PRESS RELEASE: In June 2023, China Mobile Zhejiang and Huawei deployed China’s first 6.5 Gbps microwave link using the SuperLink solution on Hulu Island, Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province.
Tests showed the network delivering a consistent bandwidth of 6.5 Gbps with up to 99.999% availability across both sea and land areas, confirming its ability to meet the dual-Gbps coverage needs of users on Hulu Island and its potential to accelerate the island’s economic development.
Hulu Island is a remote island shaped like a gourd. Its name, which is phonetically similar to the Chinese word for happiness and longevity, reflects both its distinctive shape and its residents’ strong aspirations for a better life. However, signal stability has long been an issue on the island due to device transportation difficulties, challenging network O&M, and the island’s variable climate.
In October 2016, China Mobile Zhoushan helped deploy the first 4G base station of Hulu Island, and in doing so, brought it into the mobile-network era. In October 2021, the island had its first 5G base station.
To further benefit the island’s residents, China Mobile Zhejiang has been actively exploring the use of different communications technologies for building high-speed, ubiquitous network infrastructure to facilitate communications on the island.
“Through constant efforts, we have found that microwave transmissions are better suited for communications on the island, as they are not as affected by challenges such as multipath fading, water-surface reflection, rain fading, packet loss, and interference on cross-ocean links,” explained an employee from China Mobile Zhoushan.
In 2023, China Mobile Zhoushan worked with Huawei to deploy SuperLink on Hulu Island, which consists of a multi-band antenna and four-in-one CA ODUs. This solution eliminated hardware stacking in long-distance, high-capacity microwave transmissions, making it possible to enhance 5G coverage in suburbs and on islands and accelerate 5G construction. SuperLink offers a maximum bandwidth of 10 Gbps and a coverage distance of up to 30 km on low bands and 10 km on high bands, making it an excellent choice for building Gbps-bandwidth networks on islands.
“To support inter-island connectivity, we designed and conducted tests for five types of service scenarios. These were island-based network planning comparison tests, multi-carrier tests, performance indicator tests, transmission tests in harsh weather conditions, and active interference tests on links. By early April, our team had selected the site location and finished transporting the devices. We installed all of the devices in just two days. On April 27, we officially started the tests. As expected, the results showed a link availability of 99.999% and a capacity of 6.5 Gbps,” said Qiu Leijie, a network expert working at China Mobile Zhoushan.
Jiang Yanrong, the Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Putuo, stated: “Constructing, operating, and maintaining communications infrastructure on islands is challenging. However, the SuperLink microwave solution simplifies these tasks with its easy deployment, high bandwidth, and simplified O&M, and thus broadens the application scope of microwave technologies. As Zhoushan evolves into a modern maritime city, the demand for Gbps-level bandwidth is rapidly increasing. As a result, we will continue to introduce cutting-edge microwave technologies and solutions and further enhance the stability and bandwidth of island networks.”