Sky Link pioneers Lucent's smallest CDMA450 base station

Details: Alec Barton; Category: Wireless Networks; 13 June 2006; 12805 views

Sky Link, a telco established to develop a nationwide CDMA450 network in Russia, and Lucent have instigated a project to increase the capacity and coverage of Sky Link's network in Moscow and the Moscow region, and in St Petersburg and the Leningrad region...

Sky Link is providing mobile voice and high-speed data services at speeds of up to 2.4 Mb/s in this area.

As part of the project, Sky Link will be the first service provider to deploy Lucent's newest and smallest CDMA450 base station to date - the CDMA450 Modular Cell 4.0 Compact base station, which supports CDMA2000 1. and 1.EV-DO technologies.

Sky Link is also deploying an IP backhaul solution which incorporates Lucent Ethernet Routers as well as equipment from strategic supplier Juniper Networks. This will enable Sky Link to optimise its transport network and reduce the number of "T1" lines used for transporting voice and data traffic between base stations and Mobile Switching Centres (MSCs) while also increasing the latter's capacity.

To support this capability, Lucent will deliver a core Internet Protocol (IP)/Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network that will enable Sky Link to efficiently manage large increases in network traffic as it expands its network to serve additional customers. This core network will incorporate Lucent Ethernet Routers (recently acquired from Riverstone Networks), which support the "backhauling" of data traffic from Sky Link's 3G base stations, as well as Juniper Networks M-series multiservice routing platforms, which will aggregate traffic from multiple base stations.

The new CDMA450 Modular Cell 4.0 Compact base station provides support for IP backhaul technology. Deployment of these new base stations and Lucent's IP backhaul solution will enable Sky Link to lower operational and capital expenses.

Alexander Nesterov, general director, Sky Link predicts: "By the end of 2006, we plan to install these new base stations in all regions where we plan to launch the EV-DO service. In Moscow and St Petersburg our subscribers already have significant advantages in terms of mobile data speeds via EV-DO and we are excited to deliver these capabilities to subscribers in other areas, changing the way they do business."

The new Lucent CDMA450 Modular Cell 4.0 Compact base station's small footprint, high capacity and efficient power consumption also enable Sky Link to improve both traditional and in-building coverage.

Lucent Worldwide Services is providing an overall network review and, as part of this review, will increase the capacity of existing MSCs, Radio Network Controllers, and base stations. Lucent Worldwide Services will also provide installation and integration, on-going technical support and training services for the carrier's personnel.

The Lucent CDMA450 Modular Cell 4.0 Compact base stations also support Sky Link's planned migration to an enhanced version of CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology called Revision A, which increases the efficiency, data speeds and capacity of existing EV-DO networks. Revision A will enable users to receive data (forward link) at theoretical speeds of up to 3.1 Mb/s and to send data (reverse link) at theoretical speeds of up to 1.8 Mb/s.

* ZAO Sky Link was established in July 2003 to create a federal cellular communications network based on IMT-MC 450 (CDMA450) technology. Its licensed territory, as largest CDMA operator in Russia and CIS, covers 65 regions of the Russian Federation with 104 million inhabitants - more than 72% of the country's population. As of May 2006, Sky Link was serving 358,000 subscribers (May 2005, 200,000 subscribers). Sky Link has been a member of International 450 Association (IA-450) since 2003, and was awarded IA Sotovik's Diploma for the most ambitious project of 2004, as well as RBC's "The company of the year 2005" Award.

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