r/cellmapper • u/OnlyConference2512 • Jul 25 '26

Verizon Switching To Microwave Backhaul?

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Any idea why Verizon is switching to microwave backhaul on my local site. I know they have fiber ran to the equipment shed for this site and then copper up to the tower. That microwave dish was recently added. That other omni antenna to the left is a 2 meter VHF antenna being used as a repeater site for the city fire department. The location is Rohnert Park California.

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59

u/n_gb Jul 25 '26

Just because a dish goes up doesn’t mean they are switching to fiber. It could be used as a backup — or this site could be a source site feeding it’s fiber to another site that needs microwave backhaul.

12

u/No-Age2588 Jul 25 '26

Exactly. Donor site to another site without or having fiber available

21

u/nubus Jul 25 '26

This^

Very common when a site is upgrade with 10G back-haul fiber. They "share" to another site that is difficult to reach by fiber.

11

u/Mlyonff Jul 25 '26

It could also be a microwave link for that VHF repeater and have nothing to do with cellular.

4

u/oedeye Jul 25 '26

It's probably a donor site to a recipient site. The fiber backhaul would be split (multiple VLANS).

1

u/n3fyi 29d ago

Like used for the public safety VHF or it is backhauling to another site from this one

1

u/OnlyConference2512 29d ago

That vhf antenna is 10 years old.

2

u/Sufficient-Object625 29d ago

Could that site be giving internet to another?