Demonstration of Mobile Fronthaul Test Bed Based on RoF Technology Supporting Two Frequency Assignments and 2✕2 MIMO Antennas

Abstract

We demonstrate a next‐generation high‐capacity mobile fronthaul based on radio over fiber (RoF) technology, which links between a digital unit and a radio unit supporting two frequency assignments and 2x2 multiple input, multiple output antennas. To confirm the technical feasibility of a mobile fronthaul, we experimentally investigate its down‐ and uplink end‐to‐end performances including the optical and radio frequency (RF) signal path. Frequency‐dependent performance deviations, error vector magnitude variations, overall system performance variations caused by optical to electrical conversion, and intermediate frequency to RF conversions are examined. Experimental verifications on multiple LTE uplink signals are performed for the first time. We also demonstrate several commercial mobile Internet services, YouTube video streaming, and file transfers using off‐the‐shelf mobile devices, through a mobile fronthaul based on RoF.

Publication
ETRI Journal