Multiprotocol antenna system for multiple service provider-multiple air interface co-located base stations

• US 7,920,858 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LGC Wireless Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Yelle, Peter, Sabat, John Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/817,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/448, 455/446, 455/562.1, 455/7, 455/561
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/045 between access point and backbone network device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

In one embodiment of a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, a hub unit is configured to digitize first and second analog radio frequency signals in order to generate first and second digital data, respectively, indicative of the first and second analog radio frequency signals. The first and second analog radio frequency signals are broadcast from first and second base stations, respectively, associated with first and second cellular service providers, respectively, using first and second air interfaces, respectively. The first and second digital data are transported to a radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium. The radio access node is configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals from the first and second digital data, respectively, using first and second digital-to-analog converters.

Claims

1. A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:

a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface; and

a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit;

wherein the hub unit comprises a first analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the hub unit comprises a second analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein the first and second digital data are transported to the radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium; and

wherein the radio access node comprises;

a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data; and

a second digital-to-analog converter to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hub unit combines the first and second digital data before applying the first and second digital data to the shared transport medium.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the shared transport medium comprises an optical communication medium and wherein the hub unit electrically combines the first and second digital data before applying the first and second digital data to the shared transport medium.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hub unit comprises a first down-converter to down convert the first analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the first base station, wherein the first digital-to-analog converter is configured to digitize the down converted first analog radio frequency signal output by the first down-converter in order to generate the first digital data;

wherein the hub unit further comprises a second down-converter to down convert the second analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the second base station, wherein the second digital-to-analog converter is configured to digitize the down converted second analog radio frequency signal output by the second down-converter in order to generate the second digital data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the radio access node further comprises:

a first up-converter to upconvert an output of the first digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal; and

a second up-converter to upconvert an output of the second digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the hub unit comprises a multiplexer to combine the first and second digital data for transport to the radio access node from the hub unit using the shared transport medium and wherein the radio access node comprises a demultiplexer to demultiplex the first and second digital data at the radio access node.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the multiplexer comprises a SONET multiplexer and the demultiplexer comprises a SONET demultiplexer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are radiated from at least one shared antenna that is coupled to or included in the radio access node.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are separately amplified prior to being radiated into the coverage area associated with the radio access node.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are separately filtered prior to being radiated into the coverage area associated with the radio access node.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the radio access node further comprises a first slice module comprising the first digital-to-analog converter and a second slice module comprising the second digital-to-analog converter.

12. The system of claim 1:

wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein the third and fourth digital data are transported from the radio access node to the hub unit;

wherein the hub unit comprises a third digital-to-analog converter and a fourth digital-to-analog converter, wherein the hub unit is configured to reconstruct a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using the third digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using the fourth digital-to-analog converter; and

wherein the reconstructed version of the third analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of radio access nodes communicatively coupled to the hub unit, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes is located at a respective location that is remote from the hub unit;

and

wherein the system is configured to provide a total system coverage area, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes corresponds to only a respective portion of the total system coverage area.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the hub unit further comprises a reconfigurable interconnect to selectively provide at least one of the first digital data and the second digital data to each of the plurality of radio access nodes.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second base stations are collocated with the hub unit.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second base stations operate in respective different radio frequency bands.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second analog radio frequency signals are of different bandwidths.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a distributed antenna system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of Internet Protocol (IP) and ETHERNET packets are communicated over the shared transport medium between the hub unit and the radio access node.

20. A hub unit for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the hub unit comprising:

a base station interface to couple the hub unit to a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and to a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;

a shared transport medium interface to couple the hub unit to a shared transport medium; and

first and second analog-to-digital converters, wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize, using the first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize, using the second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein the hub unit is configured to transport the first and second digital data from the hub unit to a radio access node using the shared transport medium for use by the radio access node in reconstructing versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals using the first and second digital data, respectively; and

wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

21. The hub unit of claim 20, wherein the hub unit comprises:

a first down-converter to down convert the first analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the first base station;

a first digital-to-analog converter to digitize the downconverted first analog radio frequency signal output by the first down-converter in order to generate the first digital data;

a second down-converter to down convert the second analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the second base station; and

a second digital-to-analog converter to digitize the downconverted second analog radio frequency signal output by the second down-converter in order to generate the second digital data.

