Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Sizing Up The GHz Bands

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2003 13:50:05 -0500

Sizing Up The GHz Bands

The FCC recently started a rule-making
process for 70, 80 and 90 GHz, but it's
unclear how much enterprises will benefit
from applications using a technology that
offers more bandwidth than most
businesses need. 
 
By Mark Rockwell
November 1, 2003

WASHINGTON

Enterprises shouldn't immediately expect too much from millimeter
wavelength spectrum that recently opened up for commercial interests,
but they could reap some benefits down the road.

That's the consensus from analysts after the FCC in mid-October voted to
begin establishing services rules for 70, 80 and 90 GHz bands, which use
millimeter wave technologies. All five commissioners were enthusiastic
about opening the spectrum for commercial uses. "Today, we open yet
another new frontier in bringing the power of broadband Internet
services to the American people," said FCC Chairman Michael Powell.

Powell and his fellow commissioners are doing their jobs as regulators –
making regulated resources available to the public by opening up the
spectrum, analysts say. But actually using the spectrum and technology
is up to businesses that must conduct tough cost/benefit analyses, and
analysts say it may be too early for the benefits to outrun the costs.
Cheaper alternative technology, limited current practical applications
and skepticism all stand in the way, analysts say.

Like so many other flavors of wireless, the government was the primary
driving force behind development of the transmission technologies that
use gigabit wavelengths. Astronomers have used millimeter wave
technology to measure distances to planets and other applications, notes
Dave Hoover, analyst at the Precursor Group. Because of its extremely
high bandwidth, millimeter wave technology can be used to "see" through
clouds and dust that might otherwise obscure a normal radio beam.

Some wireless data organizations are enthusiastic about the
possibilities of the new bands. Louis Slaughter and Douglas Lockie, who
co-chair Wireless Communications Association's www.wcai.comask Force on
60+ GHz applications, say the unique technical characteristics of the
bands permit more efficient use of spectrum for point-to-point
applications and could stimulate new applications while creating
opportunities for economic growth and jobs.

WCA members spearheaded lobbying efforts at the FCC to open up the
bands. Loea Communications Corporation, a subsidiary of Trex,
successfully demonstrated the technology and the capability to
communicate at gigabit per second speeds (the equivalent of more than
670 T1 lines) in this spectrum, WCA says.

Hoover notes the millimeter wave technology also can be used in imaging
applications. It offers vast bandwidth – much more than necessary for
anyone other than telecommunications carriers, he says.

The narrow, tightly focused fixed wireless radio transmissions are
largely analogous to microwave beams, says Herschel Shosteck, president
of The Shosteck Group. A gigabit wavelength beam can provide vast
amounts of bandwidth, but at what cost to the user? "That's a lot of
bandwidth. The issue is, however, how can it compete with lower
frequency microwave and optical fiber?"

Other analysts tend to concur, depending on the application. Some say
the millimeter wavelength technology wouldn't be appropriate for most
enterprise applications because the technology requires large power
supplies and probably offers too much bandwidth for most
enterprise-level local area networks or even wide area networks. "This
probably can't compete with the wireless LANs or WANs most companies
use," Hoover says.

John Schuster, chief technology officer at Terabeam Networks (See
http://www.terabeam.com/home.shtml), isn't so sure. He says the systems
can become a competitive alternative for carriers looking for
high-capacity backbone links. And while reliability is a factor,
degradation of signal, or "rain fade," can affect the links but not
fatally, he says. The enterprise market may well need such high capacity
links as wireless applications grow. Companies that need the capacity
may find that the technology could be less expensive than a fiber link,
he says.

The market may find out soon enough. Terabeam plans to release a
commercial transmission product aimed at the enterprise.

http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA333026&spacedesc=Departments&stt=000

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