28 GHz channel measurements in the COSMOS testbed deployment area

Abstract

Next generation wireless and mobile networks will utilize millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication to achieve significantly increased data rates. However, since mmWave radio signals experience high path loss, the operation of mmWave networks will require accurate channel models designed for specific deployment sites. In this paper, we focus on the deployment area of the PAWR COSMOS testbed [1, 2] in New York City and report extensive 28 GHz channel measurements. These include over 24 million power measurements collected from over 1,500 links on 13 sidewalks in 3 different sites and in different settings during March–June, 2019. Using these measurements, we study the effects of the setup and environments (e.g., transmitter height and seasonal effects). We then discuss the obtained path gain values and their fitted lines, and the resulting effective azimuth beamforming gain. Based on these results, we also study the link SNR values that can be supported on individual sidewalks and the corresponding theoretically achievable data rates. We believe that the results can inform the COSMOS testbed deployment process and provide a benchmark for other deployment efforts in dense urban areas.