Small cells are meant to be heard, not seen. But as the frequencies used in 5G technology creep higher and higher, hiding antennas has become a technical dilemma. Legacy shrouds tend to impact all frequencies, but can specifically block millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies. Workarounds like cutting a window or tuning the shroud tend to be short-term fixes.
In a recent announcement, through its Schrofftech Division, RF Industries has sought to solve that problem by developing a pole top concealment product, known as TruField™. The shroud is designed to be future-proof. It is band-agnostic and will facilitate transmission of a wide range of RF waves. TruField™ is made of lightweight fabric that achieves RF transparency with less than 0.2 dB of loss at any angle of incidence up to 60 degrees from low-band, mid-band (C-band) to mmWave frequencies.
“The goal of launching the TruField™ platform was to find a solution for true RF transparency,” said Christophe Massenet, RF Industries Vice President of Technology and Engineering. “When it comes to the emergence of mmWave radios in these new, super high-data throughput 5G systems, radiating through anything is very challenging.”
But Trufield™ is made to be future-proof in other ways, as well. It offers easy serviceability, unzipping to provide full 360-degree access for quick radio or antenna upgrades, with only simple hand tools required.
It will also accommodate ever-changing technology. “Carriers and neutral hosts do not necessarily know what will need to be concealed down the road. A key benefit of TruField™ is that it will accommodate future radio models that will vary greatly related to size and shape,” John Cirincione, Vice President of Sales for RF Industries, told Inside Towers. Typical shrouds will most likely have to be completely replaced.
Backstory
RF Industries has partnered with Saint-Gobain, a French multinational corporation that designs, manufactures and distributes materials for the construction and industrial markets. Saint-Gobain has provided similar fabric solutions for microwave dish radomes for decades that feature high performance RF transparency with superior signal strength and overall RF coverage beyond 40 GHz.
Massenet said, “It easily adapts to future 4G and 5G configurations, providing true RF transparency through the shroud with no windows needed.”
This video shows the features of TruField™ small cell concealment.
TruField™ is flexible, lightweight, and made of a self-cleaning, hydrophobic material that withstands the elements. It repels water, mold, and mildew, all of which keep the shroud virtually maintenance-free and economical.
Turnkey Small Cell Deployments
To lower deployment costs, RF Industries can integrate the complete small cell in-house, one that has been pre-integrated in a controlled environment, and is ready to install. This speeds up deployment and lowers costs.
“When you deploy small cells in a busy municipality, you may have to block a street for several hours with a bucket truck, which is expensive, not to mention the cost of the technicians,” Massenet said. “We have the skills internally to assemble and pre-integrate every component of the small cell. It is very handy, and it makes it very easy and quick to install the small cell at the final site.” Due to its versatility, there are additional future use cases for TruField™ including 5G repeaters, or a backhaul to fiber hub.
To learn more about RF industries’ TruField™ small cell concealment, please visit: https://rfindustries.com/trufield/. For any inquiries, please email: [email protected].
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