Technical Consulting Report

2023-12-22
TECHNICAL CONSULTING REPORT

FIFTH BATCH - PRIVATE EP NETWORKS
FRANCISCO BARBOSA
IMERSÃO5G
kikoandrade83@gmail.com
Technical Consulting Report – 5th Batch Summary
Summary
Summary.........................................................................................................................1
1 Change History...........................................................................................................2
2 Introduction.................................................................................................................3
3 Question 1...................................................................................................................4
3.1 Integrating Advanced Technologies such as eNodeBs, CORE, Smart Meters,
and CPEs.....................................................................................................................4
3.2 eNodeBs.................................................................................................................5
3.2 The Fiber Optic Elance.........................................................................................10
3.2 The CORE of the eLTE DSA network..................................................................11
3.2 Smart Meters........................................................................................................15
3.2 CPEs....................................................................................................................22
4 Question 2.................................................................................................................25
4.1 SmartGrid area and SmartMeters location...........................................................25
5 Question 3.................................................................................................................27
5.1 Technical Regulation for the Efficient Use of Radio Frequencies........................27
Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 1

Technical Consulting Report – 5th Batch Change History
1 Change History
Issue Date Description

01 2022-12-22 Released the first version

Technical Consulting Report – 5th Batch Introduction
2 Introduction
The technical report extensively details the successful execution of the InovGrid
project by EDP Brazil, a groundbreaking SmartGrid venture. Launched in 2019,
the project incorporates advanced technologies such as eNodeBs, CORE,
Smart Meters, and Customer Premises Equipment (CPEs) to deliver an efficient
network solution. The report covers the installation of eNodeBs using eLTE DSA
technology, emphasizing redundancy and the deployment of over 42 thousand
smart meters and 120 CPEs. Detailed photographic documentation is provided
for analysis and documentation purposes.
The eNodeBs section outlines the installation of seven standard eNodeBs, each
with three sectors, ranging from 20 to 25 meters in height. The architecture and
logical status monitoring using Huawei's NMS U2020 are highlighted. The fiber
optic link's role as backhaul for data transport to the CORE, with redundancy
strategies, is explained. The CORE section covers installation, commissioning,
and activation in a data center, utilizing virtualized structures.
Smart Meters are discussed, focusing on real-time data transmission for

monitoring energy consumption, power quality, and network faults. Challenges
during installations in various locations are emphasized. Customer Premises
Equipment (CPEs), specifically eA780 models, are detailed, highlighting
external antennas and functionality in laboratory and field settings.
The report concludes with insights into the geographical distribution of Smart
Meters and adherence to technical regulations for the 230 MHz band in the Vila
Velha area. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive exploration of the
InovGrid project, offering insights into advanced technologies and successful
SmartGrid deployment by EDP Brazil..

Technical Consulting Report – 5th Batch Question 1
3 Question 1
Photos of installed equipment for EDP Brazil, such as CPEs, COREs (even if
just the location where it is installed), and base stations. Multiple examples of
each type of equipment would be fantastic.
3.1 Integrating Advanced Technologies such as

eNodeBs, CORE, Smart Meters, and CPEs.
InovGrid is an innovative SmartGrid project using a Private LTE network. The
project began in 2019 with the launch of an RFP to the market and in 2020 the
implementation began. The implementation sequence that was used took into
account the challenges inherent to this type of project and the condition of the
contract stipulated as being a Turn-Key Project
In this sense, the project contemplated an eLTE network using the eLTE DSA
technology with 7 eNodeBs, a CORE, a fiber optic network with active fibers
and standby and a microwave link to make the redundancy between two sites
that were on top of the two largest hills in the city of Vila Velha.
After the installation, commissioning and activation of the equipment, the

meters began to be installed. In all, more than 42 thousand smart meters were
installed for the AMI service and more than 120 CPEs for the service of BT1s
and reclosers for the DA service.

