Vodafone and O2 Beacon Areas
Vodafone and O2 have a joint network upgrade programme called Beacon to upgrade sites and add 4G as quickly as possible around the country. The project split the country into segments with O2 in charge of upgrading certain of these segments and Vodafone the others. As both operators use multiple RAN vendors and it is beneficial to have vendor continuity in an areea, it was possible to divide the operator lead areas into operator vendor areas, such as Hull being the O2 Ericsson zone. As of 2019, 5G has started to be deployed on these sites.
O2 UK Ericsson Zone
The O2 Ericsson region serves the North East: Hull and East Yorkshire, as well as Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Newcastle and most of Scotland. Characterised by Ericsson BTS, RRUs and MHAs. On Beacon 1 sites, Kathrein antennas are pretty much exclusively in use. 900MHz, 1800MHz and mostly 2100MHz use RUS with 800MHz and sometimes 2100MHz over RRUS. In Beacon 2, Commscope and Huawei panels are introduced.
O2 Ericsson Low Band Only
Low band low capacity O2 Ericsson site with Kathrein 80010669 antennas and Ericsson RRUS11 (for L800).
O2 Ericsson Triple Band
Medium capacity O2 Ericsson site with Kathrein 80010698 panels and 2100MHz. Ericsson RRUS11 (for L800) and Ericsson MHAs for 2100MHz.
O2 Ericsson Quad Band with Tri band Antenna
High Capacity Configuration using triple band antennas and a diplexor on the high band ports to add 1800MHz. Once again, RRUS11 visible for L800 and MHA for 2100MHz.
O2 Ericsson Quad Band dual Antenna A
High Capacity Configuration using triple band Kathrein 80010698 antennas and a single band Kathrein 80010504 or similar. 80010698 has UG09, L18, L08 off RRUS11 with the other antennas carrying the 2100MHz.
O2 Ericsson Quad Band dual Antenna B
A variation on the above but with a dual band second antenna. High Capacity Configuration using triple band 80010698 antennas and a dual band Kathrein 7442236V01 or similar. Kathrein 80010698 has UG09, L18, L08 off RRUS11 with the other antennas carrying the 2100MHz.
O2 Ericsson Quad Band single antenna without Diplexor
High Capacity Configuration using Kathrein quad band 80010768 antennas. UG09, L18, L08 off RRUS11, U/L21 off RRUS12.
O2 Ericsson Penta Band (separate 900MHz techs)
High Capacity Configuration using triple band 80010698 antennas and a dual band 80010682 or similar. 80010698 has U09, U/L21 off RRUS12, L08 off RRUS11 and 80010682 with G09 and L18
O2 Ericsson Beacon 2 Build Mk1
Beacon 2 build with dual 2100MHz Ericsson Radio System (ERS) per sector, alongside ERS for O2 2300MHz, RRUS11 for 800MHz. Triplexors on the quad band Commscope CCVVPX308.11R's high ports to enable the 1800MHz, dual 2100MHz, 4T4R 2600MHz on four high ports per sector. Kathrein dual band antenna then for O2's 4T4R 2300MHz.
O2 Ericsson Beacon 2 Build Mk2 (final)
Beacon 2 build with dual 2100MHz Ericsson Radio System (ERS) 2217 per sector, for 4T4R L21, alongside ERS 8808 for O2 2300MHz 8T8R, ERS2217 for 800MHz and ERS 4415 for Vodafone L26 4T4R. Triplexors on the quad band Huawei AQU4518R24v05 high ports to enable the 1800MHz, 4T4R 2100MHz, 4T4R 2600MHz on four high ports per sector. Huawei ATD4516R9 for 8T8R 2300MHz + N78 5G in future. I made a video about these sites here: O2 Ericsson Beacon Capacity + Future 5G sites.
O2 Ericsson Beacon 2 with Massive MIMO 5G, Commscope Passive
Beacon 2 5G build with AIR6488 for O2 5G, ERS 8823 Vodafone 5G. Commscope RRZZT4S4-65B-R6 passive antennas carrying output from all ERS (8823 5G, 4415 2100MHz, 4415 2600MHz, 8808 2300MHz, 2217/RUS 800MHz, RUS 900MHz).
O2 Ericsson Beacon 2 with Massive MIMO 5G, Huawei Passive
Beacon 2 dual 5G build Ericsson Radio System (ERS): ERS 8808 for O2 2300MHz, 8823 for Vodafone 5G, ERS2217 for 800MHz and ERS 4415s for Vodafone L26 4T4R and shared 2100MHz, AIR6488 Massive MIMO for O2 5G. Huawei A144521R0v06/AHP4518R7v06 passive antennas.
Vodafone UK Ericsson Zone (outside London)
The Vodafone Ericsson region serves parts of the South. Characterised by Ericsson BTS, RRUs and MHAs. Commscope and Kathrein antennas in the initially Ericsson zone, with Huawei on the sites vendor swapped from Nokia to Ericsson.
Vodafone Ericsson Low Band Only
Low band low capacity Vodafone Ericsson site with Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 and Ericsson RRUS11 (for L800). UG09 and L08 are diplexed.
Vodafone Ericsson Low Band Only with Kathrein Antennas
Vodafone low band low capacity Ericsson site with Kathrein 80010665V01 antennas.
Vodafone Ericsson Medium-Low Capacity
Medium-low capacity configuration with Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 antennas. Fully shared 2100MHz RUS.
