Ruckus Delivers Best-to-Market Wi-Fi
Published on 5/17/2012
SUNNYVALE, CA - May 14, 2012 - Ruckus Wireless™ today announced the industry's highest capacity three-stream (ZoneFlex 7982) and most affordable dual-stream (ZoneFlex 7321) 802.11n Smart Wi-Fi access points for carriers and enterprises requiring increased wireless performance, capacity, unparalleled ease of use and greater business value - particularly within high-density environments.
Available immediately, the Ruckus ZoneFlex 7982 and ZoneFlex 7321 enhance the high and low ends of the Wi-Fi market, making Ruckus the industry's leading supplier of enterprise and carrier-class Wi-Fi with the richest collection of indoor and outdoor solutions in performance, design, and price point.
The new ZoneFlex 7982 and 7321 Smart Wi-Fi access points were developed for enterprises and telecom operators face similar pressures from myriad of new users armed with wireless-only mobile devices, accessing a richer mix of multimedia traffic. Meanwhile, mobile wireless usage is continuing to shift indoors. Within enterprise environments, the majority of Wi-Fi use is inside buildings during working hours. And for operators, network analysis has shown that the majority of mobile data usage, close to 80 percent, is indoor and nomadic, rather than truly mobile.
Delivering consistent performance and maintaining stable connections within such high-capacity environments - and to smart mobile devices that constantly change their location and orientation - have become major concerns. The simple variation of a device's orientation can account for up to a 5x performance degradation among Wi-Fi products unable to adapt to such changes.
The Best Wi-Fi Money Can Buy
Designed to solve these growing problems, the ZoneFlex 7982 and ZoneFlex 7321 integrate a unique collection of technologies not found in any other Wi-Fi system. These unique capabilities increase signal gain, mitigate RF interference and allow each ZoneFlex AP to adapt to the changing nature of Wi-Fi signals from each connected mobile device.
The Ruckus ZoneFlex 7982 is the only three-stream 802.11n access point to combine dynamic polarization diversity with adaptive antenna arrays and transmit beamforming technologies to give customers up to a 4x improvement in Wi-Fi performance, signal gain and reception.
The ZoneFlex 7321, the industry's most affordable dual-stream 802.11n access point, is well suited for emerging markets and single AP deployments - not only where the demand for mobile Internet services is also rising but where tighter economic constraints on network investments dictate a balance toward lower cost over sheer performance.
"Like most school districts, we are getting bombarded by students and faculty bringing new mobile devices into our classrooms," said Joe McBreen, CIO of St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont, Colorado. "This is driving a complete shift in how we approach Wi-Fi. Up to now, providing ubiquitous coverage was the primary issue. But now the problems are user density, reliability and overall system capacity." St. Vrain Valley School District, a 47-school district with 27,000 students, recently replaced a network of Cisco APs with more than 1,000 ZoneFlex 802.11n APs.
"The demands for constant connectivity and much greater capacity led us to adopt the Ruckus ZoneFlex system across our entire district," McBreen continued. "The new Ruckus three-stream AP is simply the highest capacity AP we've ever seen - giving us even more power and reliability with fewer APs, and superior performance in all corners of our district. With this system in place we can support increasing demands on the network for years to come."
Raising the Bar at the High End
Designed for high-capacity environments, the ZoneFlex 7982 is the only dual-band, three-stream 802.11n access point equipped with a patented, dual-polarized adaptive antenna array. This allows the simultaneous operation of adaptive antenna selection and transmit beamforming, to deliver up to 9dB of signal-to-interference and noise (SINR) improvement and up to 15dB of interference mitigation.
Ideal for high-traffic locations such as hotspots, airports, stadiums, schools, hotels and public venues, the ZoneFlex 7982, based on the latest generation Atheros three-stream high-performance chipset, is capable of supporting up to 500 concurrent clients, offering a 2x to 4x increase in performance and range, and a 4dB improvement in receive sensitivity over alternative access points.
In competitive three-stream testing by Ruckus, the ZoneFlex 7982 performed up to four times faster than other three-stream products at all distances. The tests were conducted in a university environment, measuring aggregate TCP throughput in real-world, non-line of sight conditions across the 2.4 and 5GHz bands simultaneously to a three-stream Apple MacBook Pro located at 30, 60 and 120 feet. To ensure enhanced mobile device performance, the ZoneFlex 7982 is the only three-stream 802.11n AP that dynamically sends and receives Wi-Fi signals at different angles (polarizations). When used with maximal ratio combining (MRC), a method where more receivers are used to gather signals from each channel and add them together to get the best result, the use of polarization diversity can yield an addition 4dB of effective receive sensitivity.
By combining MRC with polarization diversity, the ZoneFlex 7982 is able to capture the full signal of mobile devices even as they vary their orientation. This gives carriers and enterprises the unique benefit of stable connectivity at higher speeds delivered to mobile and moving devices at greater distances - particularly important for tablets and smartphones that tend to remain in constant motion.
