Split options (option 2, 7.2x) and why they matter

Eight Split Options, Two Winners

3GPP originally defined eight functional split options numbered 1 through 8, each placing the boundary between different protocol layers. In practice two options dominate real deployments. Option 2 is the high-layer split between PDCP and RLC, creating the F1 midhaul interface with modest bandwidth demands that standard IP transport handles easily. Option 7.2x is the low-layer split inside the PHY layer, producing the eCPRI fronthaul interface that demands very high bandwidth and timing precision under 100 microseconds. Most deployments use both splits simultaneously.