Rollout of 5G is now well underway, with coverage on track for one third of the world’s population by 2025, according to the GSMA [1]. Major cell phone manufacturers have launched 5G-enabled phones, which will please those wanting to stream data and videos at up to the theoretical 50Gb/s maximum speed, and worldwide 5G subscriptions are forecast to reach 1.3bn by 2023, according to Statista [2].
However, 5G is much more than faster smartphones – it underpins the technology behind
artificial intelligence, cloud computing,
autonomous vehicles, the
internet of things (IoT),
smart cities and
industry, and probably more yet-undreamed of applications. As a result, investment in new 5G infrastructure will be high, and network operators will be looking for the quickest possible return on what is projected by Statista to be 1.4 trillion dollars’ telecom services spent in 2021 alone.
5G Frequency Bands and Coverage
5G operates across low, mid, and high-frequency bands. Mid-band frequencies (2.5 – 3.7GHz) are commonly used, offering speeds up to 900Mb/s. High-band frequencies, exceeding 70GHz, provide faster data rates but have limited coverage (~1.5km), making them suitable for dense public areas. Consequently, base stations are categorized into metro, micro, pico, and femto cells, each with varying power outputs and coverage areas. The increased number of base stations is expected to double energy consumption compared to 4G. Therefore, enhancing the efficiency of base station electronics is crucial.
DC/DC Converter Solutions for 5G Base Stations
Reliable and efficient
DC/DC converters are essential for powering various components within base stations. The RPA150E series is a suitable solution, delivering 150W continuously and up to 200W peak power. It features galvanic isolation, allowing input voltages from typical telecom -48VDC or -24VDC supplies, while providing positive output relative to ground. The nominal output voltage is adjustable by ±20%, optimizing supply voltage for maximum efficiency. With a conversion efficiency exceeding 91% and a standby consumption of only 3mA, the
RPA150E series effectively reduces energy losses.
Fig. 2: The RECOM RPX series power module is tiny but rated at up to 4A output
For low-power applications,
non-isolated point-of-load (PoL) converters or power modules are used to provide accurate, low-noise voltages directly at the load. RECOM offers ultra-compact, high-efficiency modules utilizing ‘
3D Power Packaging®’ technologies.
The RPX series, for example, includes modules like the
RPX-1.0 and
RPX-1.5 series, featuring a minimal 3 x 5mm footprint in a low-profile QFN package, delivering 1A or 1.5A output, adjustable from 0.8-30V, for input voltages from 4-36V. The
RPX-2.5 offers a 2.5A output current with a slightly larger footprint (4 x 4.5mm), and the
RPX-4.0 provides 4A output current in a compact 5 x 5.5 x 4.1mm package. These converters integrate inductors and comprehensive protection features, requiring only output voltage setting resistors and input/output capacitors for complete power solutions.
