ETCP Ericsson Microwave and Transmission Solutions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does Radio Link Aggregation (RLA) enable in Ericsson MINI-LINK microwave backhaul?
- Bonding multiple radio links to increase total throughput beyond a single link's capacity (Correct answer)
- Routing IP packets over satellite fallback links
- Reducing the frequency coordination workload
- Enabling massive MIMO on microwave frequencies
Correct answer: Bonding multiple radio links to increase total throughput beyond a single link's capacity
RLA bonds two or more microwave radio channels so traffic is load-balanced across them, effectively multiplying the available backhaul capacity.
Question 2: In Ericsson MINI-LINK terminology, what does an 'all-outdoor' configuration mean?
- The system must be installed in rural areas only
- All radio, modem, and switching functions are integrated into a single outdoor unit requiring no separate indoor equipment (Correct answer)
- The system operates exclusively above 20 GHz
- Only the antenna is outdoors while all electronics are indoors
Correct answer: All radio, modem, and switching functions are integrated into a single outdoor unit requiring no separate indoor equipment
An all-outdoor MINI-LINK unit integrates radio, modem, and switching into one weatherproof outdoor unit, eliminating the need for an indoor unit and IF cable.
Question 3: What is the maximum modulation order commonly supported by modern Ericsson MINI-LINK high-capacity links?
- 64-QAM
- 256-QAM
- 1024-QAM
- 4096-QAM (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 4096-QAM
Modern Ericsson MINI-LINK supports up to 4096-QAM (12 bits/symbol) under strong signal conditions to maximize spectral efficiency and throughput.
Question 4: How does XPIC improve spectral efficiency in an Ericsson MINI-LINK co-channel dual-polarization deployment?
- By doubling transmit power on each polarization
- By allowing simultaneous use of vertical and horizontal polarizations on the same frequency channel (Correct answer)
- By dynamically switching between frequency bands
- By compressing IP packet headers before transmission
Correct answer: By allowing simultaneous use of vertical and horizontal polarizations on the same frequency channel
XPIC cancels interference between the two polarizations, allowing the same frequency channel to carry two independent data streams and effectively doubling capacity.
Question 5: Which standard governs Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) messaging used for frequency synchronization in Ericsson MINI-LINK?
- OSPF area synchronization
- ITU-T G.8264 (ESMC — Ethernet Synchronization Messaging Channel) (Correct answer)
- BGP community attributes
- MPLS-TP signaling
Correct answer: ITU-T G.8264 (ESMC — Ethernet Synchronization Messaging Channel)
ITU-T G.8264 defines ESMC, which distributes synchronization quality level (QL) information across Ethernet links to enable frequency-accurate SyncE.
Question 6: In microwave backhaul, what is the role of QoS traffic prioritization?
- To ensure latency-sensitive traffic such as voice and signaling is forwarded ahead of best-effort data (Correct answer)
- To block unauthorized users from accessing the network
- To increase the modulation order of the radio link
- To manage IP address allocation across backhaul nodes
Correct answer: To ensure latency-sensitive traffic such as voice and signaling is forwarded ahead of best-effort data
QoS prioritization queues real-time traffic (voice, control plane, synchronization) at higher priority so congestion on the backhaul link does not impair critical services.
Question 7: Which standard or set of standards defines Ethernet OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) used in Ericsson microwave networks?
- IEEE 802.1ag (CFM) and ITU-T Y.1731 (Correct answer)
- IEEE 802.3ab (1000BASE-T)
- SONET/SDH G.803 framing
- ITU-T G.652 fiber characteristics
Correct answer: IEEE 802.1ag (CFM) and ITU-T Y.1731
IEEE 802.1ag defines Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) and ITU-T Y.1731 extends it with performance monitoring, together forming the standard Ethernet OAM suite.
ETCP Ericsson Microwave and Transmission Solutions 2
What does Radio Link Aggregation (RLA) enable in Ericsson MINI-LINK microwave backhaul?