Harbin Institute builds the first composite wireless signal tower in Egypt
China’s Harbin Institute of Technology designed the first wireless signal tower made of composite materials according to the geographical environment and mounting requirements of the African region. The tower is operated and maintained by Telecom Egypt.
The wireless signal tower is 18 meters high. The tower body adopts a truss structure and is connected by metal parts; the tower weighs 1.5 tons and covers an area of 2.25 square meters, which is respectively 50% and 30% lower than traditional iron towers, but it can resist 140 KPH wind speed (12-13 typhoon).
The tower can carry 6 HXWXD antennas, 1 MW antenna (0.6 m in diameter), and 6 RRUs, which is more than iron towers. At the same time, the tower is also equipped with climbing ladders, lightning protection systems, no-navigation lights and other components, which meet the requirements of ANSI/TIA 222-G design specifications.
The use of composite materials significantly reduces carbon emissions in the building process and reduces the risk of electric shock. The excellent weather resistance of composite materials also greatly reduces the cost of later inspection and maintenance. The life cycle cost is significantly lower than that of traditional iron towers.
According to Adel Hamed, CEO of Telecom Egypt, the implementation of such a green mobile site in Egypt is “unprecedented”. The tower relies on modern technology in wireless access equipment, such as antenna technology integrated with signal amplifiers, which helps to reduce the site’s energy consumption by about 40%. This will improve the signal quality by 20% compared to normal antennas, thus reducing the number of stations.
Since the end of 2019, Harbin Institute of Technology has carried out research on the application of composite materials in the field of communication infrastructure, and has accumulated experience from structural design to installation and construction.
