Implementation of high-order modulation schemes for spectrally efficient mobile network wireless backhaul at extremely high frequencies

There is an ever increasing demand for wireless mobile high-speed internet access. This
demand is mostly driven by media rich consumer applications (e.g. streaming of music and
video). The development of 4G wireless networks will have the capacity to provide these
services. However, the total aggregate data rates supporting exponential data traffic growth
(more than doubling per year) will shift the bottleneck from the terminals to the mobile
backhaul (i.e. point-to-point wireless links). The capacity requirements for such links require a
shift towards higher frequency of operation. The E-band (71-76GHz and 81-86 GHz) has been
allocated for this purpose and E-band microwave links are viewed as one of the important
components of the wireless communication system of the future.
E-band products available today and in the near future (2012) are only expected to achieve up
to 1Gbps data rates with spectrum bandwidth using more than 2GHz of precious bandwidth &
500MHz for the most spectral efficient systems.
The market is looking for products that will both carry more data and work more efficiently
within this spectrum, to maximize the total carrying capacity of the networks. Today there are
no commercially available technologies that can simultaneously fulfill these requirements.
This project will do proof-of-concept work to determine how advanced algorithms specifically
developed for E-Band can enable higher-order modulation schemes such as QAM64 to be
implemented at these frequencies, which will dramatically increase spectral efficiency and
throughput of the next generation of E-Band products.
These new products will be key enablers of the continuing expansion of consumer
applications that use wireless communications, and the companies that win out in the
competition to supply these products to the telecommunications industry will be positioned
for strong growth. Filtronic spotted the opportunity represented by E-Band very early on, and
took an early lead in developing wireless modules which are now starting to deploy into the
market. Filtronic have designed a 1Gbit/sec, 16QAM modulation product which will deploy
in Q1 2012 (see Appendix B.4) However, the competition from rivals such as EBand
Communications and BridgeWave is intense, and it is vital that Filtronic continue to
differentiate by developing higher-performance solutions that will maintain a lead over its
rivals and allow it to build market share.
This project gives Filtronic an opportunity to accelerate the entry of higher speed & spectrum
efficient products using modulation schemes such as 64QAM that can maintain its
competitive edge.