Availability-Aware E-band Wireless Extension of Fiber-Access

The paper discusses availability of Gigabit/s (Gbps) fiber-optical access that are extended with E-band millimeter-wave (mmW) radio. Calculation method is shown for fixed fiber-wireless system, in which 'fiber-like' SLA (Service Level Agreement) has to be achieved. As shown, in ITU rain-zone "K" Gbps throughputs can be achieved with mmW radios. Naturally, shorter radio links provide higher fade margins and better availability. However, as it is shown with a simple example, better system level availability may be achieved by connecting the radio to a FTTRN (Fiber to the Radio Node) where the fiber sections are protected or part of a loop. In practice, satisfying the availability target may require selecting a longer wireless link and not the shortest hop in an urban network environment.