Volume 26 Issue 2 2026

The deployment of fifth-generation (5G) networks, particularly in millimeterwave (mmWave) bands, is significantly challenged by rain-induced signal attenuation, especially in regions with convective rainfall patterns. This study presents a comprehensive six-year (2010–2015) analysis of rain attenuation characteristics for 5G Frequency Range 1 (FR1: 3.5 GHz) and Frequency Range 2 (FR2: 30 GHz) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Using high-resolution hourly precipitation data and ITU-R models, we quantify attenuation, analyze its statistical properties, and characterize its temporal variations. Results reveal attenuation at 30 GHz is approximately 1,600–1,750 times greater than at 3.5 GHz, with maximum values exceeding 37.5 dB for a 7 km path during summer. Statistical analysis shows highly right-skewed, leptokurtic distributions, dominated by dry periods but punctuated by intense, short-duration events. Pronounced seasonal peaks occur in summer (December to February: DJF) and spring (September to November: SON), with a distinct diurnal peak in the late afternoon to early evening. These findings underscore the severe vulnerability of mmWave links to rain fade and provide essential data for designing robust fade margins, adaptive network strategies, and informed spectrum allocation for reliable 5G and beyond-5G wireless services in subtropical urban environments.