PETERBOROUGH and MONTREAL — Suppliers Lindsay Broadband and Belgium-based Accelleran announced today Cogeco Communications is testing their one-box small cell solution for LTE deployments in hybrid fibre coax (HFC) networks with DOCSIS backhaul, as part of a multivendor field trial on Cogeco’s network in Quebec.
Lindsay and Accelleran have partnered to deliver a one-box solution (the LBSCS-A1-EA, pictured) comprising an LTE small cell operating in the 3.5 GHz band, an industrial-hardened DOCSIS 3.1 modem, and a surge-protected power supply system (40-90 VAC cable plant input is converted to DC and Power over Ethernet).
This solution is generally intended for deployments in enterprise, public urban and suburban scenarios to complement macro coverage with additional focused capacity, or as a single-layer, ultra-dense, small cell-only network, says the news release. Lindsay has the required certification from ISED Canada for the technology’s use in Canada, says the release.
“Cogeco strives to provide an exceptional customer experience, and we are always looking for ways to increase our geographic reach and expansion into new telecommunication market segments,” said Marie Ginette Lepage, vice-president of wireless solutions and innovation at Cogeco. “This exercise, done with Lindsay Broadband and Accelleran, is another step on our path towards entering the wireless market.”
“Lindsay’s extensive design and engineering experience in combination with Accelleran’s radio and software technology have resulted in the ability to quickly produce a technician-friendly, fast-to-deploy, HFC plant-powered small cell solution,” said David Atman, president of Lindsay Broadband, in the release. “Lindsay’s small cell power and backhaul gateway strategy has been providing a cost-effective solution for cable operators since 2015. The integration of the Accelleran radio allows operators to utilize existing infrastructure for new ROI in one housing.”
