LTE mobile connectivity now exists in many more urban places than not. Virtually all big cities have multiple choices for LTE and most have at least one choice for LTE Advanced—the real 4G wireless. For example, you can see iPhone and Android users taking advantage of all this high-capacity coverage as they leisurely view high-definition YouTube videos without buffering and actually livestream major league sports in cafes, parks and just walking around at lunch.

However, some rural areas still do not have any real 4G. So the 67 percent of adults with smartphones could be frustrated in their quest for audiovisual content out in the countryside. Closing the Digital Divide and getting to more of the broadband underserved in the sparsely populated locales challenges telephone companies and their technology suppliers alike. To deploy high-speed wireless access, one particular carrier saw that IP/MPLS services needed to push out to the edge of the network. And in the competitive world of mobile telephony, it had to happen quickly before someone else got there first.

North America LTE 4G rural rollout
To help roll out rural LTE 4G for one of North America’s largest Tier 1 carriers, Aviat Networks and Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) partnered to deploy Aviat CTR 8540 and CTR 8312 microwave routers augmented by RFS CompactLine microwave antennas. With the CTR microwave routers integrating IP/MPLS capability the operator is prepared for MPLS migration to the network edge. Together with RFS CompactLine deep-dish antennas designed for easy installation, the two companies collaborated with the LTE 4G provider to complete the initial rural rollout exceeding operator timeline expectations.

Backed by innovative microwave networking, the Tier 1 carrier completed its 4G rollout within the designated timetable. Under the pressure of a tight deadline, both Aviat Networks and RFS came through.

Securing the business
“Securing the business of a Tier 1 carrier is fiercely competitive and with a project like this, one misstep can cost us the contract,” says Neal Salzman, senior director, service provider sales, Aviat Networks. “RFS worked closely with us to ensure we delivered on our joint commitments to a very important customer. We were impressed with the way RFS navigated the challenges presented and kept us and our customer apprised every step of the way.”

With such a large quantity of microwave antennas necessary for this nationwide 4G rollout over a short period, RFS called upon all available resources at its factories for antennas in Brazil, France and the United States in order to make and ship the equipment on time.

For many years, Aviat has made a point about having the correctly sized antennas in each specific installation scenario. Whether for extremely long links over water or ultra-long links over land, operators need to choose the solution for the conditions encountered in the field.

To find out the complete conditions of this LTE 4G operator customer success story, please download the case study.