Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), today announced the launch of two additions to its base station portfolio: the CTU4 and RCTU4. The next generation radios are both based on Multi-Carrier Power Amplifier (MCPA) technology and are GSM, Evolved-EDGE (EDGE) and LTE capable, offering service providers next generation readiness as well as increased capacity and functionality on legacy equipment. The CTU4 and RCTU4 will be on display at Motorola’s stand (Hall 8, A159) during Mobile World Congress 2009.

The CTU4 and RCTU4 address the challenges that service providers face today - cost and energy efficient delivery of high quality voice and data services. Additionally, the radios will help protect service providers’ investment through the future migration to LTE as the radios support both GSM and the new LTE standards.

The radios offer two discrete form-factors that suit different network needs. The CTU4 is a plug-in unit for Motorola’s existing Horizon II base stations that makes it ideally suited to established networks. The RCTU4 is a remote radio unit (RRU), which is particularly suitable for ‘greenfield’ deployments or major system expansions and gives service providers an opportunity to achieve a minimum total cost of ownership without compromising on performance.

“We are delighted to announce the arrival of the CTU4 and RCTU4. Motorola continues to innovate and develop compelling products and this move signifies the next step in Motorola’s longstanding commitment to GSM and in its development towards LTE,” said Fred Wright, senior vice president, wireless network products, Home & Networks Mobility, Motorola, Inc. “The capabilities of the CTU4 and RCTU4 radios demonstrate the evolution of enhanced data capabilities, reduced total cost of ownership and the future readiness of Motorola’s cellular infrastructure solutions.”

These new radio products are based around a modified radio architecture that sees the baseband and RF functions (traditionally in the same unit) split into physically separate modules that are connected via an optical fiber.

The key attributes of both radio products include:

•    Software definable radio with separate baseband units, maximizing the re-use of existing equipment

•    The MCPA is a wide-band unit that is designed for a variety of modulation types. This means that the radio unit (plug-in or RRU) can support a 2×2 MIMO LTE carrier while offering efficient power consumption characteristics, which are a major consideration in today’s energy conscious and challenging marketplace

•    Up to six RF carriers capable of supporting E-EDGE, which will provide enhanced end-user experiences and enable more applications. Other carriers can be any combination of EDGE/GPRS or voice.

The CTU4 and RCTU4 are expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2009.