Network Evolution: Southeast Asia Wireless Service Provider Selects Ceragon’s IP-20 Platform

Ceragon Networks Ltd., a global wireless backhaul specialist, has announced that its FibeAir IP-20 Platform was selected by a Southeast Asia wireless service provider to expand and modernize its nationwide 450MHz low-band high coverage CDMA network to a 4G-LTE network.

In order to meet the operator’s required capacity over large distances, Ceragon will be replacing another vendor’s wireless backhaul network as part of the network modernization process. Ceragon has received an initial order for its products and related services from this new customer totaling over $1.5 million, with further orders expected over the next 2 years.

The wireless operator currently runs a nationwide CDMA network operating exclusively at a low frequency band of 450 MHz, which provides vast service coverage for rural parts of the country and high service penetration in buildings in urban areas.

To best deliver on its promise of providing high quality, affordable, high speed telecom services to rural, suburban and urban areas, as well as remain competitive, the operator is upgrading to a 4G LTE network to deliver high speed 4G services as well as expand service reach by adding new sites in areas with little or no connectivity. To avoid costly and time-consuming fiber deployments for site backhaul, the operator requires a wireless backhaul alternative that is able to deliver capacity of 500Mbps and beyond, with the challenge of providing it over large distances.

As a wireless backhaul specialist, Ceragon offers the operator a smooth, fast modernization to LTE with turnkey solutions and services. It enables the delivery of high capacity over exceptionally large distances with the re-use of existing assets for re-deployment, allowing the operator to save on equipment costs, reduce downtime, accelerate time to market and hence increase its revenues. During field trials Ceragon’s high-power IP-20 Platform proved to be the only solution to deliver high capacity 4G wireless backhaul over large distances, without the need for costly relay sites.

In addition, Ceragon’s unique multicore technology minimizes future upgrade costs by allowing the operator to remotely increase capacity with no additional hardware or crew dispatch to the field.

“With the vast majority of web traffic consumed over mobile devices in our customer’s country, the need for 4G LTE modernization is critical,” said Ira Palti, president and CEO of Ceragon. “Our IP-20 Platform enables this wireless operator to quickly and cost effectively modernize and expand its network. We help the operator enhance its customers’ quality of experience and increase its customer base, meeting its promise to provide high quality affordable mobile services.”