Evaluation of HTS sub-systems for cellular basestations

Abstract

The application of High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) has led to the development of new sub-systems for cellular basestations used in network infrastructures. They offer performance advantages in terms of sensitivity and selectivity as well as a reduction in size, which allows them to be installed on top of the antenna mast. Results are presented for an HTS-system, which was designed to interface to GSM-1800 basestations. The measured performance parameters of an HTS subsystem and a conventional system have been implemented into a network-planning tool to assess the advantages in the improved system performance for network operators. Both macro cellular environments, deployed to serve rural areas with a low user density and an urban condition, with macro plus microcellular environment with a high subscriber density have been evaluated. The results show, that the network operator can choose to employ different advantages, for example a reduction in the number of basestations in rural areas by 24%, or an increased capacity in urban areas with a simultaneous reduction of carriers by 30%.