Backhaul is the most important part of your network application as its function is to provide connectivity to and from your last-mile deployment. Here are our top 5 factors to consider when selecting the right backhaul solution. 

1. Cost:

Cost is one of the most important driving factors when selecting a backhaul solution for your installation. Fibre optics does provide massive bandwidth capacity but has a high initial capital layout requirement especially when trenching is required. Wireless backhaul solutions are much simpler and quicker to deploy, and cost can vary depending on the application and requirement. Driving factors for Wireless backhaul costs can be the frequency of operation, the distance required, the capacity required, and the installation, i.e., renting tower space vs. erecting your tower.

2.  Frequency: 

As mentioned above, one of the factors to consider is your frequency of operation. The unlicensed band for Wireless Backhaul applications consists of 17GHz, 60GHz, and 70/80GHz range. Lower frequency will provide greater distance but might limit you to lower throughput speeds. Higher frequencies will limit the distance that you can cover but will provide higher throughput speeds. For example, the SIAE Alfoplus 17GHz can easily do 20km Point-to-Point at up to 500Mbps, depending on the optional capacity license you choose to purchase. A 60GHz Siklu Point-to-Point application is limited to about 1km link distance, but can easily provide Gigabit wireless speeds. The Siklu 70/80GHz band can do link distances between 8 – 10km, with gigabit capacity speeds. (*Recommended link planning and real-world speeds may vary on external factors). The alternative option is to use licensed frequencies such as 11GHz that provide excellent distance and performance, however, this will increase the cost of the solution as there is an additional Licensing fee required.

3. Application: 

We’ve also mentioned that application is something to take into consideration. For example, do you have to rent space on a tower vs. erecting your tower? When renting, are you limited to space, how congested is the RF environment for the frequency that you will be operating on, and do you have a clear line of sight between the wireless links? Wireless backhauls are perfect for quick deployment and can remain in place after the fibre has been deployed as a redundant connectivity failover. 

4. Reliability:  

The reliability of wireless backhaul links is measured in potential downtime over a year. For example, you might be looking for a wireless solution that is MEF compliant and provides high availability, such as 99.99% uptime to ensure you can deliver on a Service Level Agreement with your connected customer.

5. Capacity:  

Capacity is an important consideration when selecting the right backhaul solution, especially for wireless applications. As service providers, you need a solution that will not only give you distance and reliability but also high bandwidth capacity. Here it is important to consider what is the combined capacity requirements of your last mile deployments to ensure that your wireless backhaul can provide the To and From capacity. 

Our solutions are aimed to tick all of these top five requirements to ensure that you can select the right wireless backhaul solution based on your requirements. From SIAE’s 17GHz, long-distance, highly reliable solutions, to Siklu’s short-range 60GHz PtP high-capacity radios, or even Ubiquiti’s Licensed 11GHz airFiber solutions. We assist you with your pre-sales solution planning to after-sales technical support. 

For more information, please reach out to us at sales@miro.co.za or shop your solution directly online by visiting miro.co.za.