Raising the Bar at the Low End
Within an ultra lightweight (7oz./198gm.) and compact footprint (5"Lx 5"Wx1"H/ 13cm L x 13cm D x 2.8cm H) the ZoneFlex 7321 supports up to 256 concurrent users and brings a new level of price/performance to the value end of the Wi-Fi market. The industry's most feature-rich and affordable entry-level 802.11n AP, the ZoneFlex 7321 is dual-band selectable, making it ideal for smaller, single AP deployments such as hotspots, SMBs and remote offices as well as in emerging economies requiring more affordable, robust solutions.
Unique in its class, the 7321 supports transmit beamforming and capacity-driven channel selection to deliver high performance and extended range with up to 4dB improvement in signal gain.
ChannelFly™, supported on all Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi access points, is a capacity-driven channel selection technology that learns the channel capacity environment in real time to ensure the best channel selection and interference mitigation in areas with Wi-Fi congestion. With ChannelFly, maximum throughput is delivered to clients at all times through innovative network-wide channel plans that maximize spectrum re-use, and two-stream client performance is greatly improved.
Both ZoneFlex 7982 and 7321 support standard 802.3af power over Ethernet (PoE) and can be deployed as either standalone wireless routers or as part of a centrally managed Smart WLAN.
In addition, both products support a variety of advanced features including bandsteering, airtime fairness, and predictive, capacity-drive channel selection (ChannelFly). When used with ZoneDirector, the ZoneFlex 7982 and 7321 offer a wide range of value-added applications such as SmartMesh networking, client load-balancing, time-based broadcasting, dynamic per-user rate limiting, guest networking, hotspot authentication, wireless intrusion prevention and dynamic pre-shared keys.
General Dynamics to Acquire IPWireless, Inc.
Published on 5/10/2012
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) announced today that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire IPW Holdings, Inc., the parent company of IPWireless, Inc., a provider of 3G and 4G LTE wireless broadband network equipment and solutions for first-responder and military customers.The value of the cash transaction has not been disclosed.
The acquisition has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is subject to normal regulatory review. General Dynamics expects the transaction to be completed in the third quarter of 2012.
IPWireless produces wireless-network components, user devices and end-to-end systems that enable first-responders and other mobile users to access lifesaving data and applications at very high speeds, making tools such as real-time fingerprint identification and high-resolution video more available. Built on commercial networking standards, IPWireless' products improve first responders' effectiveness and safety by providing them with greater access to information.
The company's 700 MHz LTE (Long Term Evolution) products and mobile broadcast solutions are intended to meet the emerging requirements of the nationwide interoperable broadband network required in the recently enacted Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. That network is envisioned to provide municipal agencies with priority access to services such as mobile field reporting and photo and crime databases, for improved law enforcement and officer safety.
"First responders need fast, reliable and secure access to full-motion video and other high-bandwidth services to protect the public and themselves," said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "Recent legislative initiatives have accelerated the adoption of these technologies throughout the public safety community and IPWireless provides the end-user devices and scalable networking components that enable that access.
"Building on our legacy as a trusted provider of mission-critical military networking capabilities and applications that deliver access to lifesaving data on the battlefield, IPWireless' technologies will allow General Dynamics to expand our commercial networking solutions to better serve the needs of our U.S. defense and civilian customers, and international customers as well," Marzilli said.
Networks that rely on IPWireless' equipment include the New York City Wireless Network (NYCWiN), the nation's largest multi-agency government network.Spanning all five boroughs of New York City, the network comprises approximately 400 cell sites, providing prioritized and preemptive network access by government officials and emergency response personnel. NYCWiN delivers applications such as wireless video, remote traffic control, sensor management and automatic vehicle location. It also supports a wide range of city functions such as building and health inspection and monitoring key municipal installations and utilities.
IPWireless technology is also being deployed in an LTE communications system supporting Adams County, Colorado. That network will deliver public safety users access to next-generation broadband capabilities such as streaming video, remote data access and information sharing.
"IPWireless has been a standard bearer in the emerging broadband segment and looks forward to continuing to work with its existing partners and enhancing General Dynamics' portfolio with this contemporary, mission-critical capability," said Bill Jones, chief executive officer for IPWireless.
When the transaction is completed, IPWireless will be renamed General Dynamics Broadband and will operate as a subsidiary of General Dynamics C4 Systems, which is based in Scottsdale, Ariz.General Dynamics C4 systems designs, manufacturers and delivers trusted and secure communications systems, command and control systems and operational hardware to customers within the U.S. Department of Defense, federal and civilian agencies, the intelligence community and international customers.
Ruckus Wireless and Time Warner Cable Team to Bring Pervasive Performance to Mobile Broadband Subscribers
Published on 5/10/2012
INTERNATIONAL CTIA, New Orleans, LA, May 9, 2012 - Ruckus Wireless™ today announced that it has been selected by Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE:TWC) to supply advanced, Smart Wi-Fi equipment to extend Time Warner's popular broadband services to an increasingly mobile subscriber base.
