Security Level:

Risks of Microwave Project Quality

Network Product Service Dept.

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HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

Huawei Confidential

Contents
Influences by the Microwave Delivery Quality Problems Risk of Installation Quality Risk of Network Planning Quality

Why Quality Problems Easily Occur on a Microwave Project

Training Materials

Installation on site
If the antenna is not fixed according to the requirements, the antenna will be shifted in windy weather. Subsequently, services will be affected. The larger the diameter of an antenna is, the higher installation quality is required. Strict waterproof and grounding technology is required.

Space transmission

Installation on site

Not all special conditions of the local climate, geography, and frequencies are considered in the network planning. Additionally, unexpected factors such as reflection, fading, and interference cause link interruption. Therefore, further observation is required.

The requirement for the installation quality of a microwave outdoor unit is to ensure that

the unit can work normally for several years, or even more than ten years.

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Training Materials

Possible Causes That Affect Microwave Project Quality

Tight schedules of projects,

installation was ignored in order to ensure schedule during rush-time

Subcontractors are not skillful, and

training provided to subcontractors is insufficient

More attention is paid on the

schedule, not the quality. No corresponding quality check and acceptance criteria are performed.
Quality problems that occur in a

The quality of a microwave project is affected.

project are not processed in time, thus problems are accumulated.

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Great Rectification Costs Are Paid When Quality Problems Occur

Training Materials

If the rectification involves site visit and operations on a tower, the costs and risks are high.
There are many sites in a project. Thus, hundreds or even thousands of sites are involved during rectification. Costs of site visit are high and costs of operations on a tower are more higher. Costs of rectification even reach the costs of constructing a new site.

High costs

High risks

Continuous adjustment affects the stability of services. Additionally, operations on towers at nights are inconvenient and insecure. Time of antenna re-alignment is unpredictable, so the restoration time of services is unpredictable.

The rectification of installation quality leads to great rectification costs and risks in

interrupting services.
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Training Materials

Measures of Controlling the Quality of a Microwave Project

The trainings of subcontractors require being sufficient. Only a qualified subcontractor can ensure the quality of a project. Make out quality monitoring measures for subcontractors. In the case of key quality control points, take pictures. Quality inspection is necessary. When some quality problems are found, urge the subcontractor to rectify. For key links such as backbone links or links in which diameters of antennas are not less than 1.2 m, cooperate with the subcontractors who are familiar with the project and can ensure the installation quality.

Controlling installation quality

Monitoring link quality

Perform a long-term check for radio links before the cutover. Ensure that quality problems in unstable links are solved in advance. Perform a long-term check for radio links after the cutover. Find and process potential risks in a link. Pay more attention on qualities of long-distance links and backbone links.

Strengthen the quality controls during the installation to avoid large-scale rectification.

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Contents
Influences by the Microwave Delivery Quality Problems Risk of Installation Quality Risk of Network Planning Quality

Installation Can Experience in Adverse Weather Conditions

Training Materials

In a microwave project, the outdoor unit can bear adverse weather conditions such as the gale, storm, lightening, high temperature, and chillness.

The antenna is fixed tightly to prevent from being shifted. The antenna with a diameter that is not less than 1.2 m requires a fixed strut.

The ODU (outdoor) and IDU (indoor) must be grounded properly. Otherwise, the equipment is easily damaged by lightening.

Installing and commissioning the microwave in strict compliance with requirements in the network planning and RSL MUST reach to the designed value. Network planning ensures the link KPI. The fading margin shall meet the requirement of the KPI. Standardize the management of the change of network planning. Meanwhile, specification changes shall not reduce the link KPI.

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Principle 1: Receive Signal Level of an Antenna Must Be Adjusted Within the Designed Value Range

Training Materials

The receive signal level of a microwave link must be adjusted within the designed value. Generally, the accepted range is 3dB to the designed value. In some special cases, customers require the range to be 2dB (Generally it could not accepted because it is limited by the precise of the equipment).

The receive signal level is a basic acceptance item. If the receive signal level is unqualified, the fading margin is reduced. Subsequently, the performance of the link is reduced and then acceptance is affected.

Power PTX

Transmit end G A0

Receive end

PTX = Transmit power PRX = Receive power A0 = Loss of free space M = Fading margin

G
Receive threshold

PRX

M Distance

Recommended solutions: Subcontractors are required to provide print screen of the

receive signal level displayed on the NMS by hops or Huawei employees check remotely by the NMS.
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Principle 2: The Antenna Is Fixed Tightly to Prevent From Being shifted

The larger the diameter of an antenna is, the higher the windproof requirement is.
Windproof
Maximum Wind Speed (km/h) Wind Speed in Normal Operation, km/h Axial Force (AF), N 460

Training Materials

To prevent the antenna from being shifted, the screws should be tightened (gaskets are flattened) to fix the antenna.

