PlusN, developer of a digital multi-band downlink carrier aggregation solution, raised $600,000 to advance its commercialization efforts. Investors Franklin ''Pitch'' Johnson, founder of Asset Management Ventures, Chris Brody, chairman of Vantage Venture Partners, and John Levy, executive chairman of PlusN, led the financing.

PlusN is preparing for the release of its Smart Carrier Aggregator„¢ product evaluation kit to mobile operators and OEMs later this year.

Based on state-of-the-art signal processing, the patented Smart Carrier Aggregator combines 2 to 5 carriers in the basestation downlink digital front end ' effectively and efficiently addressing the industry's multi-band aggregation needs and requirements. Designed for deployment in LTE and LTE-A basestations, the software-based solution is compatible with current and planned future LTE-based mobile devices.

''With the current explosion in wireless data use, the global mobile operator community is looking to carrier aggregation technologies to maximize data capacity in their mobile networks,'' said Levy. ''The Smart Carrier Aggregator provides operators with the highest data capacity and spectral efficiency in the most cost-effective multi-band solution available.''

The Smart Carrier Aggregator delivers efficient and lossless intra-band/inter-band downlink aggregation for all size basestations ' traditional, small, and pico cells ' and all wideband power amplifiers. It enables mobile operators to combine non-contiguous band, multi-carrier, multi-technology waveforms ' both in licensed and unlicensed spectrum ' in a lossless scheme that does not degrade EVM and improves the efficiency of the original carriers in the aggregated signal.

The Smart Carrier Aggregator is designed to operate with any industry standard LTE or older technology mobile receiver. As such, it requires no aggregation-specific software or chips in the mobile devices, nor any ''side communication'' with the mobile devices, as many other aggregation schemes require. This significantly reduces insertion/implementation cost in an existing network and accelerates deployment.

''Since it's a software-based solution, the Smart Carrier Aggregator seamlessly integrates into the digital frontend of the basestation ' no extra infrastructure or power resources are required,'' explained Levy. ''It can be easily deployed in both macro and small cell systems and is compatible with 3G, 4G and beyond.''

Upcoming LTE-A (or 4G+), which promises to deliver speeds that double present-day 4G LTE, includes carrier aggregation specifications. Mobile operators in the United States and Korea have already begun deploying various carrier aggregation technologies with additional roll outs expected in numerous other countries.

PlusN

PlusN has developed an innovative and efficient, digital multi-band downlink carrier aggregation solution for all basestations. The Smart Carrier Aggregator„¢ delivers efficient and lossless intra-band/inter-band aggregation of 2 to 5 carriers for all basestation downlink transmitters that is compatible with today's LTE and emerging LTE-A handsets. Aggregation is performed at the basestation ' traditional and small cell ' improving the efficiency of the original carriers in the process. Based on patented, state-of-the-art signal processing techniques the Smart Carrier Aggregator„¢ enables mobile operators to digitally and cost effectively combine non-contiguous band, multi-carrier, multi-technology waveforms in a distortion-less manner. This software-based solution is compatible with current and planned future LTE-based mobile devices.