5G UWB Potential Cellsite?

[radiomankc]

5G UW are typically highly directional panel antennas. It does not appear that this is very directional. 5G yes, UW probably not.

 

[mmckenna]

Those are RRU's mounted in the enclosure. That takes fiber in from the network and converts it to coax.

It's a small cell site, so those are usually 10-30 watts.

Also, since the 5G service uses higher frequencies, it's usually done where the radio/antenna are all mounted at the same place. Newer cell sites bring everything in via fiber right up the tower to the RRU mounted right behind the panel antennas to reduce cable loss and reduce ground lease costs.

I'd be really surprised if that was a -true- 5G site relying on 1/2" Heliax running to the antenna. That wouldn't make a lot of technical sense.

This is very likely just a small cell or DAS site. Some carriers are running what they call "5G", but in the case of AT&T, it's actually 5Ge, or 5G 'equivalent'
The higher frequency/wider bandwidth stuff would uses smaller panel antenna and have the radios right at the antenna to reduce cable loss.

 

[CapStar362]

Those are RRU's mounted in the enclosure. That takes fiber in from the network and converts it to coax.

It's a small cell site, so those are usually 10-30 watts.

Also, since the 5G service uses higher frequencies, it's usually done where the radio/antenna are all mounted at the same place. Newer cell sites bring everything in via fiber right up the tower to the RRU mounted right behind the panel antennas to reduce cable loss and reduce ground lease costs.

I'd be really surprised if that was a -true- 5G site relying on 1/2" Heliax running to the antenna. That wouldn't make a lot of technical sense.

This is very likely just a small cell or DAS site. Some carriers are running what they call "5G", but in the case of AT&T, it's actually 5Ge, or 5G 'equivalent'
The higher frequency/wider bandwidth stuff would uses smaller panel antenna and have the radios right at the antenna to reduce cable loss.

so, being it looks similar to every other UWB Cellsite ive seen in dense urban areas Specifically Atlanta ( the can with controller right under it on the side of a pole ) this is potentially a 5G but just not 5G UWB. is this a Sub 6 5G site? AKA Mid/Low Band 5G, and not 30 Ghz mmW 5G UWB.

 

[mmckenna]

so, being it looks similar to every other UWB Cellsite ive seen in dense urban areas Specifically Atlanta ( the can with controller right under it on the side of a pole ) this is potentially a 5G but just not 5G UWB. is this a Sub 6 5G site? AKA Mid/Low Band 5G, and not 30 Ghz mmW 5G UWB.

Not sure where you are getting Ultra Wide Band from.

It looks a small cell site, or a Distributed Antenna Site.

It would not be a 30GHz site, as they wouldn't use sector panels like that, they wouldn't use Heliax to feed from the radios up the pole to the antennas, and it likely wouldn't be encased in an enclosure like that. I do not know of, and haven't heard of, any user devices that use 30GHz and up. The majority of the real 5G wide band stuff is on the horizon and hasn't been rolled out.

I think it's just a plain old cell site.

 

[batdude]

that pulled up nothing in my specific area.

yep, sorry thought you meant a true "tower" -- something like what you show in the pic wouldn't be listed on that database.

doug

 

[CapStar362]

Not sure where you are getting Ultra Wide Band from.

It looks a small cell site, or a Distributed Antenna Site.

It would not be a 30GHz site, as they wouldn't use sector panels like that, they wouldn't use Heliax to feed from the radios up the pole to the antennas, and it likely wouldn't be encased in an enclosure like that. I do not know of, and haven't heard of, any user devices that use 30GHz and up. The majority of the real 5G wide band stuff is on the horizon and hasn't been rolled out.

I think it's just a plain old cell site.

the mmW spectrum of UWB uses channels in the 28GHz to 39GHz, in 400MHz bonded channels.

and there are a few places it is in fact rolled out or you would not be getting the 2Gigabit services, like the screenshot posted earlier showing a 2Gbit download. as far as i know, based on the multiple seminars i went to from Rohde and Schwartz for Telecom and RF technologies, tools and diagnostics, standards and testing of 5G URLLC ( which is the technical term for mmW systems, and the EXACT same type of 'can' they had as a demo unit showcasing the 5G UWB equipment with hands on education. i can assure you, they do use those cans for those systems. which is exactly why i also came here to try to get some better resources to figure out if its a UWB site, or as you said a possible DAS.

my NOTE 9 on Verizon was not 5G capable, now i am on TMobile with a S21 Ultra, but since none of the databases even show this site or none of the coverage maps indicate UWB coverage in my area.

atop the building im currently staying in, are the traditional flat panel transcievers we all know very well for lowband 5G and 4G services. and they have tmobile and verizon stamped backup power sources right outside the front door behind some decorative fences.


so, im kinda confused now, when a leading industry company for testing and standards tells us those cans can and very much use those cans for 5G UW, but here you are and a couple others saying its not, and i trust you guys as well. which is it?

every place i get 5G UW i see hoards of those cans on poles and i get the best signals right next to them.

anyways now im dragging on, but, obviously its not UWB because i only have the basic 5G icon on my phone, and not 5G+ or 5GUW as a service icon.

