28 GHz channel measurements in the COSMOS testbed deployment area

Next generation wireless and mobile networks will utilize
millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication to achieve significantly
increased data rates. However, since mmWave radio signals experience high path loss, the operation of mmWave networks will require
accurate channel models designed for specific deployment sites. In
this paper, we focus on the deployment area of the PAWR COSMOS
testbed [1, 2] in New York City and report extensive 28 GHz channel
measurements. These include over 24 million power measurements
collected from over 1,500 links on 13 sidewalks in 3 different sites
and in different settings during March–June, 2019. Using these
measurements, we study the effects of the setup and environments
(e.g., transmitter height and seasonal effects). We then discuss the
obtained path gain values and their fitted lines, and the resulting
effective azimuth beamforming gain. Based on these results, we
also study the link SNR values that can be supported on individual sidewalks and the corresponding theoretically achievable data
rates. We believe that the results can inform the COSMOS testbed
deployment process and provide a benchmark for other deployment
efforts in dense urban areas.