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Switched-beam systems offer a promising solution for realizing multi-user communications at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies. A low-complexity beam allocation (LBA) algorithm has been proposed to solve the challenging problem of maximizing sum data-rates. However, there are practical limitations in mmWave systems, such as restrictions in the number of available radio frequency transceiver chains at the base station, sensitivity to sidelobe interference and the beam generation techniques. In this paper, using generalized beam-patterns, we present the maximum sum data-rates achievable in switchedbeam mmWave systems compared with fixed-beam systems by applying LBA. Then, the impact on maximum sum data rates of actual beam-patterns, obtained from a practical mmWave lens antenna, which have higher and non-uniform sidelobes compared with the theoretical beams, is assessed. Finally, as a guide for practical wireless system design, benchmarks are established for relative sidelobe levels that provide acceptable sum data-rate performance when considering generalized beam patterns.INDEX TERMS Beamforming, beam-allocation, fixed-beam, millimeter wave, mobile communications.