0.6 m

1.2 m
252 108 3245.09

1.8 m

5549.29

Lateral Force (FS), N

Torque (MT), Nm

230
200

1248.11
349.47

2134.34
946.22

Wind value that an antenna bears in different directions of wind Wind Diameter Wind Load (N) Equivalent Weight (kg) Speed (m) (m/s) Front Side Back Front Side Back 55 6426 3094 642.6 309.4 1.8 60 7404 3668 6426 740.4 366.8 642.6 67 9263 4588 926.3 458.8

The data in the table is just as an example.

Recommended solutions: Subcontractors are required to provide pictures of key points. Additionally,

strengthen in checking installation quality.

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Principle 3: The Antenna with a Diameter That Is Not Less Than 1.2 m Requires one or two Fixed struts to Prevent from Being Shifted
The antenna with a diameter that is not less than 1.2 m requires one or two fixed struts to meet the requirement of windproof. Otherwise, the antenna may be shifted, and then links are interrupted.

Training Materials

The wind area of an antenna with a diameter which is not less than 1.2 m is large. Thus, the installation quality problems occur on this type of antenna easily. If such problems occur, large ranges of services are affected. More attention shall be paid on this case.

FAQs

The most common cause is to forget installing fixed strut or is the loss of fixed strut . The fixed strut s are not fixed firmly on tower. In some cases, the installation of fixed strut is limited by the installation space on tower and difficult to be fixed. Additionally, subcontractor pays no attention on this. The fixed struts are fixed on tower by cable tie, cable, or iron wire instead of special fixer.

Recommended solutions: Subcontractors are required to provide pictures of installation

and fixation of the strut. Additionally, strengthen in checking installation quality.

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Principle 4: The Outdoor Unit Must Be Grounded Properly to Avoid Being Damaged by Lightening

Training Materials

The outdoor unit of microwave equipment must be grounded to prevent the ODU from being damaged by lightening. This is an essential item for the acceptance of customers.

Point 1

Grounding point
Point 2

Description Grounding point of an ODU Grounding point of an IF cable, where the cable is 1 m away from the ODU Grounding point of an IF cable, where the cable is away from the tower Grounding point of an IF cable before the cable entrance of shelter Grounding point of an IF cable, which is in the middle of the cable

Requirements Proposed by Huawei Required

Point1

Point2
Point 5

Required Roof-top site: optional Greenland site: required Required

Point3

Point4
Point 3

Point 4

Point5

If the length of an IF cable is over 60 m, an additional grounding point is required.

Recommended solutions: Subcontractors are required to provide pictures that the

outdoor unit is grounded.

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Principle 5: The Indoor Unit Must Be Grounded Properly to Avoid Being Damaged by Lightening
The indoor IDU must be grounded to avoid being damaged by lightening.

Training Materials

Grounding point on the left side of the shell

Grounding point on the left side of the mounting ears

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Training Materials

Principle 6: Rough Installation Is Prohibited to Avoid Damaging Equipment

The IF connector of the ODU is damaged.

The socket connector on the board is damaged.

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Contents
Influences by the Microwave Delivery Quality Problems Risk of Installation Quality Risk of Network Planning Quality

Training Materials

Factors That Influence the Microwave Link Quality

Many factors can influence the microwave link. Network planning cannot contain all conditions because some factor occurs only in the condition of specific climate or geography. For some complex links, one-year observation period is required.

Multi-Path fading

K-Type fading

Duct fading
Factors that influence the microwave link quality

Rain fading

Reflection Frequency interference

Limitation of the costs and conditions of constructing networks

Recommended solutions: Learn more about the local climate and geography during making out

network planning. Strengthen in monitoring link quality after the network is constructed.
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Cause 1: Fading
Special climate and geography Atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, irregularity in the atmosphere, water surface, and smooth ground.

Training Materials

Microwave is transmitted flexuously in the atmosphere because of the influence of the air refraction.

Super refractive

Subrefractive

Ducting

Recommended solutions: Learn more about the local climate and geography during making out

network planning. Strengthen in monitoring link quality after the network is constructed.
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Cause 2: Rain Fading

Training Materials

The higher the frequency is, the larger microwave links are affected by rain or frog. The KPI cannot be ensured if the network planning is modified without any formal consent. Subsequently, a link work normally in good transmission conditions, while the link quality cannot be ensured in bad transmission conditions.

Rain Fading Intensity /Rain Climatic Zone: L[60mm /h]

The fading margin of a link is limited. Generally, the value is just greater than 30 dB.

Recommended solutions: Construct the microwave project in strict compliance with the network planning to ensure the link KPI. Standardize the management of the change of network planning. If the network planning is changed, the customer must confirm the information about the changes in written form.

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Cause 3: Interference

Training Materials

The frequency interference comes from our own equipment and vendor's equipment. The interference of a microwave link cannot be eliminated because of no information about vendor's frequencies and high frequency scanning costs.

Recommended solutions: Strengthen in monitoring link quality after link commissioning

and process faulty links in time.

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Thank you
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