In
2011, a major supplier of mobile communications technology in the growing
Riyadh market needed a feeder cable solution for monopole transmission towers
that could stand up to this punishing environment— while providing the
flexibility during installation to make critical bends between the monopole and
a nearby shelter.
This
job needed a better, reliable option suited to the harsh environment and
complex bends it required—particularly in the critical bending points between
the base of the tower, around the cable tray and into the adjoining shelter.
The telecommunications company found the answer in HELIAX® FXL smoothwall cable from CommScope. With
over 100 million feet (30 million meters) deployed worldwide under some of the
roughest conditions, it was easy to see why FXL was the strategic choice.
The right cable
solution for extreme environments
Harsh
conditions and multiple difficult bends called for a better feeder cable
solution. HELIAX® FXL smoothwall from
CommScope met every challenge.
Fully Triple
Bonded for Superior Performance, Easy
Handling
The
patented design of HELIAX FXL makes it
truly distinct from traditional corrugated
copper
cable—and the perfect alternative for this application. Its smoothwall outer
conductor design permits full triple bonding throughout the cable for enhanced
performance and weatherproofing characteristics.
FXL
features a unique triple-bonded smoothwall construction with a filled center
conductor resulting in outstanding electrical and PIM performance even in tight
bends.
This
unique design makes HELIAX FXL virtually
impervious to water migration and offers enhanced resistance to wind, abrasive
sands and vibration. Plus, its smoothwall construction prevents performance
degrading damage during installation, so users can often specify smaller
cable diameters—as much as 30% smaller—
and still ensure superior performance and reduced attenuation. That option
makes HELIAX FXL less expensive to
install, lighter to transport and easier to handle than traditional corrugated
copper cables.
HELIAX FXL gets
the job done
HELIAX
FXL’s smoothwall design prevents kinking during install and bends easily,
precisely and permanently—so smaller, less expensive diameters still get the
job done.
Flexible Enough
to Bend, Rigid Enough to Hold Shape
The
real test arose in the way HELIAX FXL
handled three bends between the base of the monopole and the adjacent shelter.
The tight turns in this installation required a solution that would bend easily
and hold its shape without assistance.
CommScope
technicians installed six FXL-1873 (1-5/8”) smoothwall cables. After adding
connectors to the cables, the installers successfully made the three critical
bends without difficulty using standard installation and automated cable
preparation tools:
1.
From the monopole onto the cable tray
2.
Around a 90-degree turn on the cable tray
3.
FXL-1873 (1-5/8”) cable exiting the monopole onto the cable tray and into the
shelter
CommScope
hoisting grips prevented any slippage during the process, assuring a
trouble-free installation.
HELIAX FXL
competitive advantage
In
this installation alone, the customer saved 50% and can realize a 9%
improvement in performance over a similar copper installation.
A Smooth Advantage
in a Growing Market
- Engineered for low-PIM performance
- Fully bonded design provides excellent weather resistance
- Up to 30% lighter, three times stronger and 200% more crush resistant than copper corrugated cables.
- Easy to handle and 70% more stretch resistant than corrugated cable.
- Smoothwall construction holds desired bend shapes without assistance.
The
result is a feeder cable assembly ready for anything the desert throws its way
with reduced future maintenance costs. CommScope’s telecommunications customer
saved 40% on the installation compared to the material cost and added labor of
using traditional copper cable. Plus, the unique design of HELIAX FXL means a potential performance improvement
of up to 9%.
Now
this telecommunication company is ready to meet increased demand in Riyadh and
ensure the performance of its tower installation, while CommScope is proud to
play an important role in the success of another wireless network story.
Your success is
our story
As
a trusted resource and partner around the world, we’re invested in you: your
people, your networks, your success. It inspires us to build relationships and
infrastructure…connect people and technologies across protocols, oceans, and
time zones…and share what we learn along the way. We’ll never stop connecting
and evolving networks for the business of life at home, at work, and on the go.
This is our promise to you.