A vast photographic record was made of all phases of the integration. These
photos were used both for study and analysis and for the preparation of the
Physical Acceptance Notebooks.
3.2 eNodeBs
7 standard eNodeBs were installed with three sectors on poles with heights
ranging from 20 to 25 meters. The eNodeB consisted of a BBU3910 with the
software version DBS3900 DSA V100R015C10SPC100, three WBBPe6 and
one UMPTe2.
Figure 1 - BBU model DBS3910 and Huawei S5720 switch installed in the field and
logical status of the boards visualized through Huawei's NMS U2020
In the photo you can see the BBU DBS3910 and just below a Huawei S5720
switch to make the connection between the BBU and the fiber optic network.
Notice that on port 0 and 1 of the switch, ports that are on the left side, there are
two optical fibers connected. These fibers come from the fiber-optic backhaul
built

exclusively for SmartGrid to ring-connect all sites with CORE through the
existing network.
Figure 2 - Connecting the Fibers of the Backhaul Ring to the Site Connection Switch
To connect the transmission backhaul to the eNodeB, an optical port and an

ETH port exiting the Huawei switch going to the UMPT card were used. The
optical port is port 6 and the ETH port is port ETH1.
You can see fibers connected to the CPRI0 port of the UBBPs boards. These
fibers are connected to the RRUs so that the RF signal is produced and
transmitted by the antenna.
Figure 3 - Connecting the RRUs fibers to the UBBPs boards

The RRUs are installed at the top of the tower, on the back, or just below the
antenna on a metal bracket. It is necessary that the RRU is close to the
antenna and this proximity is due to the connection between the RRU and the
antenna through a jumper. This jumper must be a maximum of 1.2m and is
formed by a coaxial cable suitable for RF signals.
Figure 4 - Installation of antennas and RRUs
The infrastructure that comes with eNodeBs is the same for all websites. The
structure consists of an APM30H enclosure where the BBU and the connection
switch are installed and two IBBSs which are the ones where the batteries are
used for DC power. These batteries are utilized in case the AC power source
fails.
Figure 5 - Schematic drawing of the APM30H and the two IBBSs

Inside each IBBS it is possible to install up to 8 100Ah battery banks. This

available battery capacity is able to keep the site energized even after 3 days
after the AC power goes out.
Figure 6 - Batteries installed inside IBBSs
In the event of an AC power outage, an alarm is triggered on the eNodeB and

this alarm is able to be monitored through the Huawei NMS as well as the
consumption on the battery banks. When AC power is restored, the alarm is
automatically cleared and the batteries automatically recharged.
Figure 7 - APM30H and IBBSs installed at one of the project's sites

After the installation of the pole, the brackets, the APM30H and IBBSs cabinets,
the RRUs and antennas, the BBU, swtiches, electrical connections and
passage of the RF jumpers, the final form of an eLTE site used in eLTE
SmartGrid project is as shown in the Figure below:
Figure 8 - Standard model of a three-sector eLTE DSA site in the SmartGrid project
There is also a security camera installed that is part of the CCTV and property
security system. The installations of all 7 sites with all equipment were carried
out by a third-party company under my supervision. I participated in the physical
installation, commissioning and activation of all project sites, swtiches and
cameras

3.2 The Fiber Optic Elance

The fiber optic link that covers the SmartGrid area is about 20km long and aims
to serve as a backhaul for transporting data from the 7 eNodeBs to the CORE
of the eLTE DSA network. According to the design assumptions, all eNodeBs
need to have transmission redundancy, so each eNodeB receives two fibers
from different paths. If one side of the fiber breaks, the other side that was on
standby will carry and the service will not be unavailable, as shown in the figure
below:
Figure 9 - SmartGrid's area of operation and fiber optic link path built to serve eNodeBs
The fiber optic network has been divided into two sides: the west side that has
the termination at Fiber Hub 1 and the east side that has the termination at
Fiber Hub 2. The west side serves 3 sites that are installed in this region. The
west side serves the other four sites. To close the ring, a connection is installed
between Fiber Hub 1 and Fiber Hub2.
The transport of data between Fiber Hub 1 and 2 to the CORE is carried out
through a pre-existing fiber optic network. This dual approach was implemented
so that there would be redundancy at several points in case of a link drop or
rupture at any point.
The following diagram shows how the fiber optic link was structured.

