Telecom
Choosing the Optimal Base Station Antennas
Opinion by Bo Jonsson, and Torbjörn Kämpe
The choice of antennas for base stations rarely receives any attention. Antennas are regarded as a cheap commodity that will “do its job” regardless of which antenna you choose.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Antennas have a tremendous impact on coverage, performance, capacity and efficiency, and choosing the right ones can make or break a mobile operator’s ability to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for data.
Looking at the installed base, one could get the impression that the obvious, or even optimal, choice for almost all sites would be the traditional 18 dBi antenna.
This antenna has 65° of horizontal beamwidth and around 6.5° of vertical beam width, as do about 80 percent of all installations on 1,700 to 2,100 MHz.
The 15 dBi antenna is still quite common, especially on the lower frequencies, with a vertical beam width of around 14°.
There are also high gain 21 dBi antennas and new so-called ultra high-efficiency antennas using air as dielectric and virtually eliminating power losses.
These antennas improve base stations’ transmission capacity, resulting in higher signal strength, an increase in geographical area coverage, improved indoor penetration, increased traffic, improved data throughput and reduced production costs per call.
One newly launched multiband antenna (by Swedish manufacturer CellMax Technologies) offers 21 dBi radiated power on the high band with 4° of vertical beam.
18 dBi antenna is chosen for historical reasons, not with forethought
How much forethought is behind the choice of 18 dBi antennas? The decision to use this antenna comes down to historical reasons.
The 18 dBi antenna was the highest gain available from antenna vendors able to deliver antennas in mass quantities, and was such an obvious choice that it became almost a de facto standard and installed almost without a second thought.
This was of course not without reasons; it was a good compromise and has served us all very well.
But the 18 dBi antenna does not deliver the highest gain anymore – high gain ultra high-efficiency antennas do.
The 18 dBi antenna was also always questioned both for its narrow vertical beam width and also its horizontal beam width of “only” 65°.
With data surpassing voice in new 3G and 4G mobile networks, interference is different and so must the antennas be to stay effective.
Most sectors would benefit significantly from an antenna with higher gain and a sharper upper roll-off curve than the standard 18 dBi can offer.
The choice of antenna depends on the individual situation
So what is the optimum antenna for all installations? The answer to this question is: “there is no such thing as an optimum antenna for all installations!”
It always depends on the situation. If there is a tall building nearby, a small antenna with lower gain like 15 dBi would do a good job. At a rural site with maximum coverage as the most important objective, a 21 dBi antenna is clearly the best option.
At suburban sites the focus shifts towards capacity, suppression of interference and less on coverage. In can be seen that a high gain antenna will provide a 3.5 dB stronger signal level in the center of the cell, and suppress interference from next cell better than the 18 dBi antenna.
The 3.5 dB extra will improve in-building coverage and data transfer speed. Also, the lower interference will improve C/I and further improve performance.
A high carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I) is the key parameter for efficiency, data rate and general success. So a high gain high efficiency antenna is again the best choice.
What about dense urban sites? After all, that is where most antennas are installed and the requirement is here to contain the signal within the cell while at the same time provide a very strong signal for good in-building penetration and high C/I for high speed data transfer.
Simulations and real-life tests show that there is a very sharp “cut off” at 650 meters from the high gain antenna at 6° tilt.
This will provide a significant reduction of interference and a magnificent control of soft handover load.
There is a remarkable difference between 5.5° and 6° which proves that antenna tilt is crucial to performance, and that antenna tilt setting is a precision job where a scale on a tilt bracket is far from accurate enough.
The high gain antenna still outperforms the 18 dBi antenna in dense urban sites and the sharper upper roll off is the main asset, actually even more important than the stronger signal level.
Going further in tilt it can be seen that the high gain antenna provides a stunning 5.5 dB stronger signal and even more in interference rejection from outside 450 meters.
That does wonders for soft handover overhead and data transfer speed. So again a clear win for the 21 dBi high gain antenna with very sharp upper roll off.
High gain, high efficiency the way to go
So in summary and if we generalize a bit, we can see that the 21 dBi antenna is a better choice in surprisingly many situations, for much the same reason as the 18 dBi antenna once replaced earlier antennas with lower gain.
They very often offer significant improvements to the traditional 18 dBi antennas. But they have a significantly more complex feeding network so the efficiency becomes a very important parameter.
After all, to extend and improve coverage requires more radiated radio frequency power, not less. So look not only for a high gain antenna, but also for a high efficiency antenna!
Bo Jonsson is senior Radio Frequency Expert, CellMax Technologies and Torbjörn Kämpe, is CEO, CellMax Technologies
MENXTT TECH NG, a Lagos-based technology company, has launched an initiative to make quality Dell laptops more affordable for Nigerians through flexible payment plans and extended warranty support.
The company said the initiative was aimed at helping students, entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses acquire reliable computing devices despite rising technology costs.
According to the company, customers can now purchase premium pre-owned Dell Latitude, Dell Precision and Dell Inspiron laptops at competitive prices, with selected models available under staggered payment arrangements.
The laptops, it said, are designed to meet the needs of users ranging from students and office workers to architects, engineers, software developers, graphic designers and video editors.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-Founder of MENXTT TECH NG, Mr Anthony Emeka Nwosu, said access to quality technology should not be limited by financial constraints.
“A laptop is no longer a luxury; it is an essential tool for education, business and career development.
