Fujitsu, HFR Networks Enhance Smart xHaul for 5G Transport

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Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. and HFR Networks, Inc. introduced new and enhanced Smart xHaul solutions for versatile, cost-efficient, scalable 5G network transport. Enhancements include new innovative optics for the M6424 time sensitive networking (TSN) aggregation and transport switch — which is in use with a Tier 1 U.S. service provider as the lead customer — and the new M6208E TSN switch for hardened environments.

As service providers ramp up 5G service, and begin to merge radio access network (RAN) traffic across legacy 4G frequencies and newly acquired C-band spectrum, Cloud RAN (C-RAN) transport requires high performance and optimized economics to scale capacity efficiently per macro cell site. The enhanced M6424 delivers up to 400G transport capacity with the new xWave 400G optical solution for high-capacity TSN with precision time protocol (PTP) over a single fiber. This significant increase in transport efficiency results in an 8 to 1 fiber savings, with a pay-as-you-grow solution provisioned in 100G increments.

Moreover, the M6424 switch includes integration of 10Gbps/25Gbps Smart Tunable Optics, offering a powerful “semi-active” transport solution when cell site power and space challenges exist. The M6424 utilizes its management software to access the smart self-tuning optics for automated turn-up and remote visibility at passive cell sites, allowing proactive Operations, Administration and Management (OA&M) capabilities, resulting in high availability services support. In this way, optics can be disaggregated from the transport system and plugged directly into radios at space constrained or zoning-restricted locations such as lamp posts, utility poles or building facades, solving challenges related to power, aesthetics and space. 

The new M6208E switch is a scalable, high-capacity TSN switch in a compact, hardened enclosure for outside plant wall or pole mounting, built for rapid site deployment in challenging conditions ranging from rural cell sites to constrained environments, such as subways or venues. The versatile M6208E reduces fiber needs by enabling service blending across legacy 3G or 4G LTE common public radio interface (CPRI) infrastructure at remote radio heads with 5G enhanced CPRI traffic and Ethernet services on a common RAN.

“As service providers face the complexities of building out ubiquitous 5G coverage, they need operational flexibility with greater efficiency and performance. Leveraging TSN and innovative optics optimized for xHaul enables significant cost savings, business agility and faster time to market,” said Paul Havala, vice president of technology business unit, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. “The combination of Fujitsu’s integration services and HFR Networks' standards-compliant technology empowers versatile Smart xHaul solutions with centralized management across multiple RAN types to support a wide variety of 5G transport use cases.”

“HFR Networks continues to listen to customers as we expand our flexiHaul solutions portfolio,” said Paul Crann, chief executive officer, HFR Networks. “These enhanced switching solutions help operators to accelerate 5G coverage to more locations, including sites that require rugged, passive or compact solutions with the ability to converge multiple services onto common infrastructure.”

As an HFR Networks’ partner, Fujitsu offers the M6424, xWave 400G and M6208E switching solutions as part of its Smart xHaul transport portfolio, along with network integration and management services.