PTP 500 Series

Choose the PTP 500 Series to deliver high-speed, robust wireless backhaul. Connect buildings in a campus setting. Extend video surveillance beyond the wired infrastructure. Support bandwidth-intensive applications such as Voice-over-IP, telemedicine, IP gaming and multimedia. The PTP 500 bridges can deliver up to 99.999% availability in virtually any environment, including non-line-of-sight, long-distance line-of-sight, over water or open terrain, even through extreme weather conditions.

PTP 500 Series bridges come in Integrated and Connectorized models, both available in 5.4 and 5.8 GHz RF bands and operating at data rates up to 105 Mbps.

RFS7000 Wireless LAN Switch

The RFS7000 delivers unmatched performance, security, resiliency, scalability and manageability for the large wireless enterprise/campus/warehouse, providing a single platform capable of delivering carrier-grade wireless voice and data for 8,000-96,000 users. Motorola's Wireless Next Generation (Wi-NG) architecture improves operational efficiency and reduces the cost of mobility with a powerful comprehensive feature set that includes Adaptive AP, SMART RF and Wired/Wireless Firewall for Wi-Fi, RFID locationing, providing gap-free layered security, and unmatched reliability for 802.11n with Mesh, centralized management and more — best ROI and lowest TCO.

USBw 100

Motorola’s wi4 WiMAX USBw 100 adaptor lets end-users connect to mobile WiMAX broadband on their laptops using the convenient USB format. This compact device easily plugs into any USB port to deliver flexible, high-speed connectivity for mobile or nomadic wireless broadband access. Now end-users are no longer limited to cable or DSL for high speed broadband connectivity. They can experience the same easy, reliable access to broadband speeds on the go – indoors and outdoors, at home or in the office. This cost effective device complements Motorola’s growing portfolio of Wave 2 ready WiMAX devices.

Wi-tribe Wimax review

Though Wi-Tribe has yet to officially launch Wimax services, it has started providing test CPEs to a lucky few who live within the areas of Islamabad covered by the service. We happen to be in one such area and were able to try it out.

Firstly, the Motorola CPE they are providing (the CPEi 750, pictured here) is a very sleek one without any protruding antennae or noisy fans (this was one of the complaints we had with Wateen’s earlier CPEs).

Signal strength varied a lot; excellent in one room, zero in another. Even at the same location, it kept switching between excellent and downright poor. To give credit to Wi-tribe, they did do some maintenance a few days ago which improved the quality.

Next, came the plug and play test. It all worked flawlessly on our Windows systems, though a laptop running Ubuntu had to have some manual tweaking done. It worked fine after specifying a DNS server manually.

That had something to do with the DHCP parameters passed by the CPE, but the Wi-Tribe support team patiently noted down the details and promised to work on the issue and try to iron it out.

Next came the test of the actual network working behind the scenes. Wi-Tribe has chosen their uplink providers carefully so we had no trouble browsing and downloading at a cool 1Mbps. That isn’t very impressive when compared to existing DSL or fiber optic offerings, but remember that we’re talking about a somewhat infamous, long-range, wireless technology.

We’ll have to wait and see how Wi-Tribe performs once they’ve launched and have to worry about such things as billing, customer support and corporate needs. For now, it looks better than the competition. Good luck with the launch.

Proxim Previews Pre-WiMax Gear

Wi-Fi networking device maker Proxim Corporation Monday announced updated versions of its popular Tsunami line of broadband gear aimed at the surging demand for WiMax and voice over Wi-Fi.

While actual WiMax Certified equipment is not expected to hit the market until the second half of 2005, Proxim is announcing a hardware and software combination targeting the markets most interested in deploying the high-speed, long distance wireless solution.

The new Tsunami MP.11 Model 5054-R broadband wireless hardware is ruggedized for outdoor use, while the company's broadband software is built from the ground up with an eye on WiMax applications.

Public safety, security, last mile connections and metro area networks are just some of the possible uses of WiMax.

"We can enable these applications now, while providing a common software foundation that can evolve with the WiMax standards as they are finalized," says Lynn Lucas, vice president of product marketing for Proxim.

The Tsunami MP.11 Model 5054-R is designed for the rough extremes of weather that the hardware encounters. Key features include a ruggedized enclosure, along with active heating and cooling technology.

The device "delivers immediate benefits in the form of larger subscriber coverage areas and lower recurring lease costs," according to a prepared statement.

The Tsunami system is able to operate on three 5 GHz channels: 5.25, 5.47 and 5.725.

On the software side, Proxim's Tsunami Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) "enables WiMax applications today and provides a clear migration to WiMax Forum Certified status for the future," according to the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company.

