Carrier Aggregation
What’s New in Mobile CA
Commercial LTE networks started with category 3 and 4 devices supporting 100 to 150 Mbps with continuous 20 MHz
spectrum. Category 11/12 brought 600 Mbps during 2016, with data rates of 1 Gbps expected to start in 2017.
LTE category downlink bandwidths above 20 MHz require at least 2 component carriers (CC), above 40 MHz requires
at least 3 CC and above 60 MHz requires at least 4 CC.
450 Mbps
300 Mbps
150 Mbps
3CA
2x2 MIMO
20 + 20 MHz
2x2 MIMO
10 + 10 MHz
2x2 MIMO
Cat 9
600 Mbps
4CA
2x2 MIMO
Aggregated DL BW
DL Data Rate
10 MHz
75 Mbps
–
1 Gbps+
15 MHz
100 Mbps
LTE Category 3
100 MHz and/or
4x4 MIMO
20 MHz
150 Mbps
LTE Category 4
25 MHz
185 Mbps
–
30 MHz
225 Mbps
–
40 MHz
300 Mbps
LTE Category 6/7
50 MHz
375 Mbps
–
60 MHz
450 Mbps
LTE Category 9/10
80 MHz
600 Mbps
LTE Category 11/12
Cat 11/12
Cat 6
Cat 4
RF Complexity Increases
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Enabling CA requires simultaneous communication on multiple CCs.
In some cases the RF front end must support multiple transmit and/
or receive paths between the antenna(s) and transceiver. Isolation of
these paths requires multiplexed RF filters or physically separated
antennas. Achieving cross-isolation calls for matched filters
that attenuate the out-of-band signals to avoid loading the other
aggregated bands. In addition, each filter must have low insertion
loss to minimize transmit power consumption and optimize phone
receiver sensitivity.
Modem Class
• Above assumes 64 QAM in the downlink
• The scaling in data rate between 64 QAM and 256 QAM is a factor of 1.33 (8 bit symbol versus 6 bit symbol)
Band 1 + 3 Multiplexer Requires High
Isolation Between Tx and Rx Ports
Antenna
B1 TX
PA
Isolation
B1 RX
Carrier Aggregation Band Combinations
That Require Multiplexers
LNA
Cross-Isolation
B3 TX
PA
Isolation
Band
Combination
Separate
Multiplexer Antenna
B1 + B3
B25 + B66
x
x
B3 + B7
x
x
B1 + B3 + B7
x
x
B3 + B7 +B20
x
x
B39 + B41
B1 + B3 + B8
x
x
Primary Region
of Use
China, Korea, Europe
North America
Europe, Middle East
& Africa
Korea
Europe, Middle East
& Africa
China
Japan
B3 RX
Multiplexer Band 1 + 3
LNA
© Qorvo, Inc. | 01-2017
Downlink CA
Uplink CA
3DL and 4DL CA solutions can be implemented in multiple ways depending
on the band combinations and associated challenges. Multiple antennas may
solve some challenges, but more complex filters are often required. Cascaded
diplexers, triplexers, quadplexers, and even higher order multiplexers like
hexaplexers and septaplexers are being employed to solve system level
problems. It is important to manage the insertion losses of these filters to meet
system link budget requirements.
LTE uplink carrier aggregation (ULCA) is
the latest global sensation in cellular. ULCA
improves the user experience by enabling
new trends in social video and gaming. ULCA
combines two or more LTE CCs, transmitted
from a single user device, increasing the speed
a user can upload content.
Single Filters, Duplexers and Multiplexers
Channel Bandwidth and ACLR
Single Filter
Duplexer
20 MHz + 20 MHz
Multiplexer (QUAD) Multiplexer (HEXA)
B1
Tx
Common
Port
B3
Rx
Common
Port
B3
Rx
Common
Port
B3
Tx
B1
Rx
Common
Port
(dBm/Hz)
B1
Rx
B1
Tx
B3
Tx
B3
Tx
B3
Rx
B3
Rx
B7
Tx
ACLR
B7
Rx
Frequency (MHz)
3 Front End Architectural Approaches Supporting CA
Band B Rx
Band A Rx
Multiplexers
Band A Tx
Frequency
Splitters
Antennas
Intra-band ULCA uses wider bandwidth
signals than other LTE cases. These signals
require power amplifiers designed with wider
bandwidth and higher linearity (ACLR, SEM and
EVM). Envelope tracking converters similarly
require wider bandwidth capabilities.
Some inter-band ULCA combinations require
high linearity switches to ensure low IMD
products from two high Tx power signals.
An example is B1/B3 ULCA where the IMD3
products can desense B1 Rx and GPS.
Multiple
Antennas
Band B Rx
Band A Rx
Band B Rx
Band A Rx
Band B Tx
Band A Tx
Diplexer
Band B Tx
Band A Tx
Multiplexer
Band B Tx
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www.qorvo.com/ca
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