FHGW and Shared Cell

Architecture
Shared cell architecture groups multiple Radio Units (RUs) into a single logical cell managed by one Distributed Unit (DU). All RUs broadcast the same cell ID and synchronization parameters, eliminating intra-site handovers and simplifying RF design.

Typical Scenarios
This model is ideal for coverage-centric or low-UE-density environments. Example use cases include smart factories, campuses, and autonomous mobility scenarios. Typical RU density for shared cell deployments is 1 RU per 500–800 m² indoor, or per 2,000–4,000 m² outdoor, depending on antenna gain and power class.

Cost Efficiency
By centralizing baseband processing, shared cell deployment eliminates the need for one DU per sector. This reduces both CAPEX and OPEX, avoids duplicated software licensing, and minimizes the number of fronthaul fiber runs.

Simplified Installation and RF Planning
The network becomes simpler to install and configure:

  • No complex handover tuning or neighbor cell relationships.
  • Reduced spectrum fragmentation with unified cell coverage.
  • Each RU is installed and configured as part of one cell.

Scalability
The architecture supports organic network growth. Additional RUs can be added via unused FHGW ports or by cascading multiple FHGWs. The system also supports centralized SON or SDN coordination across all RUs in the cell, enabling traffic steering, RU-level power control, and fault isolation.

Indoor Shared Cell
Acts as a digital distribution hub for indoor RUs across floors and rooms, similar to a next-generation DAS. Ideal for lobbies, offices, or multi-floor venues. Allows incremental scaling without reworking the system.

Outdoor Shared Cell
Effective in large, low-density areas like warehouses, industrial parks, and university campuses. Particularly useful in AGV, drone, or autonomous vehicle applications where seamless mobility is crucial.

FHGW and Shared Cell

Architecture
Shared cell architecture groups multiple Radio Units (RUs) into a single logical cell managed by one Distributed Unit (DU). All RUs broadcast the same cell ID and synchronization parameters, eliminating intra-site handovers and simplifying RF design.

Typical Scenarios
This model is ideal for coverage-centric or low-UE-density environments. Example use cases include smart factories, campuses, and autonomous mobility scenarios. Typical RU density for shared cell deployments is 1 RU per 500–800 m² indoor, or per 2,000–4,000 m² outdoor, depending on antenna gain and power class.

Cost Efficiency
By centralizing baseband processing, shared cell deployment eliminates the need for one DU per sector. This reduces both CAPEX and OPEX, avoids duplicated software licensing, and minimizes the number of fronthaul fiber runs.

Simplified Installation and RF Planning
The network becomes simpler to install and configure:

  • No complex handover tuning or neighbor cell relationships.
  • Reduced spectrum fragmentation with unified cell coverage.
  • Each RU is installed and configured as part of one cell.

Scalability
The architecture supports organic network growth. Additional RUs can be added via unused FHGW ports or by cascading multiple FHGWs. The system also supports centralized SON or SDN coordination across all RUs in the cell, enabling traffic steering, RU-level power control,  and fault isolation.

Indoor Shared Cell
Acts as a digital distribution hub for indoor RUs across floors and rooms, similar to a next-generation DAS. Ideal for lobbies, offices, or multi-floor venues. Allows incremental scaling without reworking the system.

Outdoor Shared Cell
Effective in large, low-density areas like warehouses, industrial parks, and university campuses. Particularly useful in AGV, drone, or autonomous vehicle applications where seamless mobility is crucial.

 

Role of the Fronthaul Gateway in Shared Cell Networks

Role of the Fronthaul Gateway in Shared Cell Networks

Architecture
In O-RAN 5G architecture, the Fronthaul Gateway (FHGW) sits between the centralized DU and multiple distributed RUs. It acts as an aggregation and distribution point in the fronthaul domain.

Function
The FHGW aggregates uplink IQ data from all RUs and replicates (fan-outs) the DU’s downlink IQ data to each RU using the O-RAN Option 7.2x split interface. This supports multivendor interoperability and digital radio deployment.

Synchronization
The FHGW distributes timing via GPS or IEEE 1588v2 PTP. In GPS-limited environments, the FHGW can serve as a boundary clock receiving PTP from an upstream Grandmaster, or support a fallback to a centralized DU room PRTC.

Interoperability Considerations
The FHGW must support O-RAN M-plane configuration via Netconf/YANG to ensure vendor-agnostic deployment. Compatibility with RU which is ORAN compliant enhances integration flexibility.

 

Role of the Fronthaul Gateway in Shared Cell Networks

Architecture
In O-RAN 5G architecture, the Fronthaul Gateway (FHGW) sits between the centralized DU and multiple distributed RUs. It acts as an aggregation and distribution point in the fronthaul domain.

Function
The FHGW aggregates uplink IQ data from all RUs and replicates (fan-outs) the DU’s downlink IQ data to each RU using the O-RAN Option 7.2x split interface. This supports multivendor interoperability and digital radio deployment.

Synchronization
The FHGW distributes timing via GPS or IEEE 1588v2 PTP. In GPS-limited environments, the FHGW can serve as a boundary clock receiving PTP from an upstream Grandmaster, or support a fallback to a centralized DU room PRTC.

