EJL Wireless Research Analyzes Nokia Flexi Multiradio 10 LTE eNodeBs

Half Moon Bay, CA July 30, 2019:  EJL Wireless Research is excited to announce two new reports to its DesigN Analysis-Infrastructure (DNA-I) research series. The DNA-I series focuses on radio access network equipment teardown reports. These reports provide invaluable insight into the design philosophies and architectures for the major radio equipment OEMs as well as a full bill of materials (BOM) for major semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) and passive component products and suppliers.

The two new reports focus on Nokia Networks MultiRadio 10 Flexi base station platform, also known as FSMr3. The first report is an analysis of the FSMF (Flexi System Module rev F) which is an outdoor FDD multi-RAT digital baseband unit supporting GSM, UMTS, and FDD LTE technologies. We have previously issued DNA-I reports on the FSMB and FSME variants as well as the FBBC capacity expansion module for the FSMF.

The second report is an analysis of the FSIH (Flexi System Indoor rev H) which is a TDD digital baseband unit supporting TDD LTE technology. The FSIH is the first Nokia digital baseband unit design that uses a backplane within the BBU chassis to allow for capacity expansion boards and is a precursor to the AirScale base station platform.

“The analysis of both the FSMF and FSIH system designs reveals Nokia’s use of ASICs in its digital baseband units prior to the unveiling of the ill fated 5G ReefShark ASICs announced in early 2018. We note that the ReefShark ASICs were targeting 5G L1 DSP functions that prior Nokia ASICs did not. Additionally, Nokia has been relying on a few key semiconductor chip suppliers in support of its LTE digital baseband units and the ReefShark ASICs were a key strategy to lessen this dependence,” says Lum. ■