Picture this: it’s lunchtime, and hunger strikes—you need something to satisfy your appetite. That craving for more mirrors what many organizations experience in the age of digital transformation. Whether you’re a service provider, a public safety agency, an energy company, a utility, or a municipality, the demand for growth and seamless connectivity is undeniable. But today, we’re not talking about physical hunger; we’re addressing your network's hunger for capacity.
As the digital landscape expands, so does the need for greater network capacity to power next-generation applications, streamline operations, and ensure seamless performance. Think of increasing your network capacity as fueling your business for peak efficiency and success. The question is: is your network prepared for what’s next?
Why So Hungry?
But why are businesses and organizations so hungry for capacity nowadays? What’s changed?
Well, for starters, the world as we know it.
As business needs evolve and digital transformation takes hold, organizations of all types must adapt. And you must act fast to get ahead of the curve. The demand for data in the private networks space is exploding, and it’s all about streamlining clunky systems and optimizing operations.
Why should you care? Well, because the thought leaders around the world are beginning to see the financial drawbacks to sticking with the adage, “…because we’ve always done it that way in the past.” It’s time for change today, to evolve, and to cut out the redundant manual tasks, disparate systems, and siloed work that has slowed your operations down before.
But how?
The Proof is in the Pudding [and Data]
With more data giving you critical insights into your business operations, systems, equipment, and processes, you’ll be able to adjust, optimize, and reduce operational expenses accordingly.
Without the data, you’re just taking guesses.
Digital transformation puts the often-critical information you need at your fingertips to make smarter business decisions, using applications such as IoT sensors, real-time video surveillance, remote-controlled and autonomous systems, AI-enabled operations, robotics, fleet tracking, and so much more. Imagine having real-time, up-to-the-second data on how your equipment, people, and processes are performing.
Sounds pretty great, right?
Think of an Optimized Network as a Really Good Food Delivery Service
Just like when you’re waiting expectantly for your favorite food to arrive at your doorstep, so too should you expect your critical business & systems data delivered efficiently and without delay. To accomplish this, you need a next-generation communications network serving as the delivery vehicle, and you need a driver that can handle this “big data” you’re accumulating from next-gen applications. This driver [or network] must have the capacity available to bring you the critical information you need on time and on target. Because there’s no room for “dropped” orders or late deliveries when it comes to mission critical data.
One thing we know for certain—businesses, agencies, and organizations around the globe, both large and small, share similar core challenges: you need a communications network that your business can depend on today, but one that can also be dialed up as needed in the future.
Are you ready to order?
So, What is on the [Network] Menu?
Not Enough Fiber
Traditionally, fiber optics-based connectivity solutions have been the go-to option for bringing added capacity to a network. Unfortunately, as we all have come to know well, fiber is not available in many locations, and the cost and complexity of trenching and laying cables often makes fiber a less-than-ideal solution.
So what else is on the menu?
The Microwave [Plate] is Overloaded
As conventional microwave spectrum becomes more congested and restricted, we’ve noted a growing interest in millimeter wave for providing added range and capacity. Ceragon’s high-capacity E-band solutions are an ideal alternative, ensuring private networks achieve their desired capacity, performance, and security objectives.
MILLIMETER WAVE IS THE NEW MICROWAVE
Ceragon’s Chief Product Officer, Ulik Broida, recently discussed the growing shift from traditional microwave technology to E-band, highlighting its many advantages. Broida emphasized that E-band delivers performance on par with, or even exceeding, microwave systems while offering lower costs. These savings stem from not only the product itself but also reduced licensing fees—or the elimination of them altogether. E-band technology offers the ideal combination of distance, capacity, and availability that customers rely on from microwave systems, while enabling significant reductions in both CAPEX and OPEX without compromising network performance.
During the interview, Broida also introduced Ceragon's latest innovation, the IP-100E—a groundbreaking product designed to maximize these benefits, further solidifying E-band as a cost-effective, high-performance solution for modern networks.
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Deploying mmW technology unlocks significant advantages, chiefly due to its high-frequency spectrum. This allows for the transmission of large data volumes at exceptionally high speeds—essential for 5G and IoT applications. mmW enables gigabit-level capacity, ideal for streaming real-time, multi-megapixel video, especially in dense urban areas where space is limited. Its high frequency also provides extensive bandwidth, reducing the risk of congestion compared to microwave.