 

[mmckenna]

The stuff in that high GHz range wouldn't be using 1/2" heliax as coax, not a run that long. The losses would be really high.
1/2" Heliax is only rated by the manufacturer up to 8.8GHz.

 

[TampaTyron]

Not a 5G site. Just a micro site. As has been mentioned several times before, 5G sites have the radio at the antenna with just fiber and power run up to it. In your site, the radio is at the base in that metal "shelter" and the multi-plexed tx and rx paths are run up to the "4G" antenna. I work for a large manufacturer who installs some private 4G stuff, so I am around it quite a bit.

 

[prcguy]

There are no hand held cell phones that work in the 28 or 39GHz range, that is for provider to base station links like if you sign up for super high speed service at home.

Edit: I take that back, the iPhone 12 Pro does mention 28 and 39GHz. Wow.

the mmW spectrum of UWB uses channels in the 28GHz to 39GHz, in 400MHz bonded channels.

and there are a few places it is in fact rolled out or you would not be getting the 2Gigabit services, like the screenshot posted earlier showing a 2Gbit download. as far as i know, based on the multiple seminars i went to from Rohde and Schwartz for Telecom and RF technologies, tools and diagnostics, standards and testing of 5G URLLC ( which is the technical term for mmW systems, and the EXACT same type of 'can' they had as a demo unit showcasing the 5G UWB equipment with hands on education. i can assure you, they do use those cans for those systems. which is exactly why i also came here to try to get some better resources to figure out if its a UWB site, or as you said a possible DAS.

my NOTE 9 on Verizon was not 5G capable, now i am on TMobile with a S21 Ultra, but since none of the databases even show this site or none of the coverage maps indicate UWB coverage in my area.

atop the building im currently staying in, are the traditional flat panel transcievers we all know very well for lowband 5G and 4G services. and they have tmobile and verizon stamped backup power sources right outside the front door behind some decorative fences.


so, im kinda confused now, when a leading industry company for testing and standards tells us those cans can and very much use those cans for 5G UW, but here you are and a couple others saying its not, and i trust you guys as well. which is it?

every place i get 5G UW i see hoards of those cans on poles and i get the best signals right next to them.

anyways now im dragging on, but, obviously its not UWB because i only have the basic 5G icon on my phone, and not 5G+ or 5GUW as a service icon.

 

[CapStar362]

There are no hand held cell phones that work in the 28 or 39GHz range, that is for provider to base station links like if you sign up for super high speed service at home.

Edit: I take that back, the iPhone 12 Pro does mention 28 and 39GHz. Wow.

Note 21 and S21's also support 5G UWB

 

[CapStar362]

Not a 5G site. Just a micro site. As has been mentioned several times before, 5G sites have the radio at the antenna with just fiber and power run up to it. In your site, the radio is at the base in that metal "shelter" and the multi-plexed tx and rx paths are run up to the "4G" antenna. I work for a large manufacturer who installs some private 4G stuff, so I am around it quite a bit.

okay, so, being there are actual panel segments on the top of the building, is this micro site tied in to give people inside the building service also?

if you want to see the building its 18120 San Carlos Blvd. Fort Myers Beach FL 33931

 

[mmckenna]

okay, so, being there are actual panel segments on the top of the building, is this micro site tied in to give people inside the building service also?

Not sure any of us would know for sure. Your best bet is to figure out what carrier it is and ask one of their technicians directly. Asking for opinions from a bunch of people on a hobby radio site that live all over the country is going to get you guesses or educated guesses at best.

The sector antennas on the roof may be for a different carrier than the smaller site across the parking lot. Or, they may be the same. No way for any of us to know.

Likely, the site covers some in building. None of us would know if that is what it was designed for.

We can tell you from looking at the photos you've posted, this isn't a 2#/3#GHz site, the coax isn't right for that. It looks a whole lot like part of a distributed antenna system.
So far, photos of covered up antennas doesn't tell us much. Photos of the side of the RRU don't tell us much.

 

[CapStar362]

here are the sector antennas that lead from the wall conduit marked as TMobile backup power

 

[CapStar362]

this is the backup power point marked as TMobile, which leads via a conduit channel up the external wall to the sector panels