Fiber vs microwave vs satellite backhaul

Fiber Backhaul

Fiber is the gold standard for mobile backhaul, providing virtually unlimited bandwidth with single-mode fiber supporting one hundred gigabits per second and beyond using coherent optics or DWDM. Fiber latency is approximately five microseconds per kilometer, making it ideal for all xHaul segments including latency-sensitive fronthaul. Fiber reliability exceeds 99.99 percent with proper route diversity. The primary constraint is deployment cost and timeline — fiber construction requires right-of-way permits, civil works, and installation that can take months and cost thousands of dollars per…