Propagation research for millimetrewave cellular services

The development of digital MVDS services is aimed at the CEPT approved 42 GHz band. The attraction of these bands is the availability of spectrum that will support the wide bandwidths required for these new services which is not available at microwave and lower frequencies. However, the service availability, and therefore commercial viability, depends to a much greater extent on the propagation effects at these frequencies than at lower frequencies The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are leading the propagation work package in a new ACTS FPIV project on “Cellular Radio Access for Broadband Services” (AC 215) that involves 12 organisations in 7 countries. The main objectives of this project are to set up user trials of an interactive broadband digital cellular service (including broadband return channel), to perform systems studies and to establish mechanisms to exploit the technology commercially. The propagation subgroup will develop statistical and deterministic planning methods for millimetrewave cellular design and to enable service providers and regulators to make an accurate assessment of the coverage and interference for any particular scenario