Digital remote control and RF monitoring features had been introduced to base station antennas by MCR TELECOMMUNICATION Co since 1996 by supplying the first GSM900 vertical polarization base station antenna model MV9008AT60, featuring a matrix of 10x3-bit phase shifter remote electrical tilt and RF monitoring.

Each antenna was controlled by a 4U height modular Control Unit located nearby the BTS and connected to the feeder which was driving the RF signal and both digital control data and the DC power supply. The CU was remotely controlled via a RS485 multidrop interface and locally controlled via an RS232 serial interface, and was featuring a backup mechanical encoder in case of dropped connection. "Progecell v1" software run at that time on windows 16-bit operating system.

The antenna was based on the radiating cavity resonator technology newly developped by MCR TELECOMMUNICATION Co.

By the deployment of the UMTS network later, other companies began to invest in various BS antennas with remote electrical tilt facilities involving the multidrop RS485 interface protocol (e.g. AISG).

Since the advent of the CDMA technologies, MCR TELECOMMUNICATION Co had yet improved its antenna's technology to support multi-band system, and at the same time the control interface is getting based today on IP/Ethernet protocol.

Beyond the remote electrical til feature, new MCR TELECOMMUNICATION Co multi-band antenna models incorporate dual balanced LNAs, a multi-band multiplexer filter and 2-bit digital phase shifters for electrical tilt operation. This is an all-in-one unit such as a Fully Integrated Device Antenna Unit FIDAU.

This new large scale integration architecture developped by MCR TELECOMMUNICATION for BS antennas uses new innovative RF devices and provides a remote access by mean of the CU located near the BTS without using other support carrying the DC voltage or control data which increases the sites reliability.

Furthermore no mechanical devices are needed outside the antenna enclosure and no additional connectors, straps or accessories are used which would increase the equipment wiring and thus decrease the MTBF of the installation.

Mounting procedure is getting easy with the use of just one feeder carrying DC, control data and RF signals, also brackets are soldeled to the antenna so that the user just needs to tighten 8 nuts to accomplish the mounting operation.

Each band is controlled separately so that it requires 134-bit frame for data control : 3 bit for frequency band, 1 bit for LNA gain, 2 bit for vertical electrical tilt, 2 bit for monitoring status, 64 bit for the CI and IP address data and 62 bit data flag for expansion purposes.

The control units are connected in a star or chain multidrop configuration to a Master Control Unit located at the BSC. The Control and Management System tool provides a very easy control at the OMC of the whole antennas in operation through a IP/Ethernet secure interface. "Progecell v2.1" software runs under 32/64-bit windows or Linux operating system and the server application "ProgecellServ" is installed at the OMC location.

The CU has a modular 4U cassette rack format, while the MCU is a 1U 19 inches rack and handles up to 4096 CUs.

CMS features a fully customized protocol. Because it uses a high level data programming, "Progecell v2.1" MMI gets very easy and intuitive for users and allows options to be setup in an agile way to match operator's data processing requirements.

The software handles failure status. Default status resuming is setup by mapping cell's CI and IP address to the related default state desired. Thus, an advanced way for cell management and optimization is to easily program the uplink gain and electrical tilt of each cell by activating the Programmable Automation Controller. This gives a great flexibility to the user to control network QoS parameters by extracting the report data at the desired time and date for optimization purpose.

In the product part list, the FIDAU models complying with CMS architecture or those which can be upgraded to support CMS features are referenced with the extension "/ATF".

Eight recent models of FIDAU intended to LTE800/2500 networks and complying with CMS architecture are available :
- MPX395070/ATF dual broadband dual cross polarization in the operating bands 1710-2170/ 2300-2690 MHz
- MV395070/ATF dual broadband vertical polarization in the operating bands 1710-2170/ 2300-2690 MHz
- MPX398064/ATF dual broadband dual cross polarization in the operating bands 790-960/ 1710-2170 MHz
- MV398062/ATF bual broadband vertical polarization in the operating bands 790-960/ 1710-2170 MHz
- MPX80948/ATF dual broadband dual cross polarization in the operating band 790-960 MHz
- MV80828/ATF dual broadband vertical polarization in the operating band 790-960 MHz
- MV398050/ATF multi-broadband vertical polarization in the operating bands 790-960/1710-2170 MHz
- MV398060/ATF multi-broadband vertical polarization in the operating bands 790-960/1710-2170 MHz

By developing this innovative antenna line, MCR TELECOMMUNICATION Co provides the best multi-band network solutions to most of the engineering requirements.