In the 1990s, as the use of mobile phones exploded, demand for better signal coverage drove the need for more cell towers.
Today, signal coverage is still relevant, but demand for higher capacity data gives rise to a new discussion on the importance of the antennas—the critical, yet often understated, component of the microwave radio system.
This paper focuses on microwave line-of-sight point-to-point (P2P) wireless radio backhaul, and the planning or coordination of P2P links. It shows the extraordinary opportunity that improved antenna performance offers the backhaul network operator, as well as the threats posed by using inferior antennas.