September 9, 2021

Aviat Puts the Plus in A2C+

Demand for mobile data is soaring, and microwave is seen as the primary transport medium in rural and suburban areas. Aviat’s WTM 4000 enables double capacity (2+0) microwave links by housing two transceivers, two diplexers, and a 3dB coupler in one compact all-outdoor solution.

Aviat Adaptive Dual Carrier (A2C+) technology is a way to double the link capacity in just a single transceiver. A2C+ enables a second channel to be enabled via software, and then the two channels are combined together at baseband, to double the system’s capacity while also maximizing the system performance.

A new wrinkle in high-capacity microwave

A2C+ breaks new ground in terms of system capacity, reliability, and TCO. This feature can be implemented on Aviat WTM 4100 and WTM 4800 Multi-Band series radios, doubles capacity (up to 2.5 Gbps) without additional hardware investment by enabling a second RF channel on the radio’s single transceiver. It’s like getting a second radio without the cost and hassle of having to purchase and then go to the site to install one.

A2C+ enhances link performance in other ways as well. By eliminating the 3 dB RF Coupler needed in radios with pairs of transceivers and diplexers, it increases system gain by up to 4.5 dB. During fading events, it reverts to single-channel mode with a 7.5 dB power boost without interrupting high-priority traffic, and then when the fading event is over, it seamlessly returns to dual-channel operation. It can also be used in Single- or Multi-Band applications.

A2C+. Save money. Save time.

A2C+ enables Aviat’s WTM series radios to deliver higher system performance without spending double on two radios and, by using just one transceiver and diplexer, A2C+ cuts radio power consumption by nearly 50 percent.

A2C+ simplifies deployment, too, while saving on tower leasing and shipping costs. In higher capacity 4+0 configurations, A2C+ enables up to 12 dB more system gain on WTM 4000 radios than some competitive radios, enabling smaller antennas can be used. Smaller antennas can lead to tremendous savings in terms of the cost of the antenna but also the ongoing OPEX to mount the antenna on a tower, especially if you lease tower space:

* Based on 2 antennas, $100 per 0.3m diameter, per antenna per month

With A2C+ less equipment = higher reliability.

Finally, A2C+ enables a radio design that has fewer components, so it has a higher MTBF, meaning more uptime and fewer maintenance costs. For example, for a 4+0 configuration using 2x WTM 4100 with A2C+, the overall system MTBF is up to 3x higher than a comparable solution using a split-mount radio consisting of four radios and an indoor unit.

So let’s summarize the benefits of Aviat A2C+:

• The highest system gain, reducing tower labor and leasing costs.
• Lighter system weight. Makes handling and deployment easier.
• Higher resiliency and link uptime. When the link is affected by fading, the radio can revert to single channel operation, gaining up to 7.5dB more transmitter power.
• Simplified sparing and lower power consumption. The same radio can be used to support 1+0, 2+0, and 4+0 configurations and, becauseA2C+ enables the same capacity with half the number of transceivers, power consumption is significantly reduced.
• Lower CAPEX. Less equipment to purchase and ship.
• Lower OPEX. Lower maintenance and tower-related costs.
• Lowest overall TCO solution. Compared to dual transceiver alternatives.

The A2C+ software is now available for download in the Aviat Store for any frequency radio in the Aviat WTM 4000 lineup, and it can be remotely installed.