About 60 GHz V-Band

The Endless Demand for More Bandwidth

There never seems to be enough bandwidth. Yesterday’s 10 megabit and 100 megabit data rates were seen as ample for enterprise, metropolitan and mobile backhaul capacity, but the demand has now evolved to multi-gigabit speeds, and will continue to increase over the coming years. However, there are some places where it is simply too difficult or expensive to provision additional bandwidth using fiber-optic cabling. Broadband wireless radio technology has traditionally filled the gap for some applications, but traditional Wi-Fi solutions based on 2.4 and 5 GHz technologies have now reached bandwidth limitations as well.

Today, enterprises and service providers are increasingly looking at 60 GHz V-Band wireless solutions. They are discovering that for many applications, V-Band wireless connectivity provides attractive benefits based on factors such as license-free operation, high immunity to interference, and easy and cost-effective deployment.

License-Free Operation

The 60 GHz V-band wireless frequency is part of the electromagnetic radio spectrum, which includes the AM radio band at 550 kHz to 1.5 MHz and the FM band from 88 MHz to 108 MHz. The available bandwidth of the AM band is only 1 MHz, while the total FM bandwidth is 20 MHz. Other wireless protocols include LTE from 0.7 GHz to 2.6 GHz, and traditional Wi-Fi that uses two bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The amount of Wi-Fi bandwidth available in the U.S. is only 50 MHz at 2.4 GHz and 800 MHz at 5 GHz

At the higher frequencies is the 57 to 71 GHz V-Band range, called the millimeter wave segment. An important distinction between the various frequency allocations is whether users require a license to operate within a specific band (as is the case with AM and FM broadcasters) or whether unlicensed operation is allowed (as is allowed with 60 GHz and traditional Wi-Fi routers). Unlicensed operation still requires that the equipment to be certified for usage by the FCC. However, once such unlicensed products are certified, they can be sold and deployed on a license-free basis.

So, what’s so special about using the 60 GHz V-Band spectrum to deliver wireless high-bandwidth Ethernet? The simple answer is there is no other globally available, unlicensed spectrum that provides 14 GHz of radio bandwidth. This massive spectral bandwidth enables low-cost gigabit data rates. Just like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, 60 GHz V-Band equipment can be deployed as needed without the need for licensing by regulatory agencies. This freedom provides the ability to cost-effectively and rapidly deploy V-Band wireless solutions such as HaulPass V10g for enterprise, campus, ISP, private, and carrier networks.

High Immunity from Interference

An important characteristic of 60 GHz V-Band solutions such as HaulPass V10g is that antenna beamwidths are less than 5° due to the narrow millimeter wave frequencies. This means that many links can be put on the air in the same area just by having them point in slightly different directions. Self-interference or other wireless interference is basically nonexistent at 60 GHz, thanks to the narrow beamwidths and the link-protection effects of 60 GHz oxygen attenuation. This narrow beamwidth contrasts with comparably sized 5 GHz solutions that have a beamwidth that is more than ten times as wide, thereby transmitting signals that are beyond the location of the intended receiver. In addition, a 5 GHz antenna risks the possibility of receiving interference from other 5 GHz radio links or Wi-Fi routers.

As a related benefit to its 60 GHz V-Band transmissions, HaulPass V10g can utilize frequency division duplex (FDD) operation as a result of the large amount of spectrum available. This is important to know when considering throughput claims, because FDD delivers maximum throughput in both directions since the transmitter and receiver operate simultaneously and independently.

Easy and Cost-Effective to Deploy

60 GHz V-Band wireless broadband solutions such as HaulPass V10g enable companies, service providers and wireless carriers to quickly and cost-effectively keep pace with the growing demands for global communications network expansion. Extending the reach of fiber-optic cable installations can be cost-prohibitive or even impossible to accomplish, due to factors such as right-of-way issues or the need to cross highways, rivers, or other physical barriers.

The cost for this physical cable installation and the politics, delay and additional costs for access rights can be substantial. In many cases, a physical path simply cannot be trenched and that can stop an installation in its tracks. 60 GHz V-Band broadband wireless connectivity is the practical and cost-effective solution to the extension of such fiber-optic networks.