Figure 10 – Schematic diagram of the fiber optic link for the backhaul service of
SmartGrid eNodeBs
3.2 The CORE of the eLTE DSA network
The CORE of the project's eLTE DAS network was installed in a datacenter that
receives the company's telecom equipment. Radio links, fiber optics, switches,
routers and firewalls of the operating network are installed in this center. As
mentioned in the previous section, the fiber optic link was implemented in a ring
arriving at two concentrators. These concentrators were chosen because there
was already a pre-existing fiber ring all the way to the datacenter where the
CORE was installed.
Therefore, the rack where the CORE was installed is physically close to the
border router that receives the traffic from the eNodeBs, and it is only
necessary

to pass a jumper for the connection between the border routers and the CORE
routers.
As explained in previous reports, CORE uses a virtualized structure where

EPC, U2020, and eSight use Taishan 2280V2 servers. In all, 5 servers were
used, 3 for EPC, 1 for U2020 and 1 for eSight. The 5 servers are installed in the
same Huawei rack along with the Huawei model CE6863 switches that make
the connection between the CORE and the company's border routers,
according to the schematic below:
Figure 11 - Hardware layout for CORE Site
I monitored the installation, commissioning and activation of CORE, as well as

the integration between CORE and the eNodeBs and the company's
operational network, including the configuration of legacy firewalls.
The switches and servers were installed in the rack following the best practices
of structured cabling, as shown in the following photos:

Figure 12 - CORE of the eLTE DSA network. Front of the hoop on the left
Opening the rack, you can see, on the front, the switches and servers:
Figure 13 - Enterprise edge switch connected to CORE switches. Below, EPC servers

Opening the rear rack door, you can see the back of the switches, servers, and
power supply:
Figure 14 – Rear of the CORE hoop. You can view EPC, U2020, and eSight power
supplies, switches, and servers

3.2 Smart Meters
Smart meters are devices that, when integrated into power grids through a
private LTE network, establish fast and reliable communication with the control
centers of power utilities. Using LTE technology, smart meters can transmit data
in real- time, providing immediate and accurate visibility into energy
consumption across the network.
Figure 15 - Smart Meter from manufacturers Eletra and Nansen used in SmartGrid
These devices record active and reactive power consumption, providing insight
into the efficiency of the system. In addition, they monitor voltage and current
levels, allowing the detection of variations in the quality of the power supply.
The power factor is evaluated to ensure an efficient conversion of electrical
energy into useful work. Smart meters also capture the load profile over time,
helping to identify usage patterns, demand peaks, and optimize energy
distribution.
Information about faults and events in the network, such as outages and
voltage drops, is recorded to facilitate rapid response to operational issues.
Temporal and seasonal data are considered to understand variations
throughout the year,

and the measurement of the power supply interruption time contributes to

assessing the reliability of the system.
In the Vila Velha project, two Smart Meter manufacturers were used: Eletra and
Nansen, which are Brazilian companies that belong to the Chinese companies
Hexing and Sanxing, respectively.
Figure 16 - Inside a NIC used in a Smart Meter. It is possible to view the Huawei
Chipset and the location where SIMCard is installed
Each meter has a Network Interface Card (NIC) which is the device that
interfaces between the meter and the eLTE DSA network. The meter works
normally without the NIC. All collections are carried out only there is no
connection to the eLTE DSA network and, consequently, the information is sent
to the company.
Eletra and Nansen meters have different NICs, but they use the same Huawei
chipset to connect to the network. As the eLTE DSA technology is proprietary to
Huawei, access to the network is only through the use of that chipset.
The antenna is connected to the NIC using an RF connector of type SMA Male,
as follows:

Figure 17 - Connecting the antenna to the NIC
To connect to the network, each manufacturer used a different antenna model.

Eletra used a monopole antenna model with 1/4 wave and Nansen used a
planar antenna.
Figure 18 - Types of antennas used by Eletra and Nansen meters

Once the RAN and CORE were installed, activated and tested, the installation
phase of the Smart Meters began in residents' homes and in commercial
establishments in the SmartGrid's area of operation. There were a number of
challenges at this stage of the project, as the locations where the meters are
installed have different standards. In the older places, they are placed in metal
boxes, in others, inside, embedded in the walls of the residences, in others, in
places protected by metal grids, and, in the newer places, in acrylic boxes.
Each different location interfered decisively with the quality of the signal
received/transmitted by the antenna. In places where the meter was installed
indoors or in the basement of buildings, the signal attenuation was very high
because of the masonry walls. In places where there were boxes or grids, the
metal worked like a Faraday cage attenuating the electrical signal
transmitted/received by the antenna. These were worst-case scenarios.
In contrast, when the meter was installed in an acrylic box or when the antenna
could be installed on the outside of the box where the meter was installed, there
was no significant loss or attenuation of the received/transmitted signal.
(a)

