Remote powering the cellular infrastructure at the RIO 2016 olympic games

Abstract

At three key sporting venues of the RIO 2016 Olympic Games, an innovative remote powering solution was used to deliver power from a central source to Remote Radio Units (RRUs) located on cell towers. The solution effectively powered the RRUs from a centralized source of DC power while providing battery backup protection. This paper describes the powering challenges faced by the Wireless Service Provider (WSP) and the power system architecture chosen to overcome these challenges. It also focuses on the important issues of safety and planning of the remote line power network which include: (1) the safety requirements of RFT-V circuits; (2) the location of the Line Power equipment relative to the RRUs; (3) the type and condition of the copper cable pairs between the Line Power location and the RRU site; (4) the availability and capacity of the cable management devices; (5) the capacity of the 48Vdc power system and batteries and (6) the outside plant cabinet solution located at the remote end.