Ericsson: Microwave Backhaul to Rival Fibre by 2030

Ericsson’s latest Microwave Outlook 2025 reveals a significant shift in telecommunications network design, signalling a near-equal division between microwave and fibre backhaul by 2030. The report forecasts a 49:51 split, demonstrating the growing strategic value of microwave technology as communications service providers (CSPs) seek to enhance resilience, flexibility and cost efficiency in high-capacity transport networks.

Rebalancing the backhaul equation

After years of accelerating fibre deployment, advanced markets are showing renewed interest in microwave technologies.

The report highlights that microwave backhaul currently supports 75% of live 5G networks worldwide, with approximately 10.5 million transceivers now installed, an increase since 2022 that reflects the technology’s expanding footprint.

E-band deployments have surged to 8%, overtaking the long-favoured 38 GHz band. Growth in markets such as India has fueled the momentum, driven by the rapid rollout of high-performance microwave links for both urban and rural coverage.

The resurgence of microwave is particularly evident in the US, where CSPs are investing heavily in new microwave infrastructure to complement fibre networks.

The strategy enhances backhaul diversity, offering a more flexible and cost-effective alternative for expanding both fixed and mobile connectivity.

Preparing networks for 6G and beyond

Ericsson’s report highlighted that investing in microwave technology ensures networks are equipped to handle future demands, including the advanced transport needs of 5G and the anticipated traffic surge associated with 6G.

Emerging spectrum bands, such as W-band and D-band, are expected to play a crucial role in supporting the growth. Both bands offer significant technical advantages and vast spectrum availability, complementing the widely deployed E-band.

According to the report, W-band can support 90 per cent of E-band hop lengths. In comparison, D-band achieves around 60%, expanding the spectrum toolkit available to operators aiming to boost capacity and extend coverage.

Mikael Öhberg, Head of Microwave at Ericsson, explains: “As backhaul networks evolve, the role of microwave will only grow in significance.

"With continuous expansion in E-band deployments and the anticipated rise of W- and D-bands, service providers will benefit from more spectrum, innovative technology and unified management enabled by AI.

"The path forward promises not only increased capacity and lower operational costs, but also the agility to adapt to a rapidly changing telecom environment.”

AI and automation: Transforming network management

The integration of artificial intelligence is reshaping how CSPs manage and maintain backhaul networks. The Microwave Outlook cites O2 Telefónica Germany as a leading example, demonstrating how AI-powered preventive maintenance is transforming network operations.

By leveraging high-granularity data, AI enables transport optimisation teams to identify potential faults before they affect performance. The proactive approach enhances network reliability, reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) and improves customer experience.

As networks scale to accommodate 5G and future 6G traffic, AI-driven automation is becoming a central component in managing increasingly complex microwave infrastructures.

Doubling capacity with millimetre wave technology

The report highlights the potential of advanced millimetre wave (mmWave) technology to double backhaul capacity without significant capital investment. Network simulations conducted by Ericsson demonstrate that using a 2,000 MHz E-band channel combined with cross-polarisation interference cancellation (XPIC) can achieve up to 20 Gbps throughput.

In three European city simulations, 96% of existing microwave links successfully doubled their capacity using the approach. Even with less resource-efficient configurations, CSPs were able to double capacity at 79% of sites, proving the scalability and flexibility of mmWave solutions.

Such advancements offer telecom operators an efficient pathway to meet bandwidth demands while minimising operational costs and energy consumption.

The future of backhaul in a converged telecom landscape

The Microwave Outlook 2025 paints a clear picture of a converging backhaul ecosystem where microwave and fibre coexist as complementary technologies.

As 5G networks mature and 6G development accelerates, microwave is expected to play a pivotal role in extending connectivity, particularly in regions where fibre deployment remains cost-prohibitive or logistically complex.

Investing in microwave backhaul today means CSPs are building a more adaptable, resilient and future-ready network capable of supporting the evolving demands of global telecommunications.