Blog

All 5G ATSC30 Antenna Asia pacific Backhaul Base station antenna Best of Broadcast C-Ran CBRS CEO Cable Cables Concealment DAS DRS Dragonskin Extreme conditions Germany Hybriflex In-building Indoor International Women's Day Intunnel Jumper Cable LATAM Lte MIMO Microwave Microwave antennas Middle East and Africa O-ran Partnership RADIAFLEX RF Radiating Cable Telecom UK Usa Waveguides Wireless apac building blocks channel partner climate change continuous improvement critical communications defense deployment dual band earth day fire safety holiday india industry 4.0 innovation logistics manufacturing metro mobile site solutions open ran predictions services smart cities spectrum auctions supplier tower challenges tower sharing

Paula Mennone, Global Product MarCom Manager December 22, 2021

Santa’s workshop wireless needs

At the most festive time of the year the RFS communications team has taken the opportunity to have a little bit of fun. Offices in many parts of the world may be winding down, but there is one notable exception. For Santa and his elves, it is by far the busiest time of the year with millions of toys to make and deliver ahead of the 25th December deadline, but can wireless technology make the mammoth task a little easier?

Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager Connected Cities December 16, 2021

A city planner’s guide to connectivity

Despite being an integral part of modern life, all too often when it comes to city planning and new buildings, connectivity is further down the list of priorities than you would expect. Ensuring the energy efficiency of new buildings is an understandable and vital priority, but the materials used to achieve this can make connectivity a challenge. Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager Connected Cities at RFS looks at the challenges of delivering connectivity in modern cities and how to address them.

Asad Zoberi, Director of Sales December 7, 2021

The truth about tower loading

One of the most difficult challenges facing the telecoms industry is how to add the capacity that is being demanded by consumer and enterprise alike, without significantly expanding infrastructure. Cell towers across the globe are full to physical capacity but not able to deliver with the network capacity needed. It is a conundrum that is an ever-growing concern for operators but is there a way that they can make the demand for coverage and tower loading limitations add up? Asad Zoberi, Director of Sales at RFS explains how new technologies can make this possible.

Mark Ward, Director Global Defence and Services December 1, 2021

Spotlight on high frequency solutions

High frequency solutions have been a core part of the RFS portfolio for many years. As the defense industry starts to gravitate away from satellite communications, and back to high frequency, Mark Ward, Director Global Defence and Services at RFS explores the latest trends and how this technology will evolve in the next few years.

Nick Wymant, Global Product Manager Broadcast November 9, 2021

Trialing the future of broadcast

For this week’s blog we catch up with Nick Wymant from the broadcast team who talks us through some of the most exciting broadcast projects RFS is currently involved with. As the industry looks to define what the future will look like from a technology perspective, Nick explains how RFS equipment is playing a vital role.

Peter Raabe, Strategic Marketing Director November 3, 2021

5G are we there yet?

The last 12 months have seen a tangible leap forward in the state of real-world 5G deployments with operators around the world beginning to offer 5G services to customers. However, as some in the industry begin to discuss the shape of 6G, Peter Raabe, Strategic Marketing and Transformation Director at RFS shares his views on whether it’s too soon to talk 6G and how far we really are down the road to 5G maturity.

Hesham Hesham El-Nahhas, General Manager Middle East and Africa October 27, 2021

Spotlight on the Middle East and Africa

In this week’s blog we continue to meet RFS’s global teams and get their thoughts on the latest trends and priorities for their markets. Middle East and Africa spans over 70 countries and encompasses a population of over 1.7 billion with connectivity a huge priority. We caught up with Hesham El-Nahhas, General Manager Middle East and Africa at RFS to get a snapshot of what is on the horizon.

Gerd Bohnet, Product Manager Waveguides and Accessories October 20, 2021

What are FLEXWELL elliptical waveguides?

In this week’s blog, we look at another of our most popular flagship products – the FLEXWELL elliptical waveguides. Since RFS pioneered the FLEXWELL solution in 1961, it has constantly evolved to meet the needs of our customers, and so we caught up with Gerd Bohnet, Product Manager Waveguides and Accessories at RFS to find out what makes this such a key solution for our customers.

Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager Connected Cities October 14, 2021

Hiding infrastructure: why stealth needs to be a key part of 5G strategies

As 5G becomes a reality, different priorities bubble to the surface. Yes, capacity and coverage are still critical, but they are accompanied by the need for concealment. This is somewhat new as a pressing concern when it comes to telecoms infrastructure. There has always been a ‘Not in my back yard’ attitude when it comes to telecoms equipment, but when we consider the scale of equipment needed to make comprehensive 5G coverage a reality, making sure it blends into the environment is now a key priority for operators.

Giampiero Capraro, Global Product Manager, Base Station Antennas October 7, 2021

Tonics for the biggest BSA headaches facing carriers

In this week’s blog, Giampiero Capraro, Global Product Manager, Base Station Antennas at RFS talks us through some of the biggest challenges operators are facing when it comes to managing their macro cell sites. From rising costs to overcrowding he takes us through the biggest headaches and how equipment designers can help.

Radio Frequency Systems, September 22, 2021

Delivering communications in extreme conditions

In the last 12 months from forest fires to extreme winds, rain and snow, the planet is starting to truly feel the effects of global warming, as it has a profound impact on climates across the world. In this week’s blog Jean-Pierre Harel, head of Research for MSS and Neil Gibson, head of the Climate ambition project at RFS explore how this impacts communication and what RFS is doing to address the problem.

Grace Yu, Global Supply Chain Planning Manager August 10, 2021

Why a Problem-Solving Mindset is Essential in Logistics

As cliché as it has become, the past 18 months has been completely unprecedented. There are very few aspects of life that can be described as ‘business as usual’, and logistics is no exception. In fact, it is an area that has faced more disruption than most, as the Suez Canal blockage compounded by covid delays forced businesses to think more creatively than ever before to minimize the impact on their customers. We caught up with Grace Yu, Global Supply Chain Planning Manager at RFS to find out more about coping with the challenges.

Radio Frequency Systems, August 5, 2021

The Best of RFS

It’s August, the sun is shining, and as our teams look forward to well-earned summer breaks over the next few weeks, we rounded up some of the best RFS blogs over the past 12 months for you to enjoy with something for everyone.

Ben Holt, National Director – Services July 28, 2021

Proper (RF) Planning Prevents Poor Performance

Choosing the right equipment is only part of the puzzle when it comes to delivering connectivity. From both a broadcast and telecoms perspective, a good understanding of the RF landscape ensures that a project is designed to optimize connectivity, and so in this week’s blog Ben Holt, National Director – Services at RFS tells us why good RF planning is the foundation of proper performance.

Radio Frequency Systems, July 22, 2021

Outstanding Women at RFS - Part 2

Throughout the year we have been hearing from some of the outstanding women that play a vital role in the RFS team. To coincide with International Women’s Day, we chatted with RFS CEO Monika Maurer to get her take on why it is so vital that women are encouraged to thrive in the industry, stating “We as an industry are moving in the right direction to ensure women are able to take full advantage of all opportunities that such an interesting and exciting sector is offering, and I would encourage them to have the self-belief to make the most of them.”

Radio Frequency Systems, July 20, 2021

Outstanding Women at RFS - Part 1: Sylvia Lacroix

To coincide with International Women’s day earlier this year we celebrated some of the outstanding women that play a big role at RFS. However, once a year is not enough to showcase the contribution that our female employees make. Earlier this year Sylvia Lacroix joined the RFS team as MAS Factory Director and having had a few months to settle in, we caught up with her to find out her thoughts on the industry and the role women have to play.

Rani Makke, July 12, 2021

Add 5G to towers without adding costs

In our final MWC MasterTalk for 2021, we talk Macro sites with Rani Makke, Base Station Antenna Director at RFS. Limited space at base station sites is a headache that has plagued operators for years, and the rising demand for connectivity and advent of 5G only serves to compound this. Operators and installers need to find a way to accommodate 5G equipment without impacting 3G and 4G infrastructure as an absolute priority.