Proxim calls the features included in its broadband software "purpose-built from the ground up to support WiMax applications such as public safety, security and surveillance, last mile access and metro networking applications now."

With wireless Internet Service Providers in mind, the Tsunami software provides "flexible bandwidth provisioning and control" for DSL, T1 and Ethernet-like tiered services, along with IP-based storage and e-mail hosting.

The Tsunami software enables mobile roaming at speeds up to 125 miles per hour. First responders and other emergency workers have long deemed high-speed communications a necessary requirement for any wireless network.

"Subscriber units can be placed on moving vehicles, where they can roam between multiple base stations," according to Proxim. The company says ferry, airport or railway commuters could also view multiple video streams.

Proxim says its Wireless Outdoor Routing Protocol (WORP) allows Tsunami customers to "deploy [Tsunami] in dense metropolitan areas." Able to judge the network load, the software adjusts the system, preventing signal re-transmissions or changing packet size for the best performance.

The Tsunami software now released includes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and eliminates rogue transmissions or man-in-the-middle attacks, claims Proxim.

The Tsunami MP.11 Model 5054-R base station bundled with the Tsunami BWA software is available now for $1,199. The subscriber unit with Type-N connector is $999.

In its recent financial report, Proxim reported sales of the MP.11 rose 46 percent, providing the company with a large portion of its revenue.

With the MP.11 tapping into the demand for WiMax-like products, Proxim Monday also rolled out the Tsunami QuickBridge II Outdoor Bridge and the Tsunami.GX 32 and Tsunami.GX 90 point-to-point wireless Ethernet bridges.

The products "give customers a simple voice and data connectivity solution that eliminates the cost and delay associated with deploying traditional leased line and fiber-based solutions," according to Proxim.

The new bridges include integrated voice support extending "voice support across campus networks and beyond," says Lucas.

WiMAX Opportunities in Africa

The growth and development of WiMAX in Africa has taken place mainly during 2006-2007. At the beginning of 2006, the WiMAX subscribers figure for Africa was just a few thousand. But according to the WiMAX Operator Tracking Service, WiMAXCounts, at the end of 2007 that continent accounts for more than 20,000 WiMAX subscribers. This number is low because it is dominated by business customers who serve access to 10’s or 100’s of internal users, in contrast to residential access. Also, there are many new deployments that took place during the second half of 2007. During this year, the subscriber numbers have grown at an average rate of 28% per quarter, and the growth from Q2 to Q3 2007 alone was 36%.

There are around 15 commercial deployments of BWA/WiMAX in the region, half of them started this year. Some 10 operators are trailing or evaluating the implementation of a WiMAX network. African operators are poised to spread the benefits of WiMAX. The lack of wired telecom infrastructure in the region opens up big opportunities for WiMAX to provide broadband Internet to the many rural and underserved areas that can’t be addressed with wired technologies. There is also low penetration of personal broadband. Out of the 922 million inhabitants of Africa at the end of 2006, only 43.6 million were Internet users, and only 1 million had a broadband connection.

Access to a broadband connection in Africa is typically limited to the wealthy, who can afford the exorbitant prices. However, WiMAX is seen as a new, cost-effective solution. WiMAX will bring lower costs for both operators and end users, allowing new entrants to construct and build attractive business models to address both the residential and business segments.

Another situation that benefits operators is the privatization of incumbents, which has opened up an opportunity for telecom competition. According to the ITU, by mid-2007 there were 26 state-owned incumbents in Africa. However, this year, for the first time, the number of private operators has surpassed the number of state-owned incumbents. Maravedis expects that by 2010, the majority of African countries will be open to competition.

In addition, there are several initiatives that support the provision of broadband connectivity in Africa. As an example, in September 2007, the United Nations announced “Connect Africa,” a major initiative to provide high-speed, low-cost broadband and wireless connectivity throughout the continent.

In Kenya, the government is developing a plan to provide rural inhabitants with electronic access to government services. With initiatives like these, it is expected that broadband wireless will be extended to other remote areas in the future.

Many operators have been allocated WiMAX spectrum in the region, and it is expected that the licensing activity will continue. In January 2007, a Maravedis WiMAX vs. 3G Spectrum Comparison Analysis showed that by the end of 2006 there were 62 WiMAX licenses awarded in Africa, and new allocations have taken place this year as well. Approximately 92% of the deployments in the region are using the 3.4-3.6 GHz spectrum, with the remaining in lower bands such as 2.5 GHz. In addition, almost 72% of the deployments are using WiMAX Forum Certified (802.16-2004) equipment, and only a few operators are deploying 802.16e-2005 or proprietary technology.

