The Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) standard defines a flexible interface between Radio Equipment Controllers (REC) and Radio Equipment (RE).
The purpose of CPRI is to allow replacement of a copper or coax cable connection between a radio transceiver (used example for mobile-telephone communication and typically located in a tower) and a base station (typically located at the ground nearby), so the connection can be made to a remote and more convenient location. This connection (often referred to as the Fronthaul network) can be a fiber to an installation where multiple remote base stations may be served.
The companies working to define the specification include Ericsson AB, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, NEC Corporation, Alcatel Lucent and Nokia.