10 April 2024

Baicells Technologies’ Nebula246, a high-power outdoor radio, now offers cellular connectivity for supporting 2G user devices. The low-cost, compact Nebula246 radio offers an attractive platform for mobile operators to continue supporting their legacy 2G customer base while offering them an attractive software upgrade path to 4G/LTE.

Many regional markets still rely heavily on 2G wireless services as their critical lifeline. These legacy connectivity services are used by large numbers of wireless subscribers and will need to be maintained until an eventual upgrade to next generation services is made.

Globally, 2G devices remain popular and in widespread use due to their broad availability and low-cost. As a result, service providers continue to balance the need for network upgrades to the next ‘G’ against the need to continue offering a 2G wireless service that many of their wireless subscribers still expect. The Nebula246 offers a network solution with an attractive ROI by enabling operators to bridge the support of legacy 2G subscribers today while providing an attractive upgrade path when customers are ready tomorrow.

The Nebula is an all-in-one, easy to deploy platform that supports 40W total power for extended coverage range. The functionality is based on the 3GPP R12 standards supporting GSM bands 3 (1800MHz) and 8 (900MHz) to user devices. It can also be used as a cost-effective platform for offering IoT connectivity.

The radio offers a TR-69 interface for integrating into existing management platforms allowing for a smooth introduction into an existing operating environment. Redundant BSC (Base Station Controller) configurations are supported to maintain a high service availability. Longer term, the platform’s 2G subscriber capacity will continue to increase and with just a software upgrade, the ability to support 4G/LTE connectivity. The Nebula246 is an economic friendly 2G onramp to 4G services and beyond.