6G • RAN
eCPRI 2.0
Time-Sensitive Optical Packet Fronthaul Protocol
The upgraded packet-based fronthaul protocol transporting massive multi-gigahertz Sub-THz antenna streams over Ethernet and optical networks.
Technical Explanation
Connecting massive XL-MIMO and Sub-THz antenna arrays to baseband units generates multi-terabit-per-second fronthaul traffic that would overwhelm traditional CPRI links. eCPRI 2.0 introduces Split 7.2x and Split 6 functional splits tailored for 6G, transporting frequency-domain I/Q symbols, beamforming weights, and ISAC radar telemetry over Time-Sensitive Ethernet (TSN) with deterministic microsecond latency and intelligent bandwidth compression.
Key Functions
- Transporting multi-terabit antenna data streams over standard packet Ethernet and optical fiber
- Functional split 7.2x and Split 6 optimized for massive near-field XL-MIMO arrays
- Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) synchronization guaranteeing bounded microsecond latency
- Dynamic payload compression slashing optical fiber bandwidth requirements by 60%
- Standardized encapsulation of radar sensing telemetry alongside cellular communication I/Q
Specifications
eCPRI Specification V2.0, IEEE 802.1CM Time-Sensitive Networking for Fronthaul
Interfaces
eCPRI-v2TSN-Ethernet
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