Carla Taborda, Head of Market Technical Solutions LATAM July 9, 2021

Discover the ideal booted jumpers for any application

As we reach the penultimate installment in our RFS MasterTalk series, we hear from Carla Taborda, Head of Market Technical Solutions at RFS discussing the need for high performing booted jumper cables. In an often overlooked area of network infrastructure, we look at the real-cost of opting for inferior jumper cables.

Rick Wei, Marketing Technical Sales Director APAC July 7, 2021

Deliver the best-possible 5G performance in tunnels

In the second of RFS’s MasterTalk series Rick Wei, Market Technical Sales Director at RFS APAC talks cable. Cable for underground connectivity is an RFS specialty with our RADIAFLEX® radiating cable the world’s leading “leaky feeder” cable solution and used in 41% of metro tunnels across the globe.

Andrew Paulley, UK Managing Director July 5, 2021

Is DRS the new DAS?

5G roll outs are picking up pace and as coverage becomes much more widespread, operators face their next challenge – ensuring that the coverage extends into buildings. As mobile user habits continue to demonstrate that there is demand for coverage everywhere, Andrew Paulley, Managing Director of RFS UK, looks at the best way to tackle the 5G in-building challenge.

Andrew Paulley, UK Managing Director July 5, 2021

Bringing wireless networks closer to people

In the next MasterTalk installment, Andrew Paulley, Managing Director at RFS UK talks all things DAS. The demands of consumers when it comes to mobile connectivity have sky-rocketed; there is a universal expectation that mobile data will work seamlessly all the time. And when it doesn’t, where does the buck stop? – with network providers.

Benoit Bled, Product Line Manager Microwave Antennas Solutions June 30, 2021

Take 5G backhaul long-haul with one microwave antenna

At RFS innovation has been part of our life blood since 1900 and we are proud to be involved in the development of so many industry firsts that last. Part of that success is down to the great team we have, the expertise they bring to RFS and its customers. To coincide with MWC we are celebrating that expertise with a series of MasterTalks, with our giving their take on the latest industry issues – starting with our Microwave Antenna Solutions Team.

Nick Wymant, Global Product Manager Broadcast June 2, 2021

Case Study: State of Arkansas PBS - delivering future ready infrastructure to deal with today’s challenges

2020 was a year like no other and as a result our customers came to us with some unique challenges. This week we look at one of our broadcast projects from 2020 and sit down with Nick Wymant, Global Product Line Manager at RFS and Andrew Bicknell, CTO at Arkansas PBS to find out more about a collaboration at the height of the pandemic that sought to address an urgent need, while also making a smart investment in the future.

Rick Wei, Marketing Technical Sales Director APAC May 26, 2021

Spotlight on China

Although global travel remains heavily restricted, we're continuing our virtual world tour; meeting with our international teams to learn more about how the telecoms landscape in each region. This week's stop is with Rick Wei, Marketing Technical Sales Director APAC at RFS who shares his insights.

Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager Connected Cities May 18, 2021

The Dragon has landed: the answer to fire-safety challenges

When it comes to communication equipment fire safety is a bigger priority for procurement teams than ever before. As our customers look for ways to meet more stringent fire safety regulation, we catch up with Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager – In Building Solutions to hear how in the 12 months since the launch of DragonSkin, we have helped our customers fulfil fire safety requirements.

Britta Ferner, Global HR VP May 11, 2021

A century of turning insights into innovation

When digging in the RFS archives, we found a factory workers contract from 1907 which got us thinking about not how the company has changed in the last century, but how it has stayed the same. Britta Ferner, RFS Global HR VP tells us more about RFS’s history and how 100-year-old values are still at the heart of the business.

Radio Frequency Systems, April 28, 2021

Going Underground: delivering in-tunnel connectivity

RFS has a long and proud history of in-tunnel deployments, from the New York Subway to the Follo Line project which broke the world record for in-tunnel download speeds. This week we caught up with Axel Schroeder, Commercial Product Manager, Wireless Indoor Solutions and Nemo Galletti, Global Account and Regional Sales Manager to hear about one of our most recent metro deployments.

