In 2014, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially granted 4G licenses based on the TD-LTE standard to China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, marking China's official entry into the 4G era. According to a report by GSMA Intelligence, by the end of 2017, over 500 LTE networks had been deployed across more than 128 countries worldwide. While 4G brought greater bandwidth and improved mobile internet experiences, it also posed challenges for operators’ mobile backhaul networks.
With the rollout of domestic 4G licenses, LTE networks were rapidly deployed. However, LTE base stations have smaller coverage areas and require much higher deployment density compared to GSM and 3G base stations. This led to a significant number of new site requirements, many of which faced fiber shortages. It was estimated that around 20% of new sites lacked sufficient fiber resources. Both LTE backhaul and PTN fiber networks were under pressure. As an effective solution for mobile backhaul, microwave technology could replace or supplement optical fiber, helping to address fiber shortages and enabling faster LTE network deployment.
However, traditional microwave frequency bands (6–42 GHz) faced tight spectrum resources with limited channel spacing (up to 28 MHz in China), making it difficult to meet LTE’s growing bandwidth demands. In response, the industry turned its attention to E-Band microwaves, which offer ultra-large bandwidth capabilities. But what exactly is E-Band microwave, and what bandwidth can it support? Let’s explore.
**Introduction to E-Band Microwave**
E-Band refers to the high-frequency microwave band defined by ITU-R and ETSI as 71–76 GHz and 81–86 GHz. These frequencies are commonly referred to as the E-Band. The E-Band provides wide channel spacing—mainly 250 MHz and 1.25 GHz—which allows for significantly larger bandwidths per frequency point. Currently, the maximum single-frequency point bandwidth is 2.5 Gbps, with future potential for up to 10 Gbps over the air interface.
**E-Band RF Channel Configuration**
ETSI and FCC have established guidelines for E-Band RF channel configurations. The large channel spacing ensures that E-Band can support high-capacity data transmission, making it ideal for high-bandwidth applications such as LTE backhaul.
**Transmission Distance of E-Band Microwave**
The transmission distance of E-Band microwave is affected by factors like free space loss, atmospheric attenuation, and rain fade. At 71–76 GHz and 81–86 GHz, free space path loss is around 130–131 dB, which is higher than in lower frequency bands. This results in shorter transmission distances. However, atmospheric attenuation is minimal—less than 0.5 dB/km in the E-Band range. Rain fade can be significant in extreme conditions, but this is usually temporary, and network designers can account for it with margin reserves. Some manufacturers even offer adaptive modulation to maintain service quality during adverse weather.
E-Band is largely unaffected by fog or clouds. Even dense fog with visibility as low as 50 meters causes only about 0.4 dB/km of fading, which is negligible. In practice, E-Band microwave systems operate reliably within a range of 2 to 3 kilometers.
**Application Scenarios for E-Band Microwave**
Compared to traditional frequency bands, E-Band offers richer spectrum resources and supports much higher bandwidths. With a single-frequency point bandwidth of up to 2.5 Gbps, it is well-suited for large-bandwidth applications, especially in LTE backhaul networks.
There are four main application scenarios:
1. **PTN Access Layer Ring Network Expansion**:
E-Band can replace fiber in areas where fiber is scarce, allowing the formation of ring networks that improve reliability and disaster recovery. This helps operators meet high-quality service requirements.
2. **LTE Base Station Access**:
In densely populated areas, a single base station may require over 900 Mbps of bandwidth. E-Band’s abundant spectrum makes it ideal for short-range (1–3 km) deployments, solving fiber shortages and enabling fast LTE deployment.
3. **Large Customer Lines**:
For services requiring over 1 Gbps, such as enterprise connections, E-Band can serve as a fiber alternative, overcoming the challenges of fiber installation in hard-to-reach locations.
4. **Integrated Service Access**:
With a 2.5 Gbps capacity, E-Band can support multiple services including base stations, Wi-Fi, and broadband. In scenarios where fiber is lacking, E-Band enables quick deployment and attracts high-value customers.
E-Band spectrum is currently available in 47 countries, with deployments in Europe and the Middle East. Huawei has successfully commercialized over 40 E-Band microwave systems globally. In China, E-Band is still in the experimental phase. Recently, China Mobile and Huawei launched the country’s first E-Band trial site on Beijing Mobile’s existing network. They completed physical links, service testing, and reliability verification, providing valuable data for future spectrum allocation. The trial site currently supports LTE services and PTN hybrid ring protection, ensuring high-quality, high-bandwidth connectivity.
LED Display
Led Display,Led Screen,Led Display Screen,led monitor
Guangzhou Chengwen Photoelectric Technology co.,ltd , https://www.cwleddisplay.com