(b)
(c)

Figure 19 - Main scenarios for installing the meters. (a) Installed directly on the masonry.
(b) Installed inside the acrylic boxes. (c) installed with anti-theft protection screens, and
(d) installed underground in underground buildings or parking lots
In the case of Eletra's meters, which used monopole antennas, in the vast
majority of cases, the antenna was installed inside the meters. In fact, for
Nansen's meters with planar antennas, the installation was also internal,
however, the challenge was less as the antenna could be glued to the side of
the meter making it easier to attach. Monopole antennas were yet another
challenge in the complex scenario of installing meters in the SmartGrid network.
The following photo shows how the antenna was accommodated inside the
metal box where the meter would be installed. In some cases, due to the size of
the housing, the antenna needed to be folded to fully fit. This changed the
irradiation pattern of the antenna, interfering with the quality of the
transmitted/received RF signal.

Figure 20 - Accommodation of the antenna inside the metal housing
For performance evaluation, validation tests and other experiments, a laboratory

was created for connection tests of the meters and CPEs.
Figure 21 – Laboratory tests of the meters with different types of antennas

3.2 CPEs
The eA780 CPEs were used for the BT1 system and to act on the DA systems
connected to the reclosers. The main difference between the installation of
CPEs and meters is that the antennas of the CPEs were always external, even
if the CPE was installed inside the BT1 box, for example. Because BT1s and
reclosers are installed close to medium-voltage lines, the signal received is
higher than the meters.
Figure 22 - CPE model eA780. This CPE, like the meters, also uses Huawei chipset
As can be seen in Figure 22, on the left side there are six LEDs. An LED that
shows that there is a SIMCard installed, the SYS that shows that the CPE is
connected to the network. The PWR that indicates that the CPE is turned on.
There are also LEDs that indicate the quality of the received signal. If only one
LED is lit, the received signal is weak. If all three are lit, there is an indication
that the CPE is receiving a good amount of RSRP from the eLTE DSA network.
In the field, BT1s are made up of two boxes. The first is where the electrical
connections of the customers' homes arrive and where the metering system is
located. The second box is where CPEs or UHF radios are installed in cases
where CPEs are not used.
As already mentioned, the antennas of the CPEs, as can be seen in the photo,
are installed externally to the control box. Generally, it is fixed on the power
pole.

Figure 23 - Field-Installed BT1 System
In the second box of the BT1 System, the CPE and the Elster system are
installed, which consolidates a maximum of 12 meters per box. The CPE is
connected to the Elster concentrator via RS232 port and then sends the data
collected by the meters to the enterprise via the eLTE DSA network.
Figure 24 – CPE installed to the Elster concentrator to send the data collected via the eLTE DSA
network.

In the same way as was done with the Smart Meters, the BT1 system with the
use of CPEs was also tested in the laboratory as shown in the figure below:
Figure 25 - BT1 System Controller in Laboratory Testing

4 Question 2
If you can provide the geo coordinates with those locations, that would be very
helpful so that we can more easily pull them up on a map with the utmost
accuracy.
For the map area below, can you provide geo coordinates of any meters
deployed? We do not need all of them but a sample size would be great for us
to so as to be able to map it here.
4.1 SmartGrid area and SmartMeters location
The figure shown in the question represents the location where each Smart
Meter was installed. As can be seen, the eastern region of the SmartGrid area
is where

it has the largest number of meters. This happens because it is a region that is
easier for the installation of meters. It is a more noble area, with a greater
number of buildings and easily accessible places. In the western region, it is a
mostly high-risk area, so that most of the care is done through the use of BT1s
and CPEs.
Figure 26 - SmartGrid Area with Meters Installed
The following file contains the coordinates of part of the meters that have been
installed in the SmartGrid area.
meters.kmz

5 Question 3
Regarding the Vila Velha area, does the EDP project here use the 230 MHz
band?
5.1 Technical Regulation for the Efficient Use of