Neil Gibson, 1.5°C Climate Ambition Project Manager April 22, 2021

Celebrating Earth Day with plans for a greener future

Today marks the 51st Earth Day, and of course brings the topic of climate change and the impact it is having across the globe to the top of many agendas. Here at RFS we caught up with Neil Gibson who is leading our 1.5°C Climate Ambition project to find out more about RFS’s reaction to the climate crisis.

Andrew Paulley, UK Managing Director April 9, 2021

Spotlight on the UK

Spectrum auctions are part and parcel of new network generation rollouts, but they also provide insight into the mood of a particular region and how its landscape will develop over the coming years. The recent UK auction raised £1.36bn, only slightly above the £1.1bn reserve and a far cry from the £2.2bn some analysts had been predicting. So, what does this tell us about the state of the UK telecoms market? We caught up with Andrew Paulley, UK Managing Director at RFS to get his take on 5G and a range of other industry issues.

Matt Gauvin, Global Product Line Manager Fiber and Power Solutions April 7, 2021

What is HYBRIFLEX?

HYBRIFLEX cable has been a staple in the RFS solutions portfolio since 2010 and is used by dozens of operators across the globe. As it is one of our most popular products, we spent some time with Matt Gauvin, Global Product Line Manager Fiber and Power Solutions this week to take a deep dive into all things HYBRIFLEX.

Philippe Fizellier, Chief Operating Officer April 1, 2021

The best of both worlds with a global, local company

When it comes to choosing between a local partner and a global partner for infrastructure, it can be a difficult choice. Both have their benefits and drawbacks but ultimately opting for one over the other usually entails some element of compromise. In this week’s blog, Philippe Fizellier, RFS Chief Operating Officer, explores whether it is possible to find a partner that is capable of delivering the benefits of both.

Benoit Bled, Product Line Manager Microwave Antennas Solutions March 24, 2021

Dual Band everywhere: the future of 5G backhaul

Reliable backhaul is an absolutely critical part of that solid infrastructure and so one of the big challenges that operators face is how to deliver robust backhaul that marries the capacity, coverage and reliability to let 5G reach its promised potential.

Radio Frequency Systems, March 23, 2021

Tower sharing – the key to 5G?

Tower sharing is one of the hottest topics in telecoms for 2021. As operators look to leaner business models to make the roll out of 5G viable, tower sharing offers an opportunity to reduce costs while increasing capacity. Already delivering benefits for operators in a number of regions, we take a deeper dive into why tower sharing will be a crucial component of the 5G landscape.

Radio Frequency Systems, March 14, 2021

Spotlight on Outstanding Women at RFS

To celebrate International Women’s Day and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to empowering women in the industry we shine a spotlight on some of the outstanding women in leadership roles at RFS

Monika Maurer, CEO and President March 7, 2021

International Women’s Day 2021

International Women’s day is a day that celebrates the achievements of women and raises awareness of the need for complete gender equality. With the issue of women in leadership high on the agenda for IWD 2021, we took the opportunity to sit down with RFS CEO Monika Maurer to get her view.

Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager Connected Cities February 17, 2021

If you can't take the heat: A guide to fire safe communications equipment

Being able to communicate is a basic expectation, but in the event of a fire it becomes absolutely critical. Those responsible for the procurement of communications equipment must consider the worst-case scenario when choosing infrastructure.

Marcos Wrobel, Channel Sales Manager EMEA February 12, 2021

Being the perfect channel partner

Valentine’s day – depending on your point of view it’s either the most romantic day of the year, or a shameless sales opportunity for florists and chocolatiers. Regardless of your level of cynicism, it is a day that shines a spotlight on relationships and at RFS we’re thinking about our channel partners.

Peter Raabe, Strategic Marketing Director February 3, 2021

5G by stealth: getting next generation mobile infrastructure right

2021 is a year for action in the telecoms industry. The past few years have focused on the sector’s vision for 5G and now operators are faced with the challenge of rolling it out, at scale, in real world environments.

Manoj Gurnani, Head of India January 26, 2021

Spotlight on India

As part of our virtual globetrotting, we’ve been catching up with the RFS team across the world to hear their thoughts on the biggest industry trends in each region. This week we sit down with Manoj Gurnani, Head of India at RFS to hear his thoughts on the India market and what the future holds.