22. The hub unit of claim 20, further comprising a multiplexer to combine the first and second digital data for transport to the radio access node from the hub unit using the shared transport medium.

23. The hub unit of claim 22, further comprising first and second digital-to-analog converters;

wherein the hub unit is configured to receive from the shared transport medium third and fourth digital data communicated from the radio access node;

wherein the third digital data is a digitized version of a third analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node, wherein the third analog radio frequency is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the fourth digital data is a digitized version of a fourth analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; and

wherein the hub unit is configured to reconstruct a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using the first digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using the second digital-to-analog converter, wherein the reconstructed version of the third analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

24. The hub unit of claim 20, wherein the system comprises a plurality of radio access nodes communicatively coupled to the hub unit, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes is located at a respective location that is remote from the hub unit;

and

wherein the system is configured to provide a total system coverage area, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes corresponds to only a respective portion of the total system coverage area; and

wherein the hub unit further comprises a reconfigurable interconnect to selectively provide at least one of the first digital data and the second digital data to each of the plurality of radio access nodes.

25. A radio access node for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the radio access node comprising:

an antenna interface to couple the radio access node to at least one antenna associated with the radio access node;

a shared transport medium interface to couple the radio access node to a shared transport medium; and

first and second digital-to-analog converters;

wherein the radio access node is configured to receive from the shared transport medium first and second digital data communicated from a hub unit located at a location that is remote from the radio access node, wherein the first digital data is a digitized version of a first analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit and that is broadcast from a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface, wherein the first digital data is generated by a first analog-to-digital converter included in the hub; and

wherein the second digital data is a digitized version of a second analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit and that is broadcast from a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider using a second air interface, wherein the second digital data is generated by a second analog-to-digital converter included in the hub; and

wherein the first digital-to-analog converter included in the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data, and wherein the second digital-to-analog converter included in the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

26. The radio access node of claim 25, further comprising:

a first up-converter to upconvert an output of the first digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal; and

a second up-converter to upconvert an output of the second digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal.

27. The radio access node of claim 25, further comprising a demultiplexer to demultiplex the first and second digital data.

28. The radio access node of claim 25, further comprising third and fourth analog-to-digital converters;

wherein the radio access node is configured to use the third analog-to-digital converter to digitize a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the radio access node is configured to use the fourth analog-to-digital converter to digitize a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; and

wherein the third and fourth digital data are transported to the hub unit from the radio access node for use by the hub unit in reconstructing versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals using the third and fourth digital data, respectively.

29. A method of distributing cellular radio frequency signals comprising:

digitizing, at a hub unit using a first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface;

digitizing, at the hub unit using a second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using a second air interface;

transporting the first and second digital data to a radio access node from the hub unit using a shared transport medium;

reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using a first digital-to-analog converter;

reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using a second digital-to-analog converter; and

radiating the reconstructed versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals in a coverage area associated with the radio access node;

wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

digitizing, at the radio access node, a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

digitizing, at the radio access node, a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

transporting the third and fourth digital data from the radio access node to the hub unit;

reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using a third digital-to-analog converter in the hub unit;

reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using a fourth digital-to-analog converter in the hub unit; and

providing the reconstructed version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider; and

providing the reconstructed version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