The poor Internet service in the region is the result of infrastructure shortcomings, low bandwidth, and outdated technology. WiMAX has the potential to transform this landscape. WiMAX in Africa is already a less expensive solution than DSL, and one can assume that as the service gains maturity, the monthly cost of WiMAX service will be even lower. Affordability, availability, mobility, and ease of use will favor the adoption of WiMAX. This, in turn, will increase broadband penetration in the region, and possibly more Internet Service Providers will emerge from current large mobile operators.

Wi-Fi & WiMax on a Single Chip

This week, TeleCIS Wireless announced a plan to enter the WiMax market by developing System-on-a-Chip (SoC) solutions that combine both Wi-Fi and WiMax technologies.

The company's fixed WiMax chip is planned for release in the second half of 2005, with a combined fixed/mobile WiMax chip to follow in the second half of 2006. In 2007, the company expects to offer a "converged" SoC chipset, which will combine fixed WiMax, mobile WiMax, and 802.11a, b, and g.

David Sumi, TeleCIS' vice president of marketing, says the aim is to offer a solution that covers all aspects of wireless technology. "Just like your cell phone is a multi-band, multi-protocol system today, we believe that in the future, broadband wireless is going to need to be multi-protocol," he says. "And when we speak of multi-protocol, for the next two to three years, we're speaking of 802.11 and 802.16."

In order to support the growth of WiMax along with the expansion of hotspots and hotzones, Sumi says, a multi-protocol solution will be crucial. "If WiMax gets into the wireless LAN space, then what you're going to have is an evolution," he says. "You're going to need dual-mode access points, because not everybody's going to flip over right away. The idea is that the end user device—the laptop, the PDA, possibly the cell phone—is enabled in many, many different environments."

The challenges of putting all of these technologies on a single chip, Sumi says, are well within TeleCIS' grasp. "We have 802.11 designs, and we're building our second OFDM modem design that's going to be WiMax compliant," he says. "This is not a technical challenge for us. It's an execution challenge, to be sure—but technologically, this is something that's well within our capability."

The announcement marks a shift in strategy for the company, both in that it's moving from Wi-Fi to WiMax and in that TeleCIS has thus far been licensing its intellectual property to others, but will be now be building the actual SoC chips. "The change is really from licensing IP and 802.11 to a broader drive for broadband mobility," Sumi says.

A key focus for TeleCIS in developing these solutions, Sumi says, is to reduce the component cost. "The bill of materials using our approach would be under $100, versus many of the designs from the bigger companies that are being rushed to market and are not quite as efficient—the bill of materials in many of those product is going to be closer to $200," he says. "And we think this is a critical difference. With our bill of materials, a system vendor can put a CPE out there that's actually going to enable the market."

The company's technical strengths, Sumi adds, combine with the lower cost to make TeleCIS' products particularly competitive. "We have a suite of technologies that yield anywhere from 12 to 17 dB of additional gain compared to a standard WiMax product," he says.

The company's tagline is "Bridging Broadband & Mobility," which Sumi says remains a challenge in the industry today.

"There is no technology today that brings those two together, and it's our belief that by having multi-protocol WiMax mobile / WiMax fixed / 802.11 chip, we're going to bridge broadband and mobility," he says. "You're going to have broadband connections wherever you are."

Technology for Broadband Wireless Access

WiMAX Broadband Wireless Access Technology, based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, is at the origin of great promises for many different markets covering fixed wireless Internet Access, Backhauling and Mobile cellular networks. WiMAX technology is designed for the transmission of multimedia services (voice, Internet, email, games and others) at high data rates (of the order of Mb/s per user). It is a very powerful but sometimes complicated technique.

The WiMAX System is described in thousands of pages of IEEE 802.16 standard and amendments documents and WiMAX Forum documents. WiMAX: Technology for Broadband Wireless Access provides a global picture of WiMAX and a large number of details that makes access to WiMAX documents much easier. All the aspects of WIMAX are covered. Illustrations and clear explanations for all the main procedures of WiMAX are pedagogically presented in a succession of relatively short chapters

• Topics covered include WiMAX genesis and framework, WiMAX topologies, protocol layers, MAC layer, MAC frames, WiMAX multiple access, the physical layer, QoS Management, Radio Resource Management, Bandwidth allocation, Network Architecture, Mobility and Security
• Features a glossary of abbreviations and their definitions, and a wealth of explanatory tables and figures
• Highlights the most recent changes, including the 802.16e amendment of the standard, needed for Mobile WiMAX
• Includes technical comparisons of WiMAX vs. 802.11 (WiFi) and cellular 3G technologies

This technical introduction to WiMAX, explaining the rather complex standards (IEEE 802.16-2004 and 802.16e) is a must read for engineers, decision-makers and students interested in WiMAX, as well as other researchers and scientists from this evolving field.