CommScope is making the most comprehensive upgrade to its microwave antenna portfolio in decades. The leader in microwave antennas is overhauling its entire long haul antenna portfolio to significantly improve the coverage, capacity and cost-effectiveness of wireless backhaul for all applications.
CommScope is introducing two new long haul antenna product lines — USX and HX — into its Sentinel® and ValuLine® portfolios, which will ultimately replace its existing long haul antennas. The new antennas provide next-generation performance for cellular, broadcast, telecom and private networks.
As part of CommScope’s Sentinel range, the new USX antennas meet or exceed Class 4 standards, as defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). Their superior radiation patterns — better than the previous industry leader, CommScope’s UHX antennas — provide maximum protection against interference, helping backhaul links operate at their highest data rates for longer. USX antennas retain the high performing cross-polarization technology of CommScope’s existing HSX backhaul antennas. At present, the USX is unmatched in performance by any competitive antenna.
The new ValuLine HX antennas deliver substantially improved radiation pattern envelopes and cross-polarization compared to other Class 3 antennas. These performance improvements enable network operators to balance performance and deployment cost where high network congestion is not an issue and without the additional cost of upgrading to a full USX antenna.
CommScope’s Sentinel microwave antennas revolutionized the performance capabilities of wireless backhaul networks. Sentinel won the 2017 Network Transformation Award for best new product from Layer123 and a 2018 Tessco One Innovation Award. CommScope has supplied microwave antennas for more than 50 years. The company also offers a comprehensive portfolio of connectivity solutions for backhaul fiber networks.
Emmy Johnson, principal analyst and founder of Sky Light Research, said, “The wireless backhaul industry must continue to evolve to meet the needs of service providers and the massive amounts of high-bandwidth traffic from users. Denser, higher performing backhaul links are a critical component to the overall vision for next-generation wireless networks, and well-engineered microwave antennas are a linchpin in achieving that vision.”
Ian Bourke, vice president of microwave antenna systems at CommScope, said, “The next generation of long-distance wireless communications demands better antenna performance without occupying more tower space — something CommScope is ready to deliver. Our Sentinel antennas have proven their superior performance in the field, and our ValuLine antennas have long combined cost-effectiveness, quality and performance. The new long haul antennas add a robust solution to those portfolios to meet the varying needs of our customers.”