Radio Frequencies
The use of the spectrum of the SmartGrid project in Vila Velha was determined
using the technical guidelines and regulations established by Resolution 555,
issued by the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), to guide the
efficient use of radio frequencies. The focus is on channeling as shown in Table
1, authorizing both individual use and aggregation of channels, with a maximum
limitation of five channels to form blocks of 2.5 MHz, 3.75 MHz, 5 MHz and 6.25
MHz.
The importance of aggregating channels from the central channels listed in

Table 1 to avoid harmful interference in adjacent bands is highlighted. In
addition, the need to minimize the bandwidth occupied to reduce interference
between neighboring channels is emphasized.
In the scope of the technical characteristics, the power of the transmitters is

addressed, emphasizing the requirement of being the minimum necessary to
guarantee the quality and reliability of the service. For multipoint-to-multipoint
systems, the actual radiated power (e.r.p.) should not exceed 25 dBm. The

possibility of using higher gain antennas, with different polarizations, associated

with lower transmission powers, is also discussed.
Channel Nº Upload (MHz) Download (MHz)

1 226,25 248,75
2 227,50 250,00
3 228,75 251,25
4 230,00 252,50
5 231,25 253,75
6 232,50 255,00
7 235,00 262,50
Table 1 - Sistemas Multicanais - Canalização de 1,25 MHz
The Company has obtained authorization from the Brazilian regulator to use a
10 MHz band that represents the range from Channel 1 to Channel 8. However,
Huawei's eLTE DSA has a maximum dynamic range of 5 MHz, as the
technology is capable of aggregating up to 200 25 KHz carriers.
Therefore, they were used from Channel 1 to Channel 4 to configure the

operating frequency of the SmartGrid eNodeBs. The final configuration of
frequencies chosen and configured in the eNodeBs was from 225.625 MHz to
230.625 MHz.

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2023-12-22

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 1

Issue Date Description

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 2

Smart Meters are discussed, focusing on real-time data transmission for

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 3

3.1 Integrating Advanced Technologies such as

After the installation, commissioning and activation of the equipment, the

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 4

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 5

To connect the transmission backhaul to the eNodeB, an optical port and an

Figure 3 - Connecting the RRUs fibers to the UBBPs boards

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 6

Figure 4 - Installation of antennas and RRUs

Figure 5 - Schematic drawing of the APM30H and the two IBBSs

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 7

Inside each IBBS it is possible to install up to 8 100Ah battery banks. This

Figure 6 - Batteries installed inside IBBSs

In the event of an AC power outage, an alarm is triggered on the eNodeB and

Figure 7 - APM30H and IBBSs installed at one of the project's sites

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 8

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 9

3.2 The Fiber Optic Elance

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 10

3.2 The CORE of the eLTE DSA network

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 11

As explained in previous reports, CORE uses a virtualized structure where

Figure 11 - Hardware layout for CORE Site

I monitored the installation, commissioning and activation of CORE, as well as

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 12

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 13

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 14

3.2 Smart Meters

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 15

and the measurement of the power supply interruption time contributes to

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 16

Figure 17 - Connecting the antenna to the NIC

To connect to the network, each manufacturer used a different antenna model.

Figure 18 - Types of antennas used by Eletra and Nansen meters

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 17

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 18

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 19

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 20

Figure 20 - Accommodation of the antenna inside the metal housing

For performance evaluation, validation tests and other experiments, a laboratory

Figure 21 – Laboratory tests of the meters with different types of antennas

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 21

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 22

Figure 23 - Field-Installed BT1 System

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 23

Figure 25 - BT1 System Controller in Laboratory Testing

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 24

4.1 SmartGrid area and SmartMeters location

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 25

Figure 26 - SmartGrid Area with Meters Installed

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 26

5.1 Technical Regulation for the Efficient Use of

The importance of aggregating channels from the central channels listed in

In the scope of the technical characteristics, the power of the transmitters is

Issue 01 (2023-12-22) Copyright © Imersão5G 27

possibility of using higher gain antennas, with different polarizations, associated

Channel Nº Upload (MHz) Download (MHz)

Therefore, they were used from Channel 1 to Channel 4 to configure the