CPRI Connections

CPRI is the interface between a base station baseband unit and its remote radio head, and the connection between the two is one of the most demanding links in a mobile network. It carries time-critical traffic: the radio head must receive its signal and transmit its signal in tight coordination with the baseband unit, and any delay or interruption in the link shows up directly as degraded radio performance. The cable, the connectors and the installation practice therefore matter as much as the electronics at each end, and this page covers the connection options at category level.

The connection vocabulary for CPRI starts with the cable itself. The published cable in this catalogue is the CPRI cable SM 60m, whose detail page states an outdoor application, jacket sizes of 7.0mm or 5.0mm, crush resistance, full water blocking rated IP67, a moisture-resistant loose tube and two fiber cores. The companion title is the CPRI cable MM 3m, listed at series level without published figures. A buyer should choose between single-mode and multimode CPRI cable on the basis of the distance and the equipment at each end, and state both during the inquiry.

Connectors are the second part of the vocabulary. A CPRI patch cord connects the cable to the equipment, and the connector type must match the equipment ports at both ends. Mismatched connectors are a common cause of failed installations, and they are avoidable: state the connector types at both ends during the inquiry, together with the cable length and the installation environment, and the answer can confirm the right combination before anything is shipped.

The installation environment is the third part, and it is where CPRI links differ most from indoor data links. A CPRI cable runs outdoors, up towers and along rooftops, where it meets rain, sun, wind loading and physical handling. The outdoor characteristics published for the SM 60m cable — crush resistance, water blocking and a moisture-resistant loose tube — answer those conditions directly. An indoor-rated cable in an outdoor run is a failure waiting for weather, and a buyer should state the environment during the inquiry rather than assume any cable suits any run.

This page states connection options at category level. It does not state transmission figures, loss budgets or timing figures for CPRI links, because none have been published for these products. A buyer who needs such figures for a specific link should state the link — the distance, the equipment at each end, and the environment — during the inquiry, so the answer can come from the published specification document rather than from an estimate. Before ordering, confirm quantity, price and delivery time. Certificates are available upon request.