Route diversity effect on multipoint-to-multipoint (MP-MP) fixed wireless systems with mesh network topologies recommended in ITU-R F.1704

Broadband fixed wireless access (FWA) systems using submillimeter and millimeter bands are expected to function as large-capacity access circuits supplementing wired broadband access networks. However, a major issue in handling high-frequency bands such as the submillimeter and millimeter bands has been deterioration of circuit quality due to rain attenuation and the resulting degradation of operating efficiency. In order to deal with this issue, the authors proposed a multipoint-to-multipoint (MP-MP) FWA system using a mesh topology that organically combines point-to-point (P-P) wireless links, and quantitatively showed a diversity effect obtained on the mesh network to demonstrate the validity of the system. The proposed system was recommended for use as F.1704 by the ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union-Radiocommunication Sector), which promotes research into standardization of wireless communications and prepares recommendations. In this paper, we give theoretical evaluations of the diversity effect that formed the core of the recommendation, and present evaluation examples based on real data obtained from outdoor test networks, to demonstrate the validity of the diversity effect in the proposed system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 90(11): 61–70, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20334