5G Infrastructure Upgrade Project

Background

As 5G networks roll out globally, telecom operators face a fundamental RF challenge: signal attenuation increases dramatically at millimeter-wave frequencies (24–40 GHz). Solid silver conductors offer the best conductivity but are prohibitively expensive for mass deployment. A Major Telecom Provider upgrading 500+ base stations across metropolitan areas needed a conductor that could match silver's RF performance at a fraction of the cost.

The Challenge

The 5G deployment required conductors that would:

• Minimize attenuation at 28 GHz and above — the primary 5G mmWave band
• Maintain signal integrity across long interconnect runs in dense base station installations
• Offer a viable cost alternative to solid silver for large-scale deployments
• Be compatible with standard RF interconnect assembly processes

The Solution: Raytron SCC Wire

We delivered our Silver Clad Copper (SCC) Wire platform, optimized for 5G RF applications:

• Construction: Oxygen-free copper core with uniform thick silver cladding, providing a silver surface for superior skin-effect conductivity at high frequencies
• Attenuation: At 28 GHz, attenuation reduced by 0.5 dB/m compared to bare copper — closing the gap with solid silver performance
• Cost advantage: 80% less expensive than solid silver conductors while delivering comparable RF surface performance
• Assembly compatibility: Fully compatible with standard soldering, crimping, and connectorization processes used in RF assembly lines

Results

• Attenuation Reduction: 0.5 dB/m improvement at 28 GHz versus bare copper
• Signal Integrity: 25% improvement in overall signal integrity metrics across 500+ deployed base stations
• High-Frequency Loss: 30% reduction in signal loss at mmWave frequencies
• Cost Performance: 80% cost reduction compared to solid silver, enabling economically viable mass 5G deployment