How did microwave transmission systems compete with coaxial cable systems in telephony?

In the context of telephony, microwave transmission systems competed with coaxial cable by offering a flexible alternative for long-distance infrastructure. While coaxial cable required physical installation across contiguous land, microwave systems utilized point-to-point radio links, which bypassed the need for continuous land access.1

Microwave systems operated as line-of-sight media, requiring radio towers spaced approximately every 42 to 50 km (25 to 30 miles) to account for the Earth's curvature. In contrast, coaxial cable systems relied on buried or undersea lines that required regularly spaced repeaters to manage signal attenuation.123

Both technologies evolved in parallel, beginning as analog systems before transitioning to digital formats to support broader service requirements. Microwave links became essential for inter-urban telephone traffic and military communications, while coaxial cable served as a primary medium for high-capacity long-distance transmission until it was eventually superseded by fibre-optic technology.1432