Microwave Anyhaul box has big capacity but tiny footprint
Nokia has successfully demonstrated a live microwave connection sending signals on the D-Band, which ranges from 130 to 175 GHz on the frequency spectrum. This news Microwave Anyhaul could shift tomorrow’s 5G data at fifty times the speed of the microwave spectrum we use today.
The beauty of D-Band is that it is capable of much higher bandwidth than other microwave ranges, which makes it idea as an ultra-high-capacity extension for 5G backhaul and fronthaul in dense urban environments. Don’t tell David Icke. The trial, which was conducted by Nokia using Nokia Bell Labs technology, is part of an investigation into how higher frequencies, beyond 100 GHz, can support the increased capacity requirements of mobile networks.
As 5G networks proliferate there will be increasing demand for high-capacity, high-speed microwave backhaul to support. Since this calls for the use of higher frequency bands, not previously used for this purpose, this may cause some alarm amongst the public. Protests would cause a terrible wasted opportunity since these bands can support huge channel bandwidths and handle up to 50 times more traffic than the microwave bands already used for mobile network backhaul. Expect D-Band to be mostly used in dense urban environments, where it’s small form factor comms devices will squeeze into previously inaccessible spots and could help 5G break new ground.
The trial used an integrated dual-transceiver using a 2 GHz channel bandwidth operating over a distance of approximately 200 meters. The solution was developed specially by Nokia Bell Labs.
“The D-Band will be important in delivering high-capacity 5G connectivity in the future,” said Nokia’s Vice President of Microwave Radio Links Giuseppe Targia, “We continue to drive important innovations that support our customers with coverage and capacity where it is needed.”