Cellnex Poland Launches 5G Radio Access Network Upgrade

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 29, Cellnex Poland selected Ericsson as one of its suppliers for radio access network modernization and expansion, covering upgrades to radio units, RAN compute modules, microwave backhaul links, antennas, and cabinets. The upgraded infrastructure will continue to serve Polkomtel's Plus mobile network, aimed at expanding 5G coverage and improving transmission speeds and network reliability.

This deployment round will use AIR 3229 dual-band TDD Massive MIMO equipment, integrating C Band and 2600MHz TDD bands into a single unit, reducing tower equipment footprint and lowering structural load. The equipment is powered by Ericsson Silicon system-on-chip, simultaneously improving radio capacity and energy efficiency for both urban and rural sites.

For microwave backhaul, MINI-LINK 6356 high-power E-band radio equipment will be deployed. Cellnex had previously completed the first deployment of this equipment in Poland. The solution supports high-capacity base station backhaul and extends E-band link coverage distance by increasing output power. According to Ericsson data, the MINI-LINK 6356 can achieve an output power of 26dBm, and two E-band units combined can support backhaul capacity of up to 20Gbps.

Cellnex will also deploy Transport Automation Controller on a large scale for real-time data analysis, AI automation, and network operations management of the microwave backhaul network, and will introduce the Energy & Enclosure platform, integrating high-efficiency power supply systems, intelligent energy storage, and site cabinets into a unified infrastructure.

Cellnex currently owns approximately 15,500 communication tower sites in Poland and operates local wireless infrastructure through On Tower Poland and Towerlink Poland. Its Polish operations cover both passive towers and active RAN equipment, with RAN service models including the construction, upgrade, and operation and maintenance of antennas, radio units, fronthaul, and baseband equipment.