The demand for microwave backhaul and issues some operators may have with it could be a roadblock to small cell deployments, according to a new study from iGR. The research firm claims that operators continue to see microwave as a solid alternative to fibre and T1 as they struggle to implement small cell architectures to cope with escalating mobile data requirements and costs. The study conducted by iGR forecasts that the demand for microwave backhaul will grow at a CAGR of 68 per cent from 2011 to 2016. Operators see microwave backhaul as scalable, cost effective and something may be a better alternative to both fibre and T1, depending on geography. However, the report said there are also concerns among operators, many of whom are questioning the validity of some of the the marketing claims from microwave vendors. Release