Factors Affecting Deployment Strategies for an LMDS System in a Rural Commercial Environment

The recent allocation and auctioning of the largest spectrum currently available has positioned Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) technology as a major contender in the race to provide broadband connectivity to customers. With the focus on solving the "Last Mile" problem, LMDS provides a significant reduction in both the time it takes for system deployment as well as the cost of the implementation. However, as with all emerging technologies, the lack of standardization and the risks involved in being the pioneer of an emerging market have resulted in a slower commercialization of such systems.

The issues mentioned above served as the catalyst for this paper, to examine the factors that affect deployment strategies for an LMDS system in a rural commercial environment. In order to provide a better understanding of this technology, a review on the background issues in the areas of terrain, coverage/capacity, and networking will be presented. By evaluating these criteria, a strategy that can be employed to facilitate the implementation of LMDS systems is generated. Finally, the application of these methodologies will be demonstrated on a case study performed for a commercial environment in the county of South Boston, Virginia. Through evaluating the possible designs and the feasibility of the business case, it was determined that a point-to-multipoint system will best match the needs of the proposed location.