5g mmwave tests show coverage limits

see also: Latency Budget · Platform Risk

Carriers running limited mmWave trials reported steep signal drops behind walls and even foliage, showing that the super-fast spectrum lacks range (Verizon 5G Trials). Deployment will require far more densification than originally promised.

signal braid

• Carriers need small cells every few hundred feet, which increases capex drastically.
• The lack of range makes mmWave less useful for rural areas, contrasting with the global ambition of starlink public beta teases global broadband.
• Indoor coverage still requires fallback to sub-6 GHz or Wi-Fi, which muddles the user experience.

risk surface

• Builders may delay mmWave towers since costs outweigh the initial consumer base.
• Regulation on small cells may slow rollouts, especially in historic districts.
• Customers expecting near-fiber speeds may be disappointed when walls kill the signal.

linkage anchor

This note sits beside nvidia ampere gpu reveal tightens datacenter race because both represent infrastructure leaps that require new deployments and huge capital.

my take

MmWave feels like hype without a realistic deployment plan. The technology is powerful, but we still need lower-frequency coverage for most users.

linkage

linkage tree

• tags
  • #telecom
  • #infrastructure
  • #2020
• related
  • [[starlink public beta teases global broadband]]
  • [[telehealth surge rewrites medical delivery]]

ending questions

How fast can regulators clear the small-cell backlogs so mmWave can match its promise?