What is FTTA?

Fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) is a wireless site architecture where optical fiber is run all the way up the tower to replace much of what was traditionally completed with heavier coax cabling. Important components such as remote radio units (RRUs) are also positioned at the top of the tower instead of at the base location.

In a FTTA configuration, a baseband unit (BBU) situated near the bottom of the tower is connected via a fiber optic feeder and runs to a remote radio head (RRH) positioned near the antennas at the top of the tower. The RRH converts the digital signals to analog, and the short span between RRH and antenna is still completed using traditional coax cabling.

Fiber-to-the-Antenna (FTTA) Advantages

Perhaps the most obvious advantage of fiber-to-the-antenna stems from the physical nature of the cable itself. The smaller diameter and lighter weight allows many fiber optic cables to occupy the same amount of space as a single coax cable. Because cellular towers are naturally subject to the elements, the physical size and properties of optical cabling are much less susceptible to damage from gusts of wind.