Interactive Testing of Line-of-Sight and Fresnel Zone Clearance for Planning Microwave Backhaul Links and 5G Networks

Abstract

The growing demand for high-speed networks is increasing the use of high-frequency electromagnetic waves in wireless networks, including in microwave backhaul links and 5G. The relative higher frequency provides a high bandwidth, but it is very sensitive to obstructions and interference. Hence, when positioning a transmitter-receiver pair, the line-of-sight between them should be free of obstacles. Furthermore, the Fresnel zone around the line-of-sight should be clear of obstructions, to guarantee effective transmission. When deploying microwave backhaul links or a cellular network there is a need to select the locations of the antennas accordingly. To help network planners, we developed an interactive tool that allows users to position antennas in different locations over a 3D model of the world. Users can interactively change antenna locations and other parameters, to examine clearance of Fresnel zones. In this paper we illustrate the interactive tool and the ability to test clearance in real-time, to support interactive network planning.