Radio transmission and experimental channel characterisation using an MBS platform operating in the 40 GHz band

Abstract

This paper focuses on results obtained in the ACTS SAMBA project. The project's main objective was the implementation of a Trial Platform providing a full duplex radio link of 34 Mbit/s to prove the technical feasibility with today's technology and to evaluate the main MBS functionality for the public cellular MBS segment. Thus, extensive field trials were carried out in the city of Aveiro, Portugal, in different environments and using the 40 GHz band. The paper starts with an introductory analysis of the radio channel impairments and discusses the various appropriate mitigation techniques. A brief description of the SAMBA Trial Platform used in the measurements campaign is presented concentrating on the description of the main technical solutions related with the physical layer. Then, representative measurements results collected in an urban and in an indoor environment are analysed so as to evaluate the system performance, focusing on the cell coverage area and transmission quality. This study is made analysing parameters such as: received power level, bit error rate, fitted Rice distribution parameters to model the small-scale fading, power level cumulative distribution functions, level crossing rate and average fade duration of the signals received in the two diversity antennas and the resulted signal after combination. The achieved results constitute a significant forward step for the MBS development.