Andrew® Solutions

Microwave Backhaul Solutions: Think network availability.

 When you think about
network availability, are
you gambling with it…
or planning for it?
The ever-increasing demand for microwave backhaul throughput – coming
from both conventional macro and newer micro-cell and smaller base
station links – has changed the way networks are planned, deployed and
upgraded. As traffic increases, spectrum becomes more congested and
interlink interference becomes a more important consideration. Facing
these new realities, operators are struggling for solutions that won’t break
their budgets.

Consider the broader cost picture.

Using antennas from lower-quality manufacturers may yield

some initial savings, but higher operational costs and reduced
durability against the elements soon erase those savings – and
more downtime can cost you customers, who are much harder to
replace than antennas. In addition, aesthetic and weight restric-
tions present hurdles to multiple large antenna deployments that
can’t be overcome at any cost. It’s a gamble, and, in the long
run, gambling with your network’s availability is a losing bet.

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Your network’s future needs
a reliable backhaul strategy.

The new challenges presented by modern

realities demand a fresh look at your
network strategy. You need the tools at
your disposal to effectively deal with the
conditions your network faces. That’s where
CommScope can help. With more than 75
years of innovation and leadership, we offer
a complete range of microwave backhaul
solutions, manufactured to the highest
engineering standards to work seamlessly
together.

CommScope freely shares our expertise to

deliver the ideal solution for your challenges,
whether it’s immediately boosting network
capacity, planning a clear upgrade path for
the future, or both – and with strategically
located manufacturing facilities across the
globe, we can deliver those solutions when
and where you need them, minimizing
landed costs and lead times.

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 A winning strategy takes
a lot of thought – and
one reliable partner.
Think high-quality solutions.

There are a lot of manufacturers offering low-priced backhaul solutions, but

they often come with hidden “features” like noncompliance, inferior quality,
poor integration and reduced durability. Many use outmoded technology, so
these solutions also include large, heavy antennas that are difficult to install and
maintain, and are more prone to failure – and as antennas are deployed in more
unconventional locations, environmental survivability becomes critical.

CommScope’s microwave antenna team focuses on developing smaller, lighter

antennas that perform better and occupy a smaller footprint, boosting capacity and
reducing installation challenges and maintenance costs. Lighter designs, higher
build quality, exceptional survivability and total compliance mean more uptime for
your network. Best of all, you can trust CommScope to stand behind every solution

Up to 70% we deliver – guaranteed.

THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL Think long-term savings.

COST OF OWNERSHIP THAT
COMES AFTER THE INITIAL
A backhaul microwave antenna’s price tag is just part of the overall cost picture.
PURCHASE.
When you consider the total cost of ownership, you’ll find that up to 70% of
the money you spend on backhaul comes after the purchase. Larger, lower-cost
antennas increase operating expenses in additional tower space leasing, zoning
issues, more challenging installations, increased maintenance and more expensive
downtime.

At CommScope, we don’t believe in ad-hoc backhaul solutions. Every component

is engineered to save you money where it matters – not only in the purchase, but
in the 70% of costs that come after your initial investment. You realize long-term
savings in reduced tower space, spectrum charges and maintenance costs, and
that puts you closer to your goal of maximizing spectrum utilization and addressing
growing traffic demand.

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Think forward-looking
designs.

With the rise of data demand across

the world, efficient use of spectrum
has become a paramount concern.
Your network doesn’t have much of a
future if the antenna is obsolete before
it’s installed. If your backhaul solution
is patched together from multiple
manufacturers, network expansion
or upgrades become expensive or
impossible – and many low-cost
manufacturers don’t offer support after
the sale.
SUPER HIGH PERFORMANCE ANTENNAS
Sentinel™ antennas from
Andrew Solutions
Sentinel is the first solution to put next-
generation performance within easy
reach. Offering groundbreaking radiation
pattern improvement in full compliance
to ETSI Class 4 specifications, Sentinel
Sentinel’s small footprint comes with the
durability to withstand winds up to 250
km/h. Sentinel is designed to integrate
with radio outdoor units to provide a
versatile solution for every backhaul
challenge.