E-band solutions like Ceragon’s EH-8020FX capitalize on these benefits by offering fiber-like capacity with far greater deployment speed and flexibility, making them a superior alternative to traditional fiber installations.
Deploying mmW technology to support a variety of use cases offers significant advantages, stemming primarily from its high-frequency spectrum. Leveraging this spectrum, mmW can transmit large amounts of data at very high speeds, a crucial capability in the age of 5G and IoT. For example, mmW can provide gigabit-level capacity, enabling seamless streaming of real-time, multi-megapixel video content. This is particularly beneficial in dense urban areas where space is at a premium. Furthermore, the high frequency also means that mmW has a large number of available bandwidths, which reduces the risk of network congestion as compared to microwave.
This is where the power of E-band solutions, like Ceragon’s EH-8020FX, can make all the difference. The EH-8020FX delivers capacity comparable to fiber but with a deployment speed and flexibility that is far better than laying fiber.
E-band Takes the Cake
High Capacity & Effortless Installation with EH-8020FX
Despite all the benefits E-band brings to the table such as high capacity, low interference, low latency, and low TCO, these solutions do sometimes get a bad rap due to certain deployment. The precise installation and alignment of millimeter-wave (mmW) links can be tough. Achieving exact alignment of the pencil-thin beams at both endpoints often requires technicians to spend several hours working to align both ends of the link.
Not with the EH-8020FX.
The EH-8020FX antennas come equipped with an optical scope that can target the remote end site (i.e. a tower/building) at up to 9 miles (15 km). This ingenious method can save many manual hours during the installation process, bringing your network up-and-running faster, while also controlling the costs associated with a lengthier installation process.
To accelerate the installation process even more, the EH-8020FX units arrive pre-configured. There is no need for laptops or smart devices, technicians need only to align both ends of the link. Once aligned, they will be visible and accessible in the network management system.
Connecting services is also a breeze, as customers have the flexibility to choose between either electrical or optical connection types. The EH-8020FX is equipped with two COMBO 10 Gbps (copper/SFP+), which can accommodate a multitude of high performance and bandwidth hungry services.
Plug-and-Play for Extended Capacity
Using XPIC technology, in a 2+0 configuration, the EH-8020FX can deliver 20 Gbps bandwidth for diverse types of services. Customers can start their connectivity journey with just one unit, delivering up to 10 Gbps, and when more capacity is needed, it can be upgraded up to 20 Gbps by simply attaching another EH-8020FX unit.
The process of upgrading to a 2+0 XPIC 20 Gbps configuration is also easy, as the first installation comes pre-equipped with the needed branching for a 2+0 XPIC upgrade. Technicians only need to attach the new EH-8020FX to the existing branching system, avoiding the complex work of dismantling the entire link and reinstalling and realigning.
It’s plug and play—quick and easy, with a few simple steps, just like stopping for dinner at a fast-food restaurant.
Hire Ceragon as your Sous-Chef
We Offer Than Just [Hardware] Ingredients
Whether you’re a growing ISP, a developing smart city, a utility transitioning to the smart grid, or a public safety official looking to better protect your community with reliable communications, our new EH-8020FX delivers the high-capacity, fiber-like performance you need without the headaches. And since managing networks is likely not your core business, it shouldn’t drain your resources or disrupt your operations.
With Ceragon’s decades of experience in designing and maintaining wireless infrastructure, you get more than just hardware. We offer complete, end-to-end network solutions including Ceragon’s Professional and Managed Services, bringing to the table a powerful combination of tailored solutions, enhanced security, 24/7 support, and cost efficiency.
Whether you need help with network planning, installation, monitoring, management, maintenance, or expansion and upgrades, Ceragon’s experts can take care of it all.
Lean on us to prep your menu ingredients for optimal results.
Ready to Bite the Biscuit?
Check out our latest product brief for more technical information on our family of E-band products, including our newest EH-8020FX and IP-100E, and learn more about how Ceragon can help dramatically improve your network! Or contact us for more information.
