The Huawei BBU3900 and BBU3910 look almost identical: both are 19-inch wide, 2U high baseband unit cases with six board slots that sit inside indoor or outdoor cabinets. The real difference is inside. The BBU3910 has a backplane with higher switching capability, uses the UPEUd power module and FANd/FANe fan units, and is the platform intended for UBBP-series baseband boards in all six slots. The older BBU3900 uses UPEUa/UPEUc power modules and FAN/FANc fans, and its backplane routes traffic between some slots through the middle slots. If you are buying a used chassis, these details decide which boards, power modules and fans you need to order with it.
BBU3900 vs BBU3910 at a glance
| Item | BBU3900 | BBU3910 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 19-inch wide, 2U high case | 19-inch wide, 2U high case (86 mm x 442 mm x 310 mm) |
| Board slots | Slots 0 to 5 for main boards | Slots 0 to 5; baseband boards in slots 0 to 5 can process baseband signals |
| Backplane routing | No direct route between slots 0, 1, 4 and 5; data passes through slot 2 or 3 | Enhanced switching; data can be exchanged directly between slots 0 to 5 |
| Power module | UPEUa, UPEUc | UPEUd only |
| Fan module | FAN, FANc | FANd, FANe |
| Operating temperature | -20°C to +55°C long term; +55°C to +60°C short term | -20°C to +55°C long term; +55°C to +60°C short term |
Specifications above are taken from Huawei BBU description documents. Exact board support always depends on the software release (SRAN version) running on the site.
The key difference: backplane switching
Huawei describes the BBU3910 as having a backplane with enhanced switching capability. In the BBU3900, there is no direct route between slots 0, 1, 4 and 5, so data exchanged between those slots has to pass through slot 2 or slot 3. In the BBU3910, data can be exchanged directly between any of slots 0 to 5.
In practice this matters for high-capacity, multi-board configurations. When several UBBP boards share load, run inter-board functions or serve many radio units, the BBU3910 backplane removes the bottleneck of routing through the middle slots. For a simple single-mode site with one main control board and one or two baseband boards, the BBU3900 backplane is often sufficient.
Power and cooling
Power modules (UPEU)
Both chassis run from -48 V DC, which the UPEU converts to +12 V DC for the boards. The BBU3900 uses UPEUa or UPEUc. A single UPEUc delivers 360 W of output, and two UPEUc boards together provide 650 W. The BBU3910 supports only the UPEUd, which accepts -38.4 V DC to -57 V DC and provides 650 W of +12 V output.
The UPEU modules are not interchangeable between the two chassis, so when you buy a used BBU3910, confirm the power module fitted is a UPEUd.
Fan modules
The BBU3900 uses the FAN or FANc module. The BBU3910 uses FANd or FANe. Huawei rates the heat dissipation capability of the BBU3910 with FANd/FANe at 650 W for SRAN8.0 to SRAN10.1 and 1000 W from SRAN11.1 onward. This is one reason the BBU3910 is better suited to a fully loaded chassis with several newer baseband boards, which draw and dissipate more power than older boards.
Supported boards
The BBU3910 description lists the following board families:
- Main control and transmission: UMPTb, UMPTe, UMPTg, and for GSM GTMUb and GTMUc.
- Baseband processing: UBBPd, UBBPe and UBBPg series.
- Others: UBRIb, UTRPa/UTRPc transmission boards, USCUb satellite clock boards, UEIU, and UCCU for long-distance BBU interconnection.
The BBU3900 platform was originally built around earlier single-mode boards such as LMPT and LBBP for LTE, and was later used with UMPT and UBBP boards as Huawei moved to SingleRAN. If you plan to run modern UMPTe or UMPTg main control boards such as the Huawei UMPTe5, together with UBBPe or UBBPg baseband boards, the BBU3910 is the safer chassis choice because of its backplane, power and cooling headroom. Always check the release notes of your SRAN version before mixing boards and chassis.
Can a BBU3900 and BBU3910 work together?
Yes. According to Huawei documentation, one base station can be built from up to two interconnected BBU3910 units, or from one BBU3900 combined with one BBU3910. This is useful for operators who want to add capacity to an existing BBU3900 site without replacing the original chassis: a second BBU3910 can host additional baseband boards.
Which one should you buy?
Choose the BBU3900 if
- You are replacing a failed chassis on an existing BBU3900 site and want a like-for-like swap with the same power and fan modules.
- The site runs a modest configuration with few baseband boards.
- Your spare stock of UPEUa/UPEUc and FAN/FANc modules is already in place.
Choose the BBU3910 if
- You run multi-mode (GSM/UMTS/LTE) configurations with several UBBP boards.
- You need full-mesh slot-to-slot switching for load sharing between baseband boards.
- You want higher heat dissipation capability for newer boards on SRAN11.1 or later.
- You are expanding an existing BBU3900 site with a second BBU.
If you are planning a larger capacity or 5G-ready rollout, the next step is the Huawei BBU5900. We explain that migration in our article on the Huawei BBU3900 to BBU5900 upgrade path.
What to check when buying a used BBU3900 or BBU3910
- Chassis label: confirm the model (BBU3900 or BBU3910) on the front label and BOM code, not only from the seller’s description.
- Power module: UPEUd for the BBU3910; UPEUa or UPEUc for the BBU3900.
- Fan module: FANd/FANe for the BBU3910; FAN/FANc for the BBU3900.
- Boards included: check whether the chassis comes empty or with UMPT and UBBP boards, and record their exact board names.
- Software release: make sure the boards are supported in the SRAN version you run.
You can browse all our Huawei BBUs and baseband boards in the Huawei product category.
FAQ
Is the BBU3910 the same size as the BBU3900?
Yes. Both are 19-inch wide, 2U high cases with six slots, so they fit the same cabinets and racks.
Can I use a UPEUc power module in a BBU3910?
No. Huawei documentation lists the UPEUd as the only power module for the BBU3910. The UPEUa and UPEUc are used in the BBU3900.
Can I combine a BBU3900 and a BBU3910 at one site?
Yes. A base station can use one BBU3900 interconnected with one BBU3910, or two BBU3910 units.
What is the main advantage of the BBU3910?
Its backplane allows direct data exchange between all slots 0 to 5, and with FANd/FANe it supports higher heat dissipation, which suits configurations with several newer baseband boards.
Buy Huawei BBU3900 and BBU3910 units
We supply used and refurbished Huawei BBU3900 and BBU3910 chassis, along with UMPT and UBBP boards. Every unit is functionally tested before shipment (radio units such as RRUs are also VSWR tested), comes with a 90-day warranty, and is shipped worldwide in secure packaging. Contact us on WhatsApp +86 187 3329 4669 / +86 139 3088 8705, email jack@telecombts.com, or use the form at https://telecombts.com/contact-us/. We also buy surplus Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia equipment: sell your equipment.