Editor's Choice


World-first demo of wireless-powered 5G base station

24 November 2021 Editor's Choice News

In its pursuit of new technology to improve the deployment of radio access network (RAN) sites, Ericsson has teamed up with US laser innovator, PowerLight Technologies, to achieve the first safe, fully wireless-powered 5G base station. The achievement is part of a partnership between the two companies to explore and develop innovative 5G solutions aimed at enhancing the speed and flexibility of network deployment in diverse environments.

The proof-of-concept (PoC) demo milestone was achieved recently in Seattle using optical beaming – a laser-based technology that converts electricity into high-intensity light which is then captured and transformed into electricity at the radio base station. No wires were connected to the site from the street power grid network and no on-site power generation was involved. The base station site was completely ‘powerless’ until wirelessly powered over the air through a laser beam.

Wireless power was safely distributed to an Ericsson Streetmacro 6701 – a 5G millimetre-wave (mmWave) radio base station. It was achieved using PowerLight’s laser technology to transmit hundreds of watts across hundreds of metres through the air. Ericsson and PowerLight view the milestone as a major step toward an ambitious goal for subsequent generations of the solution to transmit kilowatts of energy over longer distances.

Kevin Zvokel, head of networks for Ericsson North America, said: “Both PowerLight and Ericsson are focused on innovation. This opens new possibilities for Ericsson and its customers. The ability to safely transfer power across distances without having to be connected to the power grid eliminates one of the big obstacles it has when building new cell sites. The time savings and flexibility gains will make this an attractive solution for its customers.”

Expanding on the breakthrough and the potential it entails, the executive chairman of PowerLight Technologies, Claes Olsson, stated that “Most people are aware that wireless charging technology is available today for small electronic devices, such as cellphones and watches. This breakthrough demonstration, which utilised the best innovative technology from PowerLight and Ericsson, underscores the major leaps it has made recently toward the commercialisation of safe, wireless power transmission for larger-scale systems. PowerLight is developing systems today to transfer kilowatts of safe power over distances of kilometres that will be commercially available in the next few years.”

The demonstration also underlined the safety of the technology: the laser beam has a virtual shield or safety ring that automatically and temporarily shuts down power transmission before any living or inanimate object crosses its path. When the safety ring is activated, the site’s backup battery takes over until the beam is cleared. Vital base stations use batteries for local energy provisioning to ensure highly reliable mobile services.

With wireless power, Ericsson is aiming to cut the last cable – the power cord. This next-generation technology demo shows how power can be distributed wirelessly and create new and innovative network deployment and use-case opportunities.

Apart from rapid street radio rollouts, wireless power could support use cases such as provisional deployments in case of emergency or time-specific densification demands, for example during music festivals and sport events. It could also support power-cable-free machines such as automated guided vehicles and drones, as well as devices like IoT sensors and lamps. Communications service providers would also have the flexibility to position a base station without compromising communication needs in relation to where a power wire is located.

The two companies are exploring the possibility of delivering safe wireless power-beaming capabilities to enable cleaner and more sustainable operations for mobile networks.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

The trends driving uptake of IoT Platform as a Service
Trinity IoT Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
IoT platforms, delivered as a service, are the key that will enable enterprises to leverage a number of growing trends within the IT space, and access a range of benefits that will help them grow their businesses.

Read more...
Interlynx-SA: Engineering SA’s digital backbone
Interlynx-SA Editor's Choice
At the heart of the industrial shift towards digitalisation lies the growing demand for telemetry, Industrial IoT (IIoT), advanced networking, and robust data solutions, and Interlynx-SA is meeting this demand.

Read more...
Converting high voltages without a transformer
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice Power Electronics / Power Management
With appropriate power converter ICs, such as the LTC7897 from Analog Devices, many applications can be suitably powered without having to use complex and cost-intensive transformers.

Read more...
Grinn Global: From design house to SoM innovator
Editor's Choice
From its beginnings as a small electronic design house, Grinn Global has moved into the spotlight as a system-on-module innovator working alongside technology giants like MediaTek.

Read more...
Active event tracking using a novel new technique
Editor's Choice
SPAES (single photon active event sensor) 3D sensing, developed by VoxelSensors, is a breakthrough technology that solves current critical depth sensing performance limitations for robotics applications.

Read more...
ABB commits to a more inclusive future as it empowers women and youth in engineering
ABB South Africa Editor's Choice
Through structured development, inclusive hiring, and focused empowerment, ABB Electrification is shaping a more equitable and dynamic future for the engineering industry.

Read more...
Unlocking the next frontier – women leading digital transformation in South Africa’s technology sector
Editor's Choice
As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, it is an ideal time to reflect on the critical role women are playing in shaping the country’s technology sector.

Read more...
Why GNSS positioning precision is enabling the next wave of IoT applications
iCorp Technologies Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
While high-performance GNSS implementations are achievable with few limitations, most real-world applications must balance power consumption, form factor and accuracy requirements.

Read more...
5G RedCap: Unlocking scalable IoT connectivity
iCorp Technologies Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
As 2G and 3G networks rapidly sunset across the globe, the Internet of Things (IoT) market faces a critical challenge: how to maintain reliable cellular connectivity without the complexity or cost of full 5G.

Read more...
Is RFoIP technology the future for signal transportation for Satcom applications?
Accutronics Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
RFoF technology continues to be used for successful IF signal transportation in the ground segment and there is widespread belief that it will be for some time to come, especially for critical communications applications.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved