China Mobile and Nokia has conducted the first trial of Centralized RAN within a TD-LTE network at a sports stadium to demonstrate the ability of the combination to meet high-bandwidth demands generated by major entertainment events.
The trial was conducted at the Beilun Stadium in Ningbo, China, providing mobile connectivity to around 6,000 spectators.
Centralized RAN technology was used to monitor the signals of up to six radio cells, combining the best four to communicate with subscribers' devices and convert interference into useful traffic.
During peak usage times devices were receiving data at speeds of 12Mbps or higher, the companies said. Upload speeds also improved by 62% compared to existing TD-LTE networks in high-traffic areas, while device power efficiency was improved by up to 33%.
“With this successful trial, we have shown that centralized RAN technology can eliminate the 4G network strain typically caused at large events,” commented Wang Yong, assistant to the general manager at China Mobile subsidiary Ningbo Mobile.
“As mobile data use continues to rise, innovations like this from Nokia will help us meet the demands for high-quality service from our subscribers in densely populated stadiums and other areas.”