NXP Basestation Site Scanning Proposal With AISG Modems

By Jaijith Radhakrishnan

There are a number of connectivity issues associated with cellular base stations that can increase the cost of operation. Prior to commissioning, the tower is typically given a visual inspection to ensure connectivity. The inspection, which involves verifying connectivity for the antenna line devices (ALDs) and the base station controller (BSC), requires the presence of a field technician and, because data is usually gathered visually (and not electronically), can be prone to error. Some connectivity faults are difficult to detect with the eyes alone, and it's possible for the technician to miss a connection.

Once the tower is operational, connectivity problems can be hard to identify from the operations and maintenance center, and equipment may have to be brought offline to debug the issue. Over time, connectivity can deteriorate, due to damage to the ALDs and other tower equipment. Connectors and cables can't really be assessed accurately with a quick visual inspection, so detailed and time-consuming onsite inspections may be needed to keep things running. Also, complex problems may require multiple site visits to resolve.