Alcatel-Lucent RRH1900-4x45 Remote Radio Head – Comprehensive Technical Review
The Alcatel‑Lucent RRH1900‑4x45 (part number 109787622, also known as CRMH510GRA) is a state‑of‑the‑art remote radio head (RRH) designed for 1900 MHz (PCS band) cellular deployments, supporting both UMTS (WCDMA) and LTE (FDD) standards. This unit is engineered to be installed at the top of the tower or on a rooftop, close to the antenna, to minimize feeder losses and improve overall system performance. Its high output power, multi‑branch MIMO capability, and rugged outdoor construction make it a preferred choice for macro‑cell sites requiring extensive coverage and capacity.
The RRH features four independent transmit and receive chains, each capable of delivering 45 W of average output power – a total of 180 W aggregate. This high‑power design, combined with 4x4 MIMO, significantly enhances downlink throughput and spectral efficiency, especially in high‑traffic urban areas. The power amplifier section uses advanced Doherty architecture with digital predistortion (DPD) to achieve peak efficiencies above 40%, reducing power consumption and heat dissipation while maintaining linearity for higher‑order modulations such as 256‑QAM.
The receiver front‑end incorporates low‑noise amplifiers (LNAs) with a noise figure of less than 2.0 dB, ensuring excellent sensitivity for uplink signals. Integrated duplexers and band‑pass filters provide high selectivity, rejecting out‑of‑band interference from other radio systems. Each branch includes a directional coupler for VSWR monitoring, enabling automatic antenna fault detection and reporting.
Digital baseband interfacing is accomplished through a dual‑fiber CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) link, supporting line rates of up to 9.8 Gbps (Option 7) or 10.1 Gbps. The CPRI connection carries digitized IQ samples, control commands, and synchronization signals between the RRH and the baseband unit (BBU). The module also includes an auxiliary Ethernet port for out‑of‑band management, allowing direct access for commissioning and maintenance.
For timing and synchronization, the RRH incorporates an IEEE 1588v2 PTP slave with hardware timestamping, as well as Sync‑E support, ensuring accurate phase alignment required for TDD and carrier aggregation. It can synchronize to a GPS/ GNSS signal via an external input if needed, but the primary sync is derived from the CPRI link.
Mechanical design is built to withstand harsh outdoor environments. The housing is a die‑cast aluminum alloy with an IP67 ingress protection rating, fully sealed against dust and water immersion up to 1 meter. The unit operates over an extended temperature range of ‑40°C to +55°C and can tolerate relative humidity up to 100% with condensation. The enclosure features an integrated heat sink with a large cooling surface, allowing passive convection cooling – no internal fans, which eliminates a common failure point and reduces maintenance.
Power input is standard ‑48 VDC, with a built‑in surge protection circuit compliant with ITU‑T K.20 and K.21. The RRH also includes over‑voltage, over‑current, and reverse‑polarity protection. Typical power consumption at full traffic load is approximately 550 W, with a standby mode of under 30 W for energy savings during low‑usage periods.
Installation is simplified by a universal mounting bracket that accommodates pole diameters from 50 to 120 mm, as well as wall mounting. All RF connectors are weather‑proofed 4.3‑10 or 7‑16 DIN types, and the fiber connectors are enclosed in protective boots. The unit includes a built‑in antenna tilt indicator and a bubble level to assist mechanical alignment. An optional remote electrical tilt (RET) interface is available for adjusting antenna downtilt from the network operations center.
Management is fully integrated with the Alcatel‑Lucent network management suite. The RRH reports comprehensive performance counters, including transmitted power per branch, received signal strength indicator (RSSI), PA temperature, and fanless cooling status. It also supports remote software upgrades over CPRI, with automatic fallback in case of upgrade failure. Alarms for high VSWR, over‑temperature, and hardware faults are sent to the BBU and then to the NMS.
Regulatory approvals include FCC Part 24 (PCS), IC RSS‑133, and ETSI EN 301 908‑1/‑13. The unit meets CE, RoHS, and REACH requirements, and is tested to GR‑487‑CORE for salt spray, vibration, and solar radiation. Its MTBF exceeds 300,000 hours, making it highly reliable for long‑term outdoor service.
Typical deployment uses include dense urban macro‑cells, suburban coverage, and highway corridors where high throughput and wide coverage are essential. The RRH1900‑4x45 also supports carrier aggregation with other frequency bands when paired with compatible BBUs, enabling multi‑band high‑speed data services.
In summary, the Alcatel‑Lucent RRH1900‑4x45 is a powerful, robust, and highly efficient remote radio head that provides exceptional performance for modern mobile networks. Its combination of high power, MIMO technology, environmental toughness, and smart management makes it a cornerstone for network operators aiming to deliver superior mobile broadband experiences.
