How to Build a Successful Radio Link - Part 1

MLL Telecom - 11 January 2012

Most Network Managers know that microwave radio links require a clear line of sight and access to spectrum, but to achieve a successful link that is going to deliver service 99.999% of the time the devil is in the detail.

So when you embark on sourcing a new network link either point-to-point, or point to multipoint, what are the factors that the experts recommend you consider?

In-house vs. Managed service

You may choose to do it yourself, with your own trusted team of experts, and subcontract each step to the most cost effective company, or you may choose to use a company that offers a complete turnkey service, from design to maintenance, to remove the risk from the venture.

Spectrum

You need to be sure that you have the right spectrum for your needs, you can use unlicensed or light-licensed spectrum, but you risk the link failing in the future due to interference. For an interference free wireless service you need private spectrum. You can obtain private licences from Ofcom for a few thousand pounds and subject to availability.

Alternatively if you are going down the managed service route your supplier will deal with this for you, or better yet they will own their own licensed spectrum which makes the process of obtaining it infinitely quicker and it offers lower risk.

Even if you use light-licensed spectrum for rapid deployment at less cost, you would need an operator licence to give you a high level of visibility when it comes to other planned uses of this spectrum. However it still does not guarantee you long-term quality of the link.

Desktop Line of Sight

This can be carried out by, at the very least, looking at the lie of the land on a map to see if it is theoretically possible to get a line of sight between your two points. Ideally you need a specialist who uses satellite imagery and specialist desktop planning tools. They will look at building structures, any planning constraints and any planned builds, as well as look at the ease of access to the site for maintenance. Using this method for your desktop line of sight should ensure an 80% success rate in the field, reducing both your costs and your lead times.

Choose the Correct Technology

The technology will depend on the functionality you require, e.g.: the speed; resilience; availability; redundancy; reporting and diagnostics; traffic management, etc. Choosing the correct technology is essential and there are a number of options out there. If you are sourcing it in-house you need to be acknowledging any limitations that the devices have that may not be evident from the technology vendor's specifications, variations on performance as a result of the weather, for example. In our experience weather plays a considerable factor in the effectiveness of radio equipment. We use real-life data from our in-house weather mapping tool, using data collected over 50 years. This has shown up equipment that on paper should work, but in practice would not.

If you outsource the build of your link it is also pertinent to check that your provider is technology agnostic. This is how you can ensure they will not be bias in their choice and therefore use the right equipment for the job.

Part 2 will look at Technology and Line of Sight.

Add a comment