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 were deployed across more than 128 countries worldwide. While offering enhanced bandwidth and improving the mobile internet experience, 4G also posed challenges for operators' mobile backhaul networks.
With the issuance of domestic 4G licenses, LTE networks expanded rapidly. However, the coverage of LTE base stations is limited, requiring a much higher deployment density compared to GSM or 3G base stations. This led to a significant demand for new sites, many of which faced a shortage of fiber resources—estimated at around 20%. As a result, both LTE backhaul and PTN fiber networks experienced increased pressure. To address this, microwave technology emerged as a key solution, capable of supplementing or replacing fiber in areas where it was lacking, enabling faster LTE network deployment.
Traditional microwave frequency bands (6–42 GHz) have become increasingly congested, with small channel spacing (up to 28 MHz in China), making it difficult to meet the high bandwidth demands of LTE backhaul. In response, the industry has turned its attention to E-Band microwaves, which offer ultra-large bandwidth capabilities. But what exactly is E-Band microwave, and how does it perform in different applications?
E-Band Microwave Introduction
E-Band refers to the frequency range of 71–76 GHz and 81–86 GHz, as defined by ITU-R and ETSI standards. These high-frequency bands are well-suited for high-capacity wireless transmission due to their wide channel spacing and large available bandwidth.
E-Band RF Channel Configuration
Industry bodies such as ITU-R, FCC, and CEPT have established specific configurations for E-Band RF channels. The most common divisions are 250 MHz and 1.25 GHz, allowing for significantly larger bandwidths compared to traditional microwave bands. With these wider channel spacings, E-Band can support up to 2.5 Gbps per frequency point, with future potential reaching 10 Gbps over the air interface.
E-Band Microwave Transmission Distance
The transmission distance of E-Band microwave is influenced by factors such as free space loss, atmospheric attenuation, and rain fade. At frequencies between 71–76 GHz and 81–86 GHz, free space path loss ranges from 130 to 131 dB, which is higher than in lower frequency bands. This results in shorter transmission distances. However, E-Band experiences minimal atmospheric attenuation—less than 0.5 dB/km—making it suitable for short-range, high-capacity links.
Rain attenuation becomes a concern for E-Band in extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall in tropical regions. Under such conditions, rain fade can reach up to 30 dB/km, but this is typically temporary. Network designers can account for this by reserving margin, and some manufacturers offer adaptive modulation to maintain service quality during adverse weather.
E-Band is largely unaffected by fog or clouds. Even dense fog with a visibility of 50 meters causes only about 0.4 dB/km of signal degradation, which is negligible. In practice, E-Band microwaves can operate stably within a transmission range of 2 to 3 kilometers.
E-Band Microwave Application Scenarios
Compared to traditional microwave bands, E-Band offers richer frequency resources and supports much higher bandwidths, with single frequency points reaching up to 2.5 Gbps. This makes it ideal for high-bandwidth backhaul needs, especially for LTE networks.
Based on the requirements of China Mobile, four main application scenarios have been identified:
1. **PTN Access Layer Ring Formation**
Ring networks enhance reliability and fault tolerance. In cases where fiber resources are insufficient, E-Band microwave can replace fiber to form a ring network, improving the stability of the backhaul.
2. **LTE Base Station Access**
In densely populated areas, each base station may require over 900 Mbps of bandwidth. E-Band provides ample spectrum resources for short-range (1–3 km) connections, solving issues related to limited fiber and low bandwidth in traditional microwave systems.
3. **Large Customer Lines**
For services like enterprise leased lines requiring over 1 Gbps, deploying fiber can be costly and time-consuming. E-Band microwave can act as an alternative to fiber, supporting IP/MPLS or L2 switching solutions.
4. **Integrated Service Access**
E-Band’s 2.5 Gbps capacity allows it to support multiple services, including base stations, Wi-Fi, and broadband. In areas without fiber, E-Band enables rapid deployment and attracts high-value customers.
Currently, E-Band is being used in 47 countries globally, with successful deployments in Europe and the Middle East. Huawei has commercialized 40 E-Band microwave systems worldwide. 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, completing physical link testing, service validation, and reliability checks. This trial supports LTE services and hybrid PTN ring protection, providing critical data for future spectrum allocation.
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