31. A system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the system comprising:

a hub unit configured to communicate with a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface; and

a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit;

wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein the first and second digital data are transported from the radio access node to the hub unit using a shared transport medium; and

wherein the hub unit comprises;

a first digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data; and

a second digital-to-analog converter configured to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the radio access node combines the first and second digital data before applying the first and second digital data to the shared transport medium.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the shared transport medium comprises an optical communication medium and wherein the radio access node electrically combines the first and second digital data before applying the first and second digital data to the shared transport medium.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the radio access node comprises:

a first down-converter to down convert the first analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the first mobile unit;

a first digital-to-analog converter to digitize the downconverted first analog radio frequency signal output by the first down-converter in order to generate the first digital data;

a second down-converter to down convert the second analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the second mobile unit; and

a second digital-to-analog converter to digitize the downconverted second analog radio frequency signal output by the second down-converter in order to generate the second digital data.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the hub unit further comprises:

a first up-converter to upconvert an output of the first digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal; and

a second up-converter to upconvert an output of the second digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the radio access node comprises a multiplexer to combine the first and second digital data for transport from the radio access node to the hub unit using the shared transport medium and wherein the hub unit comprises a demultiplexer to demultiplex the first and second digital data at the hub unit.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the multiplexer comprises a SONET multiplexer and the demultiplexer comprises a SONET demultiplexer.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second analog radio frequency signals are received using at least one antenna associated with the radio access node.

39. The system of claim 31:

wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the hub unit is configured to digitize a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein the third and fourth digital data are transported to the radio access node from the hub unit; and

wherein the radio access node comprises a third digital-to-analog converter and a fourth digital-to-analog converter, wherein the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using the third digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using the fourth digital-to-analog converter, wherein the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals are radiated from at least one shared antenna that is coupled to or included in the radio access node.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals are separately amplified prior to being radiated into the coverage area associated with the radio access node.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals are separately filtered prior to being radiated into the coverage area associated with the radio access node.

43. The system of claim 31, wherein the radio access node further comprises:

a first slice module comprising a first analog-to-digital converter to convert the first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate the first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal; and

a second slice module comprising a second analog-to-digital converter to convert the second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate the second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal.

44. The system of claim 31 further comprising a plurality of radio access nodes communicatively coupled to the hub unit, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes is located at a respective location that is remote from the hub unit;

and

wherein the system is configured to provide a total system coverage area, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes corresponds to only a respective portion of the total system coverage area.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the hub unit further comprises a reconfigurable interconnect to selectively provide at least one of:

the first digital data to the first digital-to-analog converter and the second digital data to the second digital-to-analog converter.

46. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second base stations are collocated with the hub unit.

47. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second base stations operate in respective different radio frequency bands.

48. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and second analog radio frequency signals are of different bandwidths.

49. The system of claim 31, wherein the system comprises a distributed antenna system.

50. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of Internet Protocol (IP) and ETHERNET packets are communicated over the shared transport medium between the hub unit and the radio access node.

51. A hub unit for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the hub unit comprising:

a base station interface to couple the hub unit to a first base station associated with a first cellular service provider and to a second base station associated with a second cellular service provider, the first base station configured to use a first air interface and the second base station configured to use a second air interface;

a shared transport medium interface to couple the hub unit to a shared transport medium, wherein the hub unit is configured to receive from the shared transport medium first and second digital data communicated from a radio access node located at a location that is remote from the hub unit, wherein the first digital data is a digitized version of a first analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node and that is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the second digital data is a digitized version of a second analog radio frequency signal that is received at the radio access node and that is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; and

first and second digital-to-analog converters, wherein the hub unit is configured to reconstruct a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using the first digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using the second digital-to-analog converter, wherein the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal is provided to the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider and the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal is provided to the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider.

52. The hub unit of claim 51, further comprising:

a first up-converter to upconvert an output of the first digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal; and

a second up-converter to upconvert an output of the second digital-to-analog converter in order to generate the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal.

53. The hub unit of claim 51, further comprising a demultiplexer to demultiplex the first and second digital data.

54. The hub unit of claim 51, further comprising a first and second analog-to-digital converter;

wherein the hub unit is configured to use the first analog-to-digital converter to digitize a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the hub unit is configured to use the second analog-to-digital converter to digitize a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; and

wherein the third and fourth digital data are transported to the radio access node from the hub unit for use by the radio access node in reconstructing versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals using the third and fourth digital data, respectively.

