Introduction to Backhaul Networks

Every data network, including the public internet, is designed to carry information between one end (like your cellphone) and the other (like a website). But this process is not wholly uncomplicated. Numerous network segments participate in the execution of this task, including an access network, a core network, and a backhaul network. The access network connects the end devices to the networks. The core network (or backbone network) routes data among various sub-networks. And the backhaul network connects the access network to the core network and vice versa.

Backhaul Network in Detail

Backhaul refers to the transport of voice, video, and data traffic, which originates at mobile base stations or cell towers, to mobile switching centers (MSCs) or other central exchange points from where the traffic is transferred to wireline networks. Backhaul networks are becoming increasingly important in today’s digital age. They make one’s data communication access faster and increase the expanse of network coverage. Furthermore, they ensure that all data, voice, and other services are transferred securely.

Reasons to Go for Backhaul

Backhaul networks provide some advantages over traditional networks. These include increased reliability and lower latency. Also, backhaul networks offer higher speeds and more efficient use of the spectrum. This means that they can handle more data and provide more reliable connections. Another biggest advantage of backhaul networks is their ability to support a variety of services. From streaming media to voice-over IP, backhaul networks can handle any data. Moreover, they are more secure and resilient than traditional networks, making them ideal for critical applications such as emergency services. Backhaul networks also provide better scalability. It means that with the addition of more users, the network expands easily. This allows for more productive use of bandwidth and resources, which can lead to lower costs for businesses and organizations. Additionally, backhaul networks are more reliable than traditional networks, ensuring secure data transmission. What’s more, backhaul networks are cost-effective. In contrast to traditional networks, they are easier to maintain and require less maintenance and equipment, which makes them more affordable.

Users of Backhaul Network

There are several customers of backhaul. Some include fiber providers, wireless carriers, and government organizations. Besides, suppliers of fiber optic Internet services also use backhaul services in bulk when they want to connect to towers that are either too difficult to reach or too expensive to reach with fiber. In addition, both public and private organizations rent backhaul equipment and services. They include municipal organizations (such as hospitals, schools, and local governments), emergency response networks, and commercial mobile networks.

Transport Methods & Types of Backhaul Network

There are three ways to backhaul voice, video, and data traffic. They are copper, fiber, and microwave connections. Network connections that use copper and fiber are known as wired backhaul, whereas those that use microwave are wireless backhaul. Backhaul networks are usually of the following two types:

1.Fixed-Line or Wired Backhaul

Wired backhaul includes fiber, copper, ethernet, and coaxial. Worldwide, different firms are using these cables for networks of all types for decades. In future high-speed networks, they will continue to be used, regardless of any unexpected advances in wireless backhaul. This is because wired backhaul is beyond comparison when it comes to performance and network stability. Nevertheless, it has some costly pitfalls. Since network interference is less of an issue, wired backhaul provides stable performance and endless capacity. But it requires the high deployment and equipment costs and takes longer to deploy than wireless. As a consequence, it is deemed that wireless backhaul is the preferable alternative. Fixed-line backhaul has further subcategories. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Dark Fiber Backhaul

For wireless network carriers, this is the source material. It makes it possible for them to create their own services, run private networks, and achieve performance levels tailored to their own needs. For example, black fiber is made available to wireless carriers as customized fiber pairs, which typically have two to twelve fibers. Using their own optoelectronics, the wireless carriers then light the fiber.

Ethernet Backhaul

Ethernet backhaul is a fiber-based transport service that enables wireless carriers to expand the reach of their networks by securing the last mile of connectivity. Mainly, Ethernet lines with backhaul are totally controlled by network service providers and are sold with enormous amounts of accessible capacity. The majority of businesses employ this kind of backhaul.

Copper Line Backhaul

At one time, the most common technology for 2G and 3G backhaul was copper-based. Copper-based backhaul is based on the T1/E1 protocol, which supports 1.5 to 2 Mbps data transfer rates. It transmits data as electrical signals using copper cables like twisted-pair or coaxial cables. Currently, fiber has mostly taken the place of copper wires.

2. Wireless Backhaul

Wireless backhauls have superb applications where deploying fiber is not profitable, feasible, or possible due to time constraints. In contrast to wired backhaul, wireless backhaul transmits signals using microwaves and radio waves, just like the smartphones and laptops we use every day. It uses microwave connections via wireless spectrum for transporting voice, video, and data traffic. The wireless backhaul infrastructure includes Microwave (MW), millimeter wave (mmW), point-to-multipoint (PtMP), and point-to-point (PtP) connection equipment. Compared to wired backhaul, it is easy to deploy and cost-effective. However, it is highly susceptible to unfavorable weather conditions, other small cells, and macrocells. Moreover, the network speeds are markedly slower than wired backhaul. Nonetheless, it still remains a good option for developers who want to expand network capacity without mighty costs. To determine the type of backhaul, you need to consider fiber availability and feasibility, deployment time, capacity needs (current and future), and budget constraints.