Interoperability Considerations
The FHGW must support O-RAN M-plane configuration via Netconf/YANG to ensure vendor-agnostic deployment. Compatibility with RU which is ORAN compliant enhances integration flexibility.

The combination of Fronthaul Gateways and Indoor RUs creates a 5G Digital Indoor System, ideally suited for indoor areas with partitions, signal interference, and moderate UE density. This system enhances 5G indoor coverage quality while simultaneously reducing network costs. Particularly suitable for larger indoor spaces with moderate UE usage, such as smart factories, public areas of hospitals, large retail stores, and event venues. Additionally, the system’s capacity can be easily expanded by adjusting the wiring of Fronthaul Gateways to DUs in the datacenter, without the hassle of rewiring multiple RUs.

The combination of Fronthaul Gateways and Indoor RUs creates a 5G Digital Indoor System, ideally suited for indoor areas with partitions, signal interference, and moderate UE density. This system enhances 5G indoor coverage quality while simultaneously reducing network costs. Particularly suitable for larger indoor spaces with moderate UE usage, such as smart factories, public areas of hospitals, large retail stores, and event venues. Additionally, the system’s capacity can be easily expanded by adjusting the wiring of Fronthaul Gateways to DUs in the datacenter, without the hassle of rewiring multiple RUs.

Fronthaul Gateway is well-suited for large or belt-region outdoor coverage areas with a low number of UEs, making it ideal for applications such as unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring, robot monitoring, and self-driving vehicle test sites. It is also applicable to monitoring and applications in areas such as railways, roads, rivers, and embankments. By combining Fronthaul Gateway with outdoor RUs and external sectorized antennas, it is possible to create continuous or discontinuous irregular 5G coverage areas to support these special outdoor application scenarios.

Fronthaul Gateway is well-suited for large or belt-region outdoor coverage areas with a low number of UEs, making it ideal for applications such as unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring, robot monitoring, and self-driving vehicle test sites. It is also applicable to monitoring and applications in areas such as railways, roads, rivers, and embankments. By combining Fronthaul Gateway with outdoor RUs and external sectorized antennas, it is possible to create continuous or discontinuous irregular 5G coverage areas to support these special outdoor application scenarios.

Fronthaul Gateway offers the flexibility to connect both Indoor and Outdoor RUs simultaneously, making it a versatile solution for early 5G private network deployments. In the early stages of network deployment with few UEs, a single CUDU and server can effectively connect to Indoor and Outdoor RUs through Fronthaul Gateway, accommodating various application scenarios and experiments. As the number of applications and UEs increases, the computing power of the CUDU can be scaled up, and the wiring of RUs and Fronthaul Gateway can be adjusted to change the network’s topology. This scalability and adaptability enable Fronthaul Gateway to support a flexible and scalable network infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance as the network grows and evolves.

LIONS XG8600 5G Fronthaul Gateway

The LIONS XG8600 is a Fronthaul Gateway designed for O-RAN Option 7.2x deployments across indoor and outdoor shared cell environments.

Key Features

  • 1×10Gbps DU uplink, 8×10Gbps RU downlinks, and 1×cascade port for extending up to 16 RUs per DU
  • SFP+ optical interfaces, fronthaul reach up to 10 km
  • GPS input and PTP/SyncE support, delivering synchronous timing to both DU and RUs
  • Indoor/outdoor RU parameter configuration and multivendor interoperability
  • Compact 1U form factor suitable for edge or central deployment

Real-World Deployment Example
In a recent international racing track 5G rollout, one XG8600 connected to 12 post-mounted outdoor RUs across racing track and grandstand, operating under a shared cell ID. The deployment used centralized GPS timing with PTP distribution and achieved seamless coverage with minimal handover zones.

Fronthaul Gateway offers the flexibility to connect both Indoor and Outdoor RUs simultaneously, making it a versatile solution for early 5G private network deployments. In the early stages of network deployment with few UEs, a single CUDU and server can effectively connect to Indoor and Outdoor RUs through Fronthaul Gateway, accommodating various application scenarios and experiments. As the number of applications and UEs increases, the computing power of the CUDU can be scaled up, and the wiring of RUs and Fronthaul Gateway can be adjusted to change the network’s topology. This scalability and adaptability enable Fronthaul Gateway to support a flexible and scalable network infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance as the network grows and evolves.

LIONS XG8600 5G Fronthaul Gateway

The LIONS XG8600 is a Fronthaul Gateway designed for O-RAN Option 7.2x deployments across indoor and outdoor shared cell environments.

Key Features

  • 1×10Gbps DU uplink, 8×10Gbps RU downlinks, and 1×cascade port for extending up to 16 RUs per DU
  • SFP+ optical interfaces, fronthaul reach up to 10 km
  • GPS input and PTP/SyncE support, delivering synchronous timing to both DU and RUs
  • Indoor/outdoor RU parameter configuration and multivendor interoperability
  • Compact 1U form factor suitable for edge or central deployment

Real-World Deployment Example
In a recent international racing track 5G rollout, one XG8600 connected to 12 post-mounted outdoor RUs across racing track and grandstand, operating under a shared cell ID. The deployment used centralized GPS timing with PTP distribution and achieved seamless coverage with minimal handover zones.