Brief
Vodacom tests compact antenna to boost 4G/5G capacity
The South African telecom operator said the pilot, carried out with Nokia in the Western Cape, could deliver higher capacity where space is limited.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Vodacom announced it has tested a compact antenna system that merges conventional passive antennas with massive MIMO radios in a single unit. The pilot, carried out with Nokia in the Western Cape, allows the device to run massive MIMO on 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands simultaneously, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Vodacom said the technology could be installed where limited space or existing infrastructure would make a conventional upgrade difficult, and it plans to deploy the system at "identified sites where additional capacity is needed". The company did not disclose how many sites or the capacity gains achieved.
Key facts
- Vodacom piloted a compact antenna system combining passive antennas and massive MIMO (techcentral.co.za)
- The system operates on 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands (techcentral.co.za)
- Pilot was conducted in the Western Cape with Nokia (techcentral.co.za)
- Vodacom plans to deploy the system at identified sites needing extra capacity (techcentral.co.za)
Sources
- [1] techcentral.co.za — originally reported as “Vodacom squeezes more 4G and 5G capacity out of cramped sites”
