Free-space optics & high-speed RF for next generation networks - Propagation measurements.

Due to consistently growing demand for high-speed wireless data access, future communication systems will necessarily have to enable real-time data access, high reliability as well as superior weather resilience. Hybrid communication networks. that integrate free space optics and RF systems are uniquely positioned to satisfy all the bandwidth, reliability security and 'all-weather functionality'. requirements. Unfortunately, the technology has been growing at a pace that far exceeds our understanding of the. effect of wireless propagation channels on these hybrid systems. This paper attempts to present some of the preliminary propagation measurement results for topical pico-cell scenarios and their impact on the design of hybrid communication systems. In addition to clear-sky and rain attenuation measurements, the paper also presents frequency diversity measurements for fixed RF systems at 38GHz and 60GHz bands of frequencies.