(12 February 2008 2:25 pm)

MUMBAI: ZTE, a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has launched the ZXGW B8036 Software Defined Radio (SDR) base station at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2008 at Barcelona.

The ZXGW B8036, the world's first pre-commercial SDR base station, supports GSM and WCDMA simultaneously within software rather than requiring separate hardware components like current base stations as well as providing LTE readiness and a smooth evolution path.

SDR can tune to different frequency bands and receive any modulation across a large frequency spectrum by using software to process digitised signals.

With SDR technology, mobile operators will be able to extend the lifespan of their network systems, thereby decreasing total cost of ownership (TCO) and significantly lowering investment risks.

In addition, the ZTE SDR base station's MicroTCA platform offers additional savings compared to a traditional design; its modular and scalable architecture allows flexible network design capabilities, thus reducing OPEX and CAPEX for the operators.

The technology, which runs radio functionality as software modules on an integrated and unified hardware platform, also enables operators to easily roll out new mobile services and features.

"Integrating key functions into one unified solution is a critical trend in mobile networks today," said ZTE's GM of WCDMA Products Fang Hui.

"With ZTE's SDR technology, we take pride in introducing a new breakthrough in base station development for all waveforms," he added.

The ZXGW B8036 can also be designed to support CDAM and WiMAX in the future, and so meets telecom operators’ demands for a solution for network integration and smooth LTE evolvement, which we expect to help them increase competitive advantage and add on new features."

ZTE's WCDMA network solutions are deployed across more than 30 countries, including Libya, France, Estonia and Nepal.