55. The hub unit of claim 51, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of radio access nodes communicatively coupled to the hub unit, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes is located at a respective location that is remote from the hub unit;

wherein the system is configured to provide a total system coverage area, wherein each of the plurality of radio access nodes corresponds to only a respective portion of the total system coverage area;

wherein the hub unit further comprises a reconfigurable interconnect to selectively provide at least one of;

the first digital data to the first digital-to-analog converter and the second digital data to the second digital-to-analog converter.

56. A radio access node for use in a system for distributing cellular radio frequency signals, the radio access node comprising:

an antenna interface to couple the radio access node to at least one antenna associated with the radio access node;

a shared transport medium interface to couple the radio access node to a shared transport medium; and

first and second analog-to-digital converters, wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface and wherein the radio access node is configured to digitize, using the second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

wherein radio access node is configured to transport the first and second digital data from the radio access node to a hub unit using the shared transport medium;

wherein the hub unit comprises first and second digital-to-analog converters configured to reconstruct versions of the first and second analog radio frequency signals, respectively, using the first and second digital data, respectively; and

wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

57. The radio access node of claim 56, further comprising

a first down-converter to down convert the first analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the first mobile unit, wherein the first digital-to-analog converter digitizes the downconverted first analog radio frequency signal output by the first down-converter in order to generate the first digital data;

and

a second down-converter to down convert the second analog radio frequency signal broadcast from the second mobile unit, wherein the second digital-to-analog converter digitizes the downconverted second analog radio frequency signal output by the second down-converter in order to generate the second digital data.

58. The radio access node of claim 56, further comprising a multiplexer to combine the first and second digital data for transport from the radio access node to the hub unit using the shared transport medium.

59. The radio access node of claim 56 further comprising third and fourth digital-to-analog converters;

wherein the radio access node is configured to receive from the shared transport medium third and fourth digital data communicated from the hub unit;

wherein the third digital data is a digitized version of a third analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit, wherein the third analog radio frequency is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

wherein the fourth digital data is a digitized version of a fourth analog radio frequency signal that is received at the hub unit, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface; and

wherein the radio access node is configured to reconstruct a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using the third digital-to-analog converter and to reconstruct a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using the fourth digital-to-analog converter, wherein the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals are radiated in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.

60. A method of distributing cellular radio frequency signals comprising:

digitizing, at a radio access node using a first analog-to-digital converter, a first analog radio frequency signal in order to generate first digital data indicative of the first analog radio frequency signal, wherein the first analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a first mobile unit associated with a first cellular service provider using a first air interface;

digitizing, at the radio access node using a second analog-to-digital converter, a second analog radio frequency signal in order to generate second digital data indicative of the second analog radio frequency signal, wherein the second analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from a second mobile unit associated with the second cellular service provider using a second air interface;

transporting the first and second digital data from the radio access node to a hub unit using a shared transport medium;

reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the first digital data using a first digital-to-analog converter;

reconstructing, at the hub unit, a version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the second digital data using a second digital-to-analog converter;

providing the reconstructed version of the first analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a first base station associated with the first cellular service provider; and

providing the reconstructed version of the second analog radio frequency signal from the hub unit to a second base station associated with the second cellular service provider;

wherein the first base station is configured to use the first air interface and the second base station configured to use the second air interface; and

wherein the radio access node is located at a location that is remote from the hub unit.

61. The method of claim 60 further comprising:

digitizing, at the hub unit, a third analog radio frequency signal in order to generate third digital data indicative of the third analog radio frequency signal, wherein the third analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the first base station associated with the first cellular service provider using the first air interface;

digitizing, at the hub unit, a fourth analog radio frequency signal in order to generate fourth digital data indicative of the fourth analog radio frequency signal, wherein the fourth analog radio frequency signal is broadcast from the second base station associated with the second cellular service provider using the second air interface;

transporting the third and fourth digital data to the radio access node from the hub unit;

reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the third analog radio frequency signal from the third digital data using a third digital-to-analog converter in the radio access node;

reconstructing, at the radio access node, a version of the fourth analog radio frequency signal from the fourth digital data using a fourth digital-to-analog converter in the radio access node; and

radiating the reconstructed versions of the third and fourth analog radio frequency signals in a coverage area associated with the radio access node.