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In 2019 Global Mobile Broadband Forum, Huawei released SuperHUB, an innovative 5G microwave solution with simplified architecture to improve the spectrum efficiency and enables high bandwidth for aggregation sites. Huawei also unveiled 40Gbps and 100Gbps ultra-bandwidth microwave solutions for 5G aggregation sites, setting a new record for microwave solution bandwidth.

As 5G develops even further, backhaul networking shifts from tree to star topology, leading to a growing number of directions at hub sites. Multi-directional large-bandwidth upgrade requires more spectrum to be used, placing global operators under increased pressure to obtain sites. Growing spectrum also leads to increased microwave hardware at hub sites, which in turn leads to installation space and load bearing becoming more significant issues for towers.

Utilizing Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) technology, the solution enables a spectrum used only once within 90° range to be multiplexed three times, thus improving spectral efficiency by 300%. This allows the same amount of spectrum to provide triple the bandwidth for all directions at a hub site, facilitating multi-directional bandwidth upgrade.

Modular dual-band antennas are also utilized to combine any two 6–86 GHz bands at a site. This avoids the deployment of multiple antennas in cases where a single band is not sufficient to achieve a high bandwidth. The carrier aggregation ODU can aggregate four channels into one, resulting in a single ODU delivering capacity equal to that of four regular ODUs. This amounts to a 75% reduction in installation space and load bearing required on a tower where multiple channels are used to support high bandwidth.

The SuperHUB solution provides operators with an ideal tool to solve issues related to spectrum, bandwidth, tower space, and tower bearing at hub sites. In cases of insufficient fiber optical cables and difficult site acquisition, the solution simplifies the deployment of 5G microwave solutions needed to ensure a site capacity of more than 10Gbps across all scenarios.

Huawei will continue to innovate in 5G microwave solutions by expanding the limits of microwave bandwidth to satisfy wireless backhaul bandwidth requirements. As an example, ongoing E-band innovation will increase transmission distances by 30% for E-band while boosting bandwidth to 40Gbps in short-distance cases when compared to current all-scenario 10Gbps capabilities. This will enable operators to meet the requirements of high bandwidth at huh sites as 5G continues to mature. New innovations involving new spectra, such as D-band (130–175 GHz), will be able to support an ultra-high backhaul bandwidth of 200Gbps, raising microwave bandwidth to new heights.

Huawei’s 5G microwave solutions have been put into commercial use throughout 36 countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, enabling operators there to achieve 5G bearer network leadership while accelerating 5G network construction.