“Unfortunately, many people are forced to settle for unreliable devices because of the high cost of new laptops.
“At MENXTT TECH NG, we want to bridge that gap by providing durable Dell business laptops at affordable prices, backed by a full one-year warranty and flexible payment plans.
“We want every student, entrepreneur, freelancer and business owner to have access to technology that helps them succeed,” he said.
Nwosu explained that every laptop undergoes comprehensive testing before delivery and comes with a one-year warranty, an original charger, a complimentary laptop bag, Windows 11 operating system and Microsoft Office Suite pre-installed.
He added that the company, an authorised Bitdefender Antivirus reseller in Nigeria, also installs genuine Bitdefender security software on every system to protect customers against cyber threats.
According to him, customers requiring additional productivity tools can also have licensed Foxit PDF software installed on their devices.
Nwosu said the flexible payment option was introduced in response to prevailing economic realities, enabling customers to spread payments over an agreed period.
He noted that the arrangement would make it easier for students, startups and growing businesses to acquire quality computers without placing excessive pressure on their finances.
Beyond laptop sales, the company provides information technology consultancy, computer repairs, software licensing, cybersecurity solutions and digital transformation services to organisations across Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy by making dependable computing devices and enterprise technology solutions more accessible to individuals and businesses.
According to him, the initiative reflects MENXTT TECH NG’s vision of combining affordability, quality products and professional after-sales support to help more Nigerians participate in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem. (NAN)
African ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have adopted the 2026 Abuja Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa, committing member states to accelerate internet access in rural, remote and underserved communities across the continent.
The declaration was adopted at the Seventh Ordinary Session of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), held in Abuja.
The agreement seeks to address Africa’s widening digital divide by promoting policies and investments that will improve digital infrastructure, stimulate demand for internet services and ensure equitable access to digital opportunities.
In a statement endorsed by the participating member states, the ministers noted that Africa continues to lag behind other regions of the world in internet connectivity despite rapid global digital expansion.
The declaration, signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, who assumed the role of Chairperson of the conference, highlighted the urgency of expanding digital inclusion across the continent.
According to the statement, global internet usage has reached about 68 per cent, rising to as much as 94 per cent in high-income countries, while internet penetration in Africa remains slightly above 38 per cent, the lowest among all regions of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The ministers expressed concern that the disparity continues to limit socio-economic development, innovation, education, healthcare delivery and access to digital public services for millions of Africans.
They agreed that closing the connectivity gap, particularly in underserved communities, should become a continental priority requiring coordinated action by governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector.
The declaration establishes a framework centred on expanding digital infrastructure, increasing broadband adoption, stimulating demand for digital services and promoting equitable access to connectivity.
It also encourages member states to implement policies that will improve affordability, strengthen digital skills and create an enabling environment for sustainable investment in telecommunications infrastructure.
“Affirming that closing Africa’s connectivity and usage gap, particularly in rural, remote and underserved communities, is an urgent continental priority,” the declaration stated.
The conference further called on international development partners, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations to align their investments and programmes with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa.
The ministers expressed optimism that stronger regional collaboration would accelerate digital transformation, foster inclusive economic growth and ensure that more Africans benefit from opportunities created by the digital economy.
Clydestone Ghana Plc has filed a writ of summons and statement of claim against MTN Ghana, MTN Group Limited and Mobile Money Fintech Limited, alleging unauthorized use of its intellectual property.
The company announced the court action at the Ghana Stock Exchange, confirming proceedings in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Ghana.
The case relates to work commissioned in 2007 that Clydestone alleges was later used without authorisation or compensation.
Clydestone said the claim involves proprietary intellectual property, confidential commercial information and operational methodology developed during the engagement. The company is seeking declarations, damages and equitable remedies.
In a statement, Clydestone said MTN Ghana engaged it in 2007 to develop a commercial and operational framework for a mobile money business.
“The work was developed and delivered by the company’s founder and Group CEO, Paul Jacquaye, and included a full mobile money ecosystem covering the commercial model, operational architecture, implementation methodology and business case.”
Clydestone said the work was commissioned on the understanding that a non-disclosure agreement and memorandum of understanding would be signed.
It alleges these agreements were not finalised despite repeated requests.
The company further alleges MTN Ghana later used its proprietary work and methodology without authorisation or compensation, including in MTN Mobile Money Ghana and other markets.
Clydestone said the alleged use has continued since the launch of MTN Mobile Money Ghana in 2009.
“The wrongful use of that work has been ongoing since 2009. What has changed is the availability of independently verifiable information that documents its scale and commercial significance,” the company said.
It cited the GSMA State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026 and MTN Ghana’s 2025 annual report as evidence of the platform’s scale.
According to Clydestone, the reports show approximately 19.3 million active users and annual revenue of about GHS 6.0 billion ($516m).
The company said it reviewed its records following these publications and concluded there were sufficient grounds to initiate legal proceedings.
It added that it has received no payment or acknowledgement for the work since December 2007, and that pre-action correspondence in 2026 received no substantive response.
“The Board of Directors has unanimously authorised the commencement of these proceedings,” the company said.
Jacquaye said: “This case is about accountability for commissioned intellectual property.
“When independent publications in 2025 and 2026 revealed the scale of the mobile money business, we reviewed all documentation relating to the original engagement and concluded these proceedings were necessary.”
MTN Group Limited, named as a defendant, had not commented at the time of publication.
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