Wireless Communication Network Apparatus and Method of Transmitting Communications Traffic in Simple Format

Optical extender apparatus comprising:

• an input arranged to receive an RoF optical signal carrying a digital traffic stream consisting of digital radio communications traffic for transmission from a plurality of antenna elements and clock recovery information;
• an optical receiver arranged to receive and terminate the RoF optical signal to obtain the digital traffic stream;
• a deframer arranged to deframe the digital traffic stream to obtain the digital radio communications traffic and the clock recovery information;
• and
• a digital to analogue converter arranged to receive the digital radio communications traffic and the clock recovery information and arranged to convert the digital radio communications traffic into a plurality of analogue communications signals for transmission to respective antenna elements.

A method of transmitting communications traffic in a wireless communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a radio over fibre, RoF, input optical signal carrying digital radio communications traffic for transmission from a plurality of antenna elements, synchronisation traffic and control and management traffic;
• b. obtaining the digital radio communications traffic from the RoF input optical signal;
• c. framing the digital radio communications traffic into at least one digital traffic stream consisting of the digital radio communications traffic for transmission from a plurality of the antenna elements and clock recovery information;
• and
• d. generating an RoF output optical signal carrying the digital traffic stream.

A method of extending the transmission of communications traffic in a wireless communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

• i. receiving an RoF optical signal carrying a digital traffic stream consisting of digital radio communications traffic for transmission from a plurality of antenna elements and clock recovery information and terminating the RoF optical signal to obtain the digital traffic stream;
• ii. deframing the digital traffic stream to obtain the digital radio communications traffic and the clock recovery information;
• and
• iii. converting the digital radio communications traffic for transmission from the plurality of antenna elements into a plurality of analogue communications signals for transmission to respective antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements.