When Fiber Makes Sense
Fiber is the right choice when:
- The route serves many subscribers or sites (high traffic density)
- Construction cost per mile is manageable (existing conduit, easy terrain)
- Long-term capacity requirements are high
- The route parallels roads with reasonable access for maintenance
When Microwave Makes Sense
Licensed microwave backhaul makes economic sense when:
- Construction costs would be prohibitive (water crossings, difficult terrain)
- Bandwidth requirements can be met with available spectrum
- High reliability is achievable (short hops with good fade margin)
- Quick deployment speed matters more than long-term capacity
Microwave Design Principles
Good microwave backhaul design starts with path analysis. Every hop needs:
- LOS verification with adequate first Fresnel zone clearance
- Path profile analysis for terrain clearance
- Fade margin calculation (typically 30dB minimum)
- Interference analysis for available frequencies
The single biggest mistake in rural microwave design is underestimating atmospheric ducting events. A path that looks fine in standard conditions can experience severe fading during multipath seasons — especially in coastal and low-lying areas.
Rural Backhaul Design
Richesin Engineering designs hybrid fiber/microwave backhaul networks for rural ISPs and utilities throughout Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Network Engineering Services