CommScope is a global leader in

developing innovative solutions that
delivers better spectrum utilization for
greater link density. Improvements of up
40% HIGHER
LINK DENSITY

meet your network’s needs today while
providing a reliable, cost-effective
path for expansion and upgrades. We
connect you to the next generation of
technology with innovative solutions.
to 40% or more are typical. the capacity boost your
network could experience
Plus, Sentinel offers 10dB or more off-axis
with Sentinel SUPER HIGH
interference discrimination so you can PERFORMANCE antennas.
use a smaller antenna in conjunction with
higher modulation schemes – and enjoy
all the cost benefits that come with that
choice.

SENTINEL ANTENNAS

• MORE LINKS

• SMALLER PACKAGE

• BETTER RADIATION PATTERN

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 Think antenna solutions for
every challenge and every
budget.
Our Andrew Solutions portfolio includes
antennas suited for any network challenge
and all environmental conditions. While
superior performance is always at the top
of the list, other considerations like size,
cost and survivability come into play as
well – and CommScope has the solutions
to suit any combination of these factors.
ExtremeLine™ antennas
In response to rises in wind
speeds across the world we
have developed our most
rugged family of point-to-point
backhaul antennas. ExtremeLine’s superla-
tive survivability delivers peak performance
in the most remote and environmentally
hostile places on Earth.
Available in long lengths and with a variety
of VSWR performance and jacketing
options, HELIAX offers the perfect solution
for your challenge.
Pressurization equipment
CommScope helps your network
connections defeat performance-
sapping moisture with a
broad family of pressurization
solutions. We help your lines stay dry so

ValuLine® antennas
This family of exceptional
solutions offers superior single-
and dual-polarized perfor-
mance with a low profile and
a special focus on overall value. They’re
the ideal choice for high-density environ-
ments where size and appearance matter.
Covering a wide range of frequency bands
between 5.925 to 43.500 GHz, ValuLine
is designed to easily integrate with radio
outdoor units to provide a versatile solution
for every backhaul challenge.
Terrestrial microwave (TMW)
antennas
Our complete catalog of
TMW solutions covers all the
bases, so there’s no challenge
we can’t meet. CommScope
delivers superior solutions in our ultra-high
performance antennas, high cross-polar
discrimination antennas, high performance
parabolic and standard parabolic micro-
wave antenna ranges.
320 KM/H
(200 MPH) your network stays at peak performance.
From a wide variety of dehydration
The rated wind survivabil- solutions to gas distribution manifolds, we
ity of SOME Extremeline
offer the technology and support you need
antennas – that’s some-
thing you won’t find in to operate with confidence.
a low-cost alternative.
Interconnect
Whether your network has to operate on CommScope’s family of flex-
the windswept peak of the highest moun- twist and rigid waveguide
tain, in the face of category 5 hurricanes products includes waveguide-
or in a corrosive industrial or seawater to-coaxial transitions,
environment, ExtremeLine can help your termination loads and couplers to provide
network weather the storm – and the a complete range of connectivity solutions
aftermath. between 3.40 and 40.00 GHz. All
solutions are designed to work together, in
Think superior connectivity all temperatures and every environment.
solutions.
When it comes to connecting antennas
to radios, CommScope makes every
connection count with high-quality, high-
strength cabling solutions that protect and
enhance the performance of your network.
HELIAX® elliptical waveguide
Our broad family of HELIAX
cabling and connector solutions
is the ideal feeder for systems
operating between 3.40 and
26.50 GHz. Every cable and connector is
designed for fast, easy installation, fewer
handling problems and top performance
in all temperatures and all environments.

