Microwave Communications: 6 GHz Interference Mitigation

As utilities invest in Technology to further advance Grid Modernization the importance of reliable communications becomes more apparent. Utilities utilize several types of private communication systems such as licensed microwave radio. Microwave radio has been used for decades as a backhaul transport solution and will continue to be utilized for decades to come. Microwave radio systems have proven to be very reliable in the past, but the future will be more challenging due to the unlicensed use of the 6Ghz spectrum. As utilities become more aware of this issue there is a need to develop a strategy to mitigate the interference caused by the unlicensed use of this spectrum. In this presentation we will discuss how AEP developed a strategy to prioritize mitigation steps based on the priority of the data transported and the likelihood of where interference will occur first; what solutions and where to deploy based on cost and availability and how to measure the performance before and after mitigation steps have been implemented.