JTower’s tower sharing business will provide shared access to CommScope’s Mosaic and HELIAX products to network operators
CommScope said it has been selected by Japanese firm JTower, which provides telecommunications infrastructure sharing services, to form a partnership for the provision of greater access to shared broadband infrastructure to local operators.
Through the partnership, JTower will provide outdoor infrastructure sharing for network operators using CommScope’s RF technologies and solutions such as antennas, filters and coaxial cables.
“In Japan, 5G networks are currently being rolled out by various network operators, and JTower’s solutions will enable telcos to develop its base station infrastructure more efficiently,” said Yusuke Kiriya, senior managing director and general manager of infrastructure sharing at JTower.
The partners highlighted that massive MIMO technology substantially increases spectral efficiency to deliver more network capacity and wider coverage. However, the pair noted that operators will have to determine if the extra costs and real-world power requirements associated with active MIMO deployments are justified or if an antennae configuration will suffice.
“As countries like Japan focus on the next decade of communications infrastructure, they will collaborate with partners who are committed to rapid connectivity and data delivery. At the same time, it’s crucial they drive innovations that boost efficiency, deliver energy savings and optimize processes, to support the wider economy’s net-zero transition. By tapping into CommScope’s antenna technology via a shared model, it is a win-win for JTower and mobile operators across Japan,” said Farid Firouzbakht, senior vice president and segment president for outdoor wireless networks, at CommScope.
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JTower’s tower-sharing business will provide shared access to CommScope’s Mosaic and HELIAX products to network operators. CommScope said its HELIAX solution portfolio has expanded from coaxial offerings to include fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) and cluster connector solutions like the ones being integrated into JTOWER’s infrastructure.
Last year, JTower and Japanese telco NTT Docomo had decided to enter into a master transaction agreement with the aim of promoting infra-sharing of the latter’s existing towers. The contract will enable the companies to make a transaction in which 6,002 telecommunications towers owned by mobile operator NTT Docomo will be transferred to JTower. NTT Docomo will lease these towers from JTower as part of the deal.
In October 2021, Japanese mobile operator Rakuten Mobile and JTower entered a capital alliance with the aim of sharing infrastructure in indoors and outdoors environments.
Under the terms of the deal, the two companies will share equipment and towers to boost the development of 4G and 5G networks across Japan.
JTower also noted that the use of shared infrastructure enables network development in a short period of time and at a low cost compared to when each mobile network operator installs their own networks separately.