ly affected by fog. However, we are now producing systems called virtual fiber that operate in the 70GHz to 95GHz range at very short distances. Given the growing demand for wireless access to all forms of media, we can expect to see many developments in coming years that take advantage of the high-bandwidth properties of the higher frequency bands. The amount of bandwidth that you can realize out of the very large microwave spectrum is often limited by regulations as much as by technology. Before you can deploy a microwave system outside your own private campus, you have to be licensed to operate that system in all environments. In your own private territory, you can use unlicensed bands, but if you want to cross the public domain using licensed spectrum, you must first be granted approval by your spectrum manage- ment agency to operate within a given frequency allocation. Some communities are very concerned about the potential health hazards of microwave and create legislation or council laws that prohibit placement of such systems. In addition, some communities are very sensitive to the unsightliness of towers and argue that the value of real estate will drop if they are constructed. Therefore, several companies specialize in building camouflaged towers. When you see a tall tree, a church steeple, a light post, or a chimney, it could be a wireless tower disguised to protect your aesthetic balance. Chapter 2 Traditional Transmission Media Microwave is generally allocated in chunks of 30MHz to 45MHz channels, SO it makes available a substantial amount of bandwidth to end users and operators of telecommunications networks. Microwave is subject to the uncertainties of the physical environment. Metals in the area, precipitation, fog, rainfall, and a number of other factors can cause reflections and therefore degradations and echoes. The higher (in elevation) we move away from land-based systems, the better the performance because there is less intrusion from other land-based systems, such as television, radio, and 