Radio Frequency Systems, January 14, 2021

RFS regional predictions 2021

Last week you heard from our business unit executives on what they think will be the biggest trends for 2021. This week, despite continuing restrictions on travel, we head around the globe to catch up with RFS’s regional VPs and get their views on what 2021 has in store.

Radio Frequency Systems, January 8, 2021

RFS 2021 predictions

As 2021 starts, we speak to the team at RFS to get their take on what the biggest trends will be for the wireless industry in for 2021.

Nick Wymant, Global Product Manager Broadcast December 18, 2020

Creating a future proof path for US broadcasters

As the year draws to a close, Nick Wymant looks at how ATSC3.0 will change how over-the-air TV works at a fundamental level and the opportunities this presents for US broadcasters.

Laurent Cruchant, VP BU Base Station Antenna December 17, 2020

What can LEGO teach us about building a 5G network

For 62 years we have seen those distinctive bricks on Christmas morning and been amazed at the complicated structures that can be built with such simple building blocks. It’s is an interesting concept and especially interesting for the team at RFS when we apply it to 5G networks.

Wilson Conti, VP Sales LATAM December 2, 2020

Spotlight on LATAM

As the year draws to a close, we catch up with Wilson Conti, General Manager and Sales VP LATAM to reflect on the past year and get his take on the latest industry trends in the region.

Andreas Bergmeister, Global Product Manager Transmission Lines November 24, 2020

Spotlight on Germany

As RFS celebrates its 120th birthday, we look at Germany which has been a key region for us since RFS’s founder Louis Hackethal developed the company’s first invention of insulated wire in 1900. Let’s takes a look at how, over a century later, RFS is still meeting the needs of its German customers.

Benoit Bled, Product Line Manager Microwave Antennas Solutions November 20, 2020

The Real Cost of Low Cost

In our first blog on the impact of poor Side Lobes, we looked at how detrimental poor radiation pattern planning can be when it comes to performance. Now we take a closer look at the factors that can cause poor Side Lobes and the impact they have for customers.

Benoit Bled, Product Line Manager Microwave Antennas Solutions November 13, 2020

The Truth about Side Lobes

Sidelobes are a naturally occurring part of antenna design, but a poor Side Lobe is one that is either outside of specification or drifts out of specification with time. As connectivity demands increase, maximum performance is absolutely critical and ultimately that starts with antenna design.

Christian Barb, VP Sales NA November 4, 2020

CBRS: The New Wild West of Wireless?

One of the biggest disruptions in the telecoms space this year is undoubtedly the CBRS auction in the US. It has caused a ripple of excitement across the industry, and understandably so, as it has the potential to be a real game changer.

Emmanuel Saint Dizier, VP BU Microwave Antenna Solutions October 22, 2020

Backhaul to the future: Why microwave is the answer

When operators think about options for 5G backhaul, they may instinctively look to fiber solutions. However, in doing so they risk missing the opportunity of not only a more practical and cost-effective solution but one that can outstrip fiber when it comes to performance.

Laurent Cruchant, VP BU Base Station Antenna October 14, 2020

“Simplifying complexification” – with no compromises

When it comes to telecoms capacity it seems the phrase that springs to mind is ‘more is more’. The ‘more is more’ approach is not simply not feasible.

Alec Wang, VP Cables September 30, 2020

Taking a different look at in-building communications

Recently, there have been two such sayings that struck a chord with us and made us look again, with a slightly more questioning eye...

Ken Lim, VP Sales APAC September 23, 2020

Spotlight on APAC: Q and A with Ken Lim, VP Sales APAC

Over summer, Ken Lim joined RFS as the new VP Sales for APAC. We sat down with him to find out more about the biggest trends in the region and his vision for RFS over the next 12 months

Christian Barb, VP Sales NA July 28, 2020

Spotlight on North America

Christian Barb joined the RFS team in March earlier this year. He takes us through his first 100 days with the company, and what the next 100 hold, especially for the North America Market.

Axel Schroeder, Product Line Manager, In-Tunnel Solutions July 16, 2020

An eye on the future of in-tunnel connectivity

How do operating metro services meet the consumer need for high and reliable connectivity?