul application over one strand of fiber

View a Hybrid TDM and Ethernet mobile backhaul application example

Learn more about Carrier Ethernet Demarcation and Service OAM