  In this article we introduce a novel solution called SuperCell, which can
improve the return on investment (ROI) for rural area network coverage.
SuperCell offers two key technical features: it uses tall towers with high-gain
antennas for wide coverage and high-order sectorization for high capacity. We
show that a solution encompassing a high-elevation platform in excess of 200
meters increases coverage by 5x. Combined with dense frequency reuse by using
as many as 36 azimuthal sectors from a single location, our solution can
adequately serve the rural coverage and capacity demands. We validate this
through propagation analysis, modeling, and experiments. The article gives a
design perspective using different classes of antennas: Luneburg lens,
active/passive phased array, and spatial multiplexing solutions. For each
class, the corresponding analytical model of the resulting
signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) based range and capacity
prediction is presented. The spatial multiplexing solution is also validated
through field measurements and additional 3D ray-tracing simulation. Finally,
in this article we also shed light on two recent SuperCell field trials
performed using a Luneburg lens antenna system. The trials took place in rural
New Mexico and Mississippi. In the trials, we quantified the coverage and
capacity of SuperCell in barren land and in a densely forested location,
respectively. In the article, we demonstrate the results obtained in the trials
and share the lessons learned regarding green-field and brown-field
deployments.