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Think structural strength.
Your network is only as strong as the
towers, poles and rooftop sites that link it
together. That’s why our Andrew Solutions
portfolio includes a full offering of structural
components, supports and mounts to keep
your antennas, waveguide and other
critical components where they need to be.
Tower mounts
CommScope offers leg-mounted
and face-mounted solutions built
of reinforced steel. Their ver-
satile, universal design makes
them easy to install and use.
Monopole mounts
In tight spaces where size
and appearance matter most,
CommScope offers mono-
pole mounting solutions that
include chain mounts and stiff mounts with
reinforced steel, providing a low-profile look
while delivering superior performance.
Rooftop mounts
Precision engineered for lighter
weights and greater strength,
these reinforced steel mount-
ing options help you meet the
weight and zoning challenges often associ-
ated with rooftop sites.
Waveguide mounts
No matter where your antenna
is sited, you can count on the
strength of steel supports from
CommScope to manage your
critical waveguide installations. We offer a
full line of brackets, bridges and mounts to
keep your connections sound.
Think network planning.
When it comes to building an effective
network strategy, the most important step When you think
comes before the first antenna goes up
or the first cable is connected. It’s the
about your
planning step – and doing it well means microwave network
greater capacity, less interference and more
reliable microwave backhaul over the long
availability, think
term. CommScope creates and delivers CommScope.
strategic planning tools that pave the
way for a successful implementation and
deployment of our solutions in any network.
It’s about planning ahead, thinking ahead You face a critical decision, and you
and seeing ahead of every network deserve the peace of mind of working
challenge. with a partner who understands the
state of the industry – and has a clear
vision of what comes next. No one can
iQ-link® suite of planning tools predict the future, but with CommScope
from Comsearch, a CommScope
company as your partner, you’ll be prepared for
iQ-link is a family of solutions whatever the future brings. That’s the
that makes it easy to quickly difference between taking a gamble
plan and manage efficient and having a strategy.
microwave backhaul links. This
CommScope solutions meet
proprietary software suite, available with
your priorities – ALL your
enterprise or individual user licenses, easily
priorities.
imports existing planning data to help plan
Every backhaul solution we build
new or upgraded network paths.
is engineered to balance cost,
performance and reliability to deliver
MORE
THAN 300,000 value that never compromises your
network availability. It’s the kind of
THE NUMBER OF LINKS dedication CommScope is known
WORLDWIDE PLANNED AND for, and why you’ll find our solutions
DEVELOPED WITH THE IQ-LINK at the heart of the world’s most vital
SOFTWARE SINCE 1990.
communications networks.
iQ-link supports the full range of globally
Think about it.
used frequencies for microwave backhaul to
Let’s have a
help reduce wasted spectrum and is ideally
conversation.
suited to optimize networks to maximize the
performance and cost advantages of
Sentinel antennas. When dollars count,
iQ-link is the key to squeezing every last
penny out of your network’s performance.
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 Looking for the Andrew flash?
We’re proud to be a part As a valued Andrew Solutions customer, we’d

of your network’s story.

like to thank you for your loyalty and business.
As we celebrate 75 years of the Andrew brand,
we realized that many customers have come to
see the Andrew “flash” logo as synonymous with
Here at CommScope, we embrace our role as a
our long history of high-quality wireless solutions,
trusted resource, partner, and facilitator. We create dedicated service,
the infrastructure that connects the world and evolves 75 Y E A R S
and industry-leading
with every advance in technology. By investing all of innovation.
our capabilities, resources, relationships, and products
into your toughest challenges, we continue our long The Andrew flash logo has changed. Our
commitment to you is as strong as ever.
history of solving problems together—paving the way
for new ideas and fresh ways of thinking. Over the years, our logo has evolved, just as our
portfolio has evolved to better meet your network
needs. As you may know, Andrew Solutions
We’re a trusted resource and partner around the
was acquired by CommScope in 2007.
world because we’re invested in you: your people, While CommScope serves many customers
your networks, your success. It inspires us to build across multiple geographies and markets, some
relationships and infrastructure… connect people customers didn’t realize the full breadth of our
and technologies across protocols, oceans, and time solutions. We soon realized that to tell a more
unified story about who we are and what we
zones… and share what we learn along the way.
do, we would need to better integrate the
We’ll never stop connecting and evolving networks for Andrew portfolio of wireless solutions into the
the business of life at home, at work, and on the go. CommScope brand.

This is our promise to you. So while you may no longer see the Andrew flash
This is CommScope. and colors on our letters, statements or products,
you can still rely on the same strong tradition
of Andrew quality, service and innovation
you’ve come to expect—only now under the
CommScope name and our new dynamic logo.

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1973

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www.commscope.com
Visit our Web site or contact your local CommScope representative for more information.

© 2012 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved.

All trademarks identified by ® or ™ are registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc.
This document is for planning purposes only and is not intended to modify or supplement any specifications or
warranties relating to CommScope products or services.
BR-105544-EN (3/12)
2011