Millimeter wave wireless may be best known as a 5G fixed and mobile access technology and as a means of providing backhaul for small cells. But another application is millimeter wave fixed wireless Gfast backhaul, as an announcement yesterday from Gfast equipment maker Sckipio and millimeter wave wireless equipment maker Siklu illustrates. Executives of the two companies provided Telecompetitor with details about the deployment.
Millimeter wave spectrum supports relatively high-speed connectivity in comparison with some other spectrum bands — albeit over relatively short distances. That should make it well suited to supporting Gfast, which provides relatively high-speed broadband services over relatively short copper loops.
Fixed Wireless Gfast Backhaul
The Sckipio, Siklu deployment now brings broadband at speeds up to 650 Mbps downstream and 160 Mbps upstream to residents of a low-income multi-dwelling unit operated by the Cleveland Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority.
A Gfast distribution point in the basement is connected to a Siklu wireless link, explained David Sumi, Vice President of marketing for Siklu, in an email to Telecompetitor. Sumi didn’t answer a question about the distance of the wireless connection but noted that it connects the Sckipio distribution point to a fiber point-of-presence, which suggests that fiber was needed for a portion of the link between the central office and the wireless link.
The copper runs supporting services are no longer than 600 feet, said Sckipio CEO David Baum in the email.
Both Gfast and fixed wireless can be deployed without digging up the street as is required for fiber, whether the fiber is used for backhaul or for access.
According to Baum, some wireless internet service providers also are using Gfast based on Sckipio in combination with Siklu fixed wireless equipment.
Additional information about the Cleveland deployment can be found in this press release.
