The document discusses the advantages and challenges of wireless broadband compared to fiber, highlighting its cost-effectiveness in rural areas and mobility benefits. It also addresses the importance of spectrum quality, impacts of environmental factors on signal propagation, and the increasing demand for bandwidth driven by streaming video. A hybrid approach using various technologies including fiber, copper, and wireless is recommended to meet broadband needs in low-population areas.

1. 11-18-2015

2.  Faster deployment compared to fiber or
copper
 Lower cost than fiber in sparsely populated
areas
 Geographic boundaries are less constrictive
 Option for licensed or unlicensed spectrum
 Devices are cost effective
 Mobility: broadband to a device, not a
location

3.  Wireless is not a “physical” connection which
creates reliability concerns and customer service
costs as well as more truck rolls
 Throughput is usually less than fiber connections
 Spectrum is required which is expensive when
licensed and potentially noisy when unlicensed
 The pace of technology changes require the
networks to be constantly upgraded
 Tower space is extremely expensive unless the
carrier owns it or has a friendly relationship with
the owner

4.  Point to point
◦ Connection of one location to another, no mobility
and is a one to one connection
◦ Usually high throughput up to 1 Gbps
 Point to Multipoint
◦ Connection from one location to multiple devices
◦ Mobility is the biggest advantage
◦ Cellular networks are the largest example
◦ Minnesota’s public safety network is an example
◦ Large amount of connections across Minnesota
being used for wireless broadband for business and
residential and sometimes the only option

5.  Assumptions
◦ 25 square miles of rural broadband need
◦ 1 home per square mile
◦ 20 Mbps peak requirement to each location
◦ Capex cost for a wireless network including a tower
 $250,000
◦ Capex cost for fiber to the premise for all 25
locations
 $20,000 per mile for a total of $500,000
 Summary
◦ Less than 3 homes per square mile, wireless is
more cost effective and can deliver great bandwidth

6.  Not long ago, entire companies operated on a 1.5
Mbps circuit to the internet
 Streaming video has changed broadband
 Today nearly 60% of the global broadband
consumption is from one company and application -
Netflix
 Non-entertainment streaming video protocols are
driving the bandwidth needs, as well
 Broadband utilization spans all generations and
cultures and is considered critical infrastructure
 Over the top video is becoming the normal

7.  Today, each broadband user contributes approximately 300 Kbps
of usage to the busy hour calculation.
 An LTE system with 20 MHz of spectrum can deliver an aggregate
capacity of approximately 40 Mbps per sector.
 That sector at today’s usage requirements should handle
approximately 150 broadband users but in reality, 100 users is
more accurate
 Spectrum quantity and quality is critical for a wireless system to
be successful
 Using unlicensed spectrum or Pseudo licensed spectrum in a
populated area where other competitors are using the same
spectrum is very challenging
 In rural areas or areas where other operators are not using
unlicensed spectrum, a wireless broadband operator can be very
successful

8.  The cost per subscriber can be impacted by the type
of device used and if it is an outdoor installation or
indoor installation
 Higher frequencies impacted by building materials
usually require an outdoor installation
 Indoor installations usually use a lower cost device,
and the labor is greatly reduced or eliminated
 Technologies require the best possible signal level
and quality to be the most efficient
 Some customers should not be served due to the
negative impact on the overall system

9.  Trees have a significant impact on propagation of
radio frequencies and the higher the frequency
the more impact
 Buildings have a significant impact on propagation
(i.e.) steel siding, concrete) thus the reason your
cell phones don’t always work indoors
 Hilly and mountainous areas have a negative
impact on radio frequencies
 Gas-filled windows will prevent radio frequencies
from passing through

10.  Unlicensed examples
◦ 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 1900 MHz DECT, 5 GHz
 Licensed examples
◦ 850 MHz Cellular, 1900 MHz PCS, 700 MHz FirstNet
◦ 11 GHz point to point
 New Spectrum
◦ 600 MHz incentive auction
 Pseudo Licensed example
◦ 3.65 GHz

11.  Base Stations or Access Points are being installed
at or near the antennas to reduce signal loss in
the coax
 Tier 1 carriers are deploying this strategy where
once only Wireless Internet Service Providers
utilized this practice
 Equipment is becoming more reliable, and it is
changing how networks are deployed
 Distributed antenna systems and in-building
solutions are more prevalent
 Each tower location is typically served with 100
Mbps service either by fiber or wireless backhaul

12.  Wireless is a great solution to provide broadband
 Streaming video has impacted all internet service
providers capacity needs, but wireless is impacted
more negatively due to the finite resources and the
cost of spectrum
 Rural areas served by the larger national carriers will
require Wireless Internet Service Providers to fill the
void left by their inability to serve the low populated
areas
 A mix of fiber, copper, coax and wireless will need
to be utilized to meet the demand in our rural areas
 Wireless cannot meet all of the needs we have, but it
can be an important tool in the toolbox.

13. Thank you!
Albert Kangas, COO and GM
NewCore Wireless
E: albert.kangas@corewg.com
www.NewCoreWireless.Net