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Altiostar Unveiled C-RAN Portfolio with Ethernet Fronthaul

Altiostar Unveiled C-RAN Portfolio with Ethernet Fronthaul Image Credit: Altiostar

Altiostar, a provider of virtual RAN solutions with Ethernet fronthaul for software-intensive LTE radio access node (eNodeB), unveiled its complete portfolio of carrier-grade, cloud-based, software-intensive radio access network (C-RAN) solution with Ethernet fronthaul. The solution is designed to improve the quality of experience, enhance spectral efficiency, and significantly reduce Total Cost of Ownership of LTE access networks, said Altiostar.

According to Altiostar, a company backed by Cisco, the solution does not require expensive and hard-to-deploy dark fiber or wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), and instead can be deployed using readily-available standard Ethernet links. Altiostar’s Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) C-RAN solution includes macro and micro cellular eNodeBs. The solution consists of intelligent Remote Radio Head (iRRH) and intelligent virtualized Base Band Unit (vBBU) running as Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) that are implemented on Common Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and carrier-grade OpenStack and Linux software platforms. The iRRHs are connected to the vBBU on standard Ethernet over any available medium, including LoS and NLoS Microwave, mmWave, Carrier Ethernet, FTTx, and fiber or WDM, if available. 

Altiostar said that its solution also offers integrated Application Intelligence features such as TCP traffic optimization to eliminate radio channel bandwidth wastage; application-aware scheduling for differentiated flow treatment based on application type; optimization of video traffic with radio-aware content adaptation; radio-channel-aware content caching and streaming; backhaul optimization with intelligent offload and reduction in TCP retransmissions caused by fluctuating radio conditions. 

Ashraf M. Dahod, President and CEO of Altiostar
To build such networks, today’s base station architecture relies on expensive and hard-to-deploy fiber or WDM. However, we have eliminated the need for fiber or WDM by designing an architecture that uses standard Ethernet to build the cloud RAN. Consequently, our solution enables rapid addition of coverage and capacity with a combination of macro and micro networks, while driving down the total cost of ownership.

Edward Gubbins, Senior Analyst at Current Analysis
Major RAN vendors have been talking about C-RAN and even vRAN for some time now, but none have gone as far as Altiostar has in creating an entire portfolio that is designed to maximize the advantages of these architectures on a large scale. Altiostar's potentially disruptive approach could impact networks in multiple ways, from deployment and transport economics to network efficiency and optimization. And the credibility of the company's founding team, combined with the power of its partnership with investor Cisco, make this company a serious contender to watch.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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