Vodafone Ericsson Medium Capacity
Medium capacity configuration with Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 antennas. Separate 2100MHz using RUS.
Vodafone Ericsson Medium-High Capacity with RRUS12
Medium-High Configuration with split 2100MHz using Ericsson RRUS12, Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 and Kathrein 80010665V01 antennas. Also G18.
Vodafone Ericsson High Capacity with 4T4R L21
High Capacity Configuration using Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 and Kathrein 80010665V01. Dual ERS per sector for 4T4R L21.
Vodafone Ericsson Extra-High Capacity
High Capacity Configuration using Commscope CVVPX308.10R3 and Kathrein 80010665V01. Dual ERS per sector for L21 (2T2R currently but probably 4T4R future), L26 2T2R.
Vodafone Ericsson Ultra-High Capacity
Ultra High Capacity Configuration using dual Kathrein 80010665V01 and diplexors. Dual ERS per sector for L21 (2T2R currently but probably 4T4R future), L26 4T4R.
Vodafone Ericsson Highest Capacity
Oddly with the fewest antenna ports of the high capacity configs! Triple band Huawei ATR451606 and diplexors on every port. 4T4R L26 and L21.
Vodafone UK Huawei
The Vodafone Huawei zones serves the South West, North West, Wales and parts of Scotland (namely Glasgow). It is characterised by Huawei antennas and Huawei base stations.
Vodafone Huawei Low Band Only-Config A
Vodafone Huawei low band site with Huawei ATR4518R4v06 antennas. Photo by DevonBloke.
Vodafone Huawei Low Band Only-Config B
Vodafone Huawei low band site with Huawei ADU4516R0 antennas. Also home to EE/3. Photo by DevonBloke.
Vodafone Huawei Medium-Low
Vodafone Huawei medium-low site with Huawei ATR4518R4v06. Photo by DevonBloke.
Vodafone Huawei Medium-Low RRU
Vodafone Huawei medium-low site with Huawei ADU4518R11v06 antennas and Huawei 2100MHz RRUs. Photo by DevonBloke.
Vodafone Huawei Medium
Vodafone Huawei medium site with Huawei ADU451604 and ATR451606 antennas and Huawei 2100MHz RRUs.
Vodafone Huawei High
Vodafone Huawei high site with three Huawei ADU451604 antennas.
Vodafone Huawei Very High
Vodafone Huawei very high site with two Huawei ATR4518R4v06 antennas and Huawei 3971 2100MHz 4T4R and 3281 2600MHz RRUs.
Vodafone Huawei Extremely High
Vodafone Huawei extremely high site with Huawei APE4518R14v07 antennas and Huawei AAU5271 Massive MIMO.
O2 UK Nokia
The O2 Nokia zone covers the East Midlands and South East of the UK, so Leicester, Nottingham, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, East Anglia and Norfolk and then all the way down to Dover, including Kent. Various radio configurations exist, these are examples.
O2 Nokia Low Band Only
O2 Nokia low capacity site for rual areas with Kathrein 80010669 antennas and Nokia FXDB radios for UG09 and FRMA for L08.
O2 Nokia Medium Low
O2 Nokia medium low capacity site with Amphenol 5963200 antennas, Nokia FXDB (UG09), FRGT (U21), FRMA (L08).
O2 Nokia Medium
O2 Nokia medium low capacity site with Amphenol 5963200 antennas, Nokia FXDB (UG09), FRGT (U21+L21), FRMA (L08), FXED (L18)
O2 Nokia High
O2 Nokia high capacity site with Amphenol 5963200 antennas and Kathrein 800 10772, Nokia FXDB (UG09), FRGT (U21+L21), FRMA (L08), FXED (L18).
O2 Nokia High
O2 Nokia high capacity site with all Kathrein antennas: 742265V02 and 800 10516V01, Nokia FXDB (UG09), FRGT (U21+L21), FRMA (L08), FXED (L18).
O2 Nokia Beacon 2: VF L26, O2 L23
O2 Nokia Beacon 2 site with Vodafone L26 and O2 L23 with FRHG and FZNJs respectively. Also the usual Nokia FXDB (UG09), FRGT (U21+L21), FRMA (L08), FXED (L18). Commscope antennas, Radio Design MHAs.
O2 Nokia Beacon 2 5G site using two antennas (Huawei and Commscope), alongside AZQL 5G, FZNJ L23, FRHG L26 RRUs and a range of Nokia Flexi Radios.
O2 Nokia Beacon 2 5G site using a single Huawei antenna per sector, alongside AZQL 5G, FZNJ L23, FRHG L26 RRUs and a range of Nokia Flexi Radios.
Vodafone UK Nokia
The Vodafone Nokia zone covers parts of the middle South of the UK like Rural Surrey and Hampshire and parts of Dorset. It is being vendor swapped to Ericsson as part of Vodafone's South vendor Swap.
Vodafone Nokia Medium-Low Capacity Site
Vodafone Nokia Medium-Low Capacity site with Nokia RRUs for 2100MHz.
Vodafone Nokia Medium Capacity Site
Vodafone Nokia Medium capacity site, Huawei ADU and ATR antennas with separate 900MHz and 2100MHz. Smaller, newer RRUs are for VF L21.
Vodafone Nokia High Capacity Site
Vodafone Nokia High capacity site with Huawei ATRs and di/triplexors. Sadly most of the kit is hidden!