Benefits and drawbacks of asymmetric microwave links

The possibility of introducing asymmetric microwave links in the existing networks is currently under consideration. The main benefit of the concept lies in the fact that it reflects the actual requirement for RF spectrum, which is needed to handle download and upload traffic. Currently used frequency plans anticipate the same amount of spectrum (`paired' channels) for both download and upload, but since traffic is significantly higher in download than in upload, asymmetric approach seems more natural option, which should provide certain spectrum savings. However, some concerns have been raised regarding the possibility of reusing the saved spectrum, which is the main challenge for the implementation of asymmetric approach. This paper deals with effects and consequences of introducing asymmetric microwave links, based on the comparative analysis of asymmetric approach on two realistic representations of a wireless network in rural and urban scenario.