Advantages of Backhaul Network

A backhaul network offers a great deal of advantages. Here, we have mentioned the major ones.

1.Establish Strong Private Networks

In order to provide broadband access to corporate campuses, other types of institutional settings, and the industrial Internet of Things (IoT), private networks are swiftly taking over. Enterprise applications, multimedia traffic, and even basic intra- and inter-organizational interactions all heavily demand available bandwidth. A key element of the architecture of private networks is backhaul, which is sometimes referred to as transmission networks.

2.Make Operations More Secure

Organizations can raise operational security standards by using backhauls. For example, when a monitoring network breaks unexpectedly, organizations may miss a vital moment. By using wireless backhaul, this link can be strengthened. These wireless networks can transfer thousands of data channels, enabling efficient and unrestricted data, video, and voice transmission.

3.Bring 5G to the Forefront

5G is the most significant and expansion-focused application of wireless backhaul. The architecture of 5G backhaul can be wired, fiber-optic, or wireless. It offers umpteen opportunities to increase and improve internet access for wireless carriers, their customers, and private businesses using 5G networks. There are these opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

4.Renovate Critical Infrastructure

Critical infrastructure consumers have very strict requirements. They depend on their connections to be always available and secure. The existing mission-critical networks rely on specialized digital technologies, which makes them voice-centric and bandwidth-constrained. Despite this, the critical infrastructure market is undergoing a rapid transformation. Scores of public safety firms are investigating 4G and 5G technologies, both of which need backhauls to work correctly.

5.Achieve Mobile Networking Success

Networks undergo multiple developments that cause issues, such as the need for up to 100x greater capacity and the control of 5G network densification. Backhauls offer a chance to resolve them. They deploy more cellular sites with improved capacity, reduced latency, and the ability to manage diverse services. Operators can reduce reliance on the accessibility of fiber and the viability of using fiber when planning, choosing, and buying new cell sites.

6.Widen MAN Public Connectivity

Many cities use metropolitan area networks (MANs), which rely on wireless backhaul to disperse a high-bandwidth Wi-Fi net across a region. Users or subscribers can connect to this network even without established cable in their residences or workplaces. Since the wireless backhaul enables dependable connectivity in places like stores, parks, and city streets, they can rely on this network.

Backhaul Network Devices from Top Brands

We offer a wide variety of premium quality and outstanding performance backhaul network devices from top brands, including Cambium, Ubiquiti, TP-Link, and others. Our most expansive selection of backhaul products from Cambium Networks offers a consistent high throughput and low latency. Cambium’s lightweight, small-cell backhaul equipment can be easily installed on existing structures, enabling swift deployment. Its latest technology, Ethernet backhaul solution, supplies up to 10Gbps capacity. Besides, the PtP Ethernet microwave backhaul platform supports 6-42GHz licensed frequency bands.

Ubiquiti Networks

PtP wireless backhaul for extreme, long-range links up to 100+ km, delivers Gigabit performance at 2Gbps and operates in worldwide, license-free, 24 or 5GHz frequencies. It supports FDD in the full-duplex mode for 0.2ms latency, leading to increased efficiency for carrier-class network backhauls. The compact radio has a split-antenna architecture for superior efficiency.

Siklu’s

field-proven mmWave products offer up to 16km range. The 60GHz (V-Band) and 70/80GHz (E-Band) solutions are available in PtP, PtMP, and Mesh configurations. Siklu’s radios are ideal for public Wi-Fi hotspot backhaul, wireless video security, intelligent transportation system infrastructure, parks, open-air concerts and shopping plazas, and multi-site enterprise campus connectivity – you name it.

Mimosa’s

ultra-rugged PtP Mimosa backhaul is engineered for short, medium, and long-distance links are highly reliable. They offer extended frequency support that helps users move out of a congested, unlicensed 5GHz spectrum and a clean spectrum. They are great for modern-day traffic demand and deliver up to 1.5 Gbps aggregate speeds with less than 1 ms latency.

SIAE’s

next-gen, ALFO PLUS full-outdoor microwave radios provide the best TCO and 2Gbps throughput. They feature full-frequency coverage from 7 – 42GHz. Their 10Gbps ultra-high-capacity E-band solution with maximum versatility is tested for 5G. Besides, the 2.5Gbps high-capacity solution is field proven in mobile and private backhaul networks.

Parting Words

Backhaul networks offer bountiful advantages. They provide enhanced reliability, improved scalability, reduced latency, and robust security. At ISP Supplies, we have elite-level performance backhaul network devices for homes, businesses, organizations, public safety, and eleventy of other applications.