Microwave is high-frequency electromagnetic waves used for communication. It spans from about 1 GHz to 300 GHz. It includes the bands used for Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite, and radar. Microwave signals travel in straight lines. They need line of sight. They cannot bend around obstacles like lower frequencies.

Microwave is used for point-to-point links. A microwave tower sends a focused beam to another tower. It is used for backhaul in mobile networks. It is used for satellite communication. It is used in radar for weather and aviation. It is used in your microwave oven, though at a different frequency and power level.

Microwave characteristics

• Line of sight: needs clear path
• High bandwidth: carries lots of data
• Short range: limited by curvature of Earth
• Affected by rain: rain fade at high frequencies
• Used for backhaul, satellite, radar

Microwave is a workhorse of telecom. It connects cell towers to the core. It links buildings across a city. It beams data to and from satellites. Fiber is better where it exists. Microwave fills the gaps. It is fast to deploy and cheaper than digging trenches.