Effect of Rain Attenuation on the Use of High Frequencies 5G and 6G in Tropical Countries

Tropical countries with high rainfall, are vulnerable to rain attenuation at high frequencies, such as those used in 5G and 6G technologies. This rain attenuation can cause a significant decrease in signal quality, affecting network performance and provided services.

Indonesia, as a tropical country located on the equator, has a distinct climate with two main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. Indonesia is known for its high rainfall, especially in tropical rainforest areas. Factors such as geographic location, ocean influence, and hilly topography contribute to abundant rainfall. High rainfall provides sufficient moisture to sustain plant and animal life in tropical rainforests.

Effects of Rain Attenuation

Rain attenuation effects at high frequencies, such as those used in 5G and 6G technologies, have significant impacts in tropical countries. Research indicates that rain attenuation begins at frequencies around 10 GHz.

1. Signal power reduction: Rain absorbs and reflects radio waves, reducing the power of the signal reaching the receiver. This can result in slow, unstable, and even interrupted connections.
2. Increased interference: Rain attenuation can increase interference between signals, leading to decreased signal quality and data throughput.
3. Service unreliability: Rain attenuation can render 5G and 6G services unreliable, especially in areas with high rainfall.

Factors Exacerbating Rain Attenuation

Field studies in Malaysia show significant attenuation at the 26 GHz frequency due to rain. Heavy tropical rain, combined with strong winds, further exacerbates millimeter wave attenuation. As a result, the quality of links and communication services can be disrupted.

• Frequency: Rain attenuation increases with frequency. The high frequencies used in 5G and 6G are more susceptible to rain attenuation compared to lower frequencies.
• Rainfall intensity: The higher the rainfall intensity, the greater the rain attenuation.
• Rain duration: Long durations of rain can cause more significant effects of rain attenuation.
• Vegetation: Dense vegetation can worsen rain attenuation.

Solutions to Mitigate Rain Attenuation:

• Adaptive modulation techniques: This technique can automatically adjust signal modulation to optimize performance under rain attenuation conditions.
• MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology: MIMO technology can help improve signal strength and reduce interference by using multiple antennas.
• Small cells: The use of small cells can help reduce the distance between base transceiver stations (BTS) and user devices, thus reducing the effects of rain attenuation.
• Satellite networks: Satellite networks can be used to provide services in remote and frequently rainy areas.

Check and ReTesting

Telecommunications vendors must conduct thorough checks and testing before implementing high-frequency devices in Indonesia. Local environmental conditions, including high rainfall, can affect device performance.

1. Testing in Local Environment: Conduct testing at locations that represent conditions in Indonesia. This includes testing devices under high rainfall and observing how signals behave.
2. Design Adjustments: If necessary, make design adjustments to mitigate weather impacts. For example, protecting electronic components from moisture or enhancing waterproofing.
3. Network Planning: Plan networks considering environmental factors. This includes determining the location of base stations, calculating distances between stations, and accounting for weather impacts.
4. Continuous Monitoring: After implementation, continuously monitor device performance in different weather conditions.

Collaboration between researchers and wireless communication practitioners from various tropical countries is necessary to gather data and experiences that can help address the challenges of rain attenuation at high frequencies in the development of 5G and 6G technologies.

Experts take this challenge seriously. Some studies focus on developing rain attenuation prediction models for designing 5G networks in tropical areas. Other research also explores infrastructure solutions that are more adaptive to weather conditions such as rain and wind. This approach is expected to address signal degradation and ensure reliable 5G and 6G services in tropical climate countries.

Rain attenuation poses a significant challenge to the use of high frequencies 5G and 6G in tropical countries like Indonesia. Appropriate solutions are needed to address rain attenuation and ensure reliable and high-quality 5G and 6G services.