Evaluation of Rain Attenuation on 5G Millimetre-Wave Links Using Frequency and Path-Length Scaling Methods

Abstract

Attenuation due to rain becomes significantly dominant at frequencies above 10 GHz, thereby posing a challenge for planning fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks that rely on short-range millimetre-wave links. While several prediction models exist, these were developed primarily based on long-range links and exhibit decreased accuracy when applied to tropical regions. This paper introduces a novel method for predicting rain attenuation of 5G links, utilizing scaling of long-range link measurements with available prediction models. The predictions are then evaluated against long-term statistics of measurements collected at tropical sites.