With thousands of miles of cable plant already in the ground and no appetite for spending billions to build mobile networks from scratch, cable operators are using Wi-Fi to cost-effectively extend wireless services to subscribers on top of their existing infrastructure. Wi-Fi has become the natural choice for operators since many mobile devices, including most smartphones, now support Wi-Fi.
Among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services in the United States, Time Warner Cable, with more than 15 million customers, is deploying Ruckus 802.11n Smart Wi-Fi systems within high-capacity indoor public venues, such a stadiums, as well in select outdoor locations - providing high-speed wireless services in areas where the public gathers and Wi-Fi might not currently be available.
"Subscribers now expect their broadband services to be accessible wherever they go, and Wi-Fi is a great way to make this happen - if it's fast and reliable," said Mike Roudi, Senior Vice President of Mobile Services at Time Warner Cable.
"More and more, Wi-Fi is about data consumption on wireless-only smart devices," said Roudi. "The problem is finding WiFi technology specifically designed for stringent carrier requirements. Ruckus is one of the few Wi-Fi suppliers we've found with such a focus, having developed a range of indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi products based on high reliability and pervasive performance. This is important to Time Warner Cable as we build our wireless infrastructure to give customers the best broadband experience possible, no matter where they are."
Ruckus is currently working with Time Warner Cable on the deployment of dual-band, outdoor, strand-mounted Wi-Fi access points that integrate a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem for backhauling Wi-Fi traffic over Time Warner Cable's existing cable plant. Additionally, Ruckus and Time Warner are teaming to extend the company's branded-broadband services within high-traffic environments using specialized, ultra high-capacity Wi-Fi access points designed for stadiums and large public venues.
"Time Warner Cable clearly understands the strategic importance of Wi-Fi for carriers and is one of the more aggressive players in the wireless land grab currently underway," said Selina Lo, President and CEO of Ruckus Wireless. "The expansion of Wi-Fi into millions of homes, offices and public Wi-Fi hotspots, along with the growth of a vast and mature ecosystem built of thousands of devices has established Wi-Fi as the most heavily used wireless technology in the world."
Wi-Fi Challenges and Opportunities for Cable Operators
At the beginning of 2012, Wi-Fi accounted for nearly two-thirds (63.4%) of all smartphone-originated data traffic within the United States, according to a new report from Mobidia. Rising smartphone penetration rates and the successful attachment of data plans to those devices will grow the value of small-screen access revenues to operators to more than US$230 billion by 2016, according to Informa Telecoms & Media forecasts.
Cable operators, such as Time Warner, are not just serving high-powered laptops but an army of smartphones that have very different characteristics in terms of power, antennas, support for IP-based streaming video, and the constantly changing angle of these devices.
Unlike traditional Wi-Fi, Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi is designed to address these issues by focusing and constantly steering Wi-Fi signals over the fastest signal paths using patented adaptive antenna technology. This technology allows Time Warner to mitigate interference while providing more efficient transmission and reception of Wi-Fi signals using specialized technology that accounts for changing device orientation. The simple variation of a device's orientation can account for up to a 5x performance degradation among Wi-Fi products unable to adapt to such changes.
For cable operators, Wi-Fi is now viewed as a disruptive technology that allows them to compete in the mobility market. Wi-Fi offers MSOs multiple opportunities to increase revenue, improve customer retention, offer wholesale access and offload fees that MSO's have had to pay to traditional mobile network operators. Not only does Wi-Fi reduce customer churn in the face of increased competition from telcos, it does so by leveraging the existing DOCSIS plant while laying the groundwork for new revenue services in the future.
"Wi-Fi at the carrier level is anything but simple and requires new technologies that go beyond vanilla reference design access points and enterprise-level management," said Roudi. "Our partnership with Ruckus will be important for delivering carrier-class Wi-Fi services that offer best-in-class broadband mobility to our subscribers."
E-Band and BTI Launch First Integrated Distributed Antenna
Published on 5/10/2012
San Diego -- May 7, 2012 - Bravo Tech Inc. (BTI) has partnered with San Diego-based E-Band Communications Corp. to develop the industry's first Distributed Antenna System (DAS) with a wireless Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) backhaul.
Under the partnership, BTI has integrated E-Band's wireless backhaul solution with its mBSC-H, a high power DAS unit that extends wireless coverage with an environmentally and aesthetically-friendly form factor. The integrated system will accelerate deployment schedules, reduce costs and increase flexibility for DAS node locations.
DAS is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a common source via a transport medium that provides wireless service within a geographic area or structure.
As mobile operators seek to expand the capacity and reach of 4G networks around the world, DAS will be a critical part of their networks. DAS typically uses a fiber optic backhaul, but the E-Band solution enables carriers to more rapidly deploy DAS when the complexity of laying fiber is too high.
"Our backhaul radio enables a high level of flexibility because it is a small-cell backhaul solution that expands capacity and coverage of macro cells," said Saul Umbrasas, co-founder of E-Band, manufacturer of the world's highest performance 80 GHz backhaul solutions for 4G/LTE networks. "Now network operators can put their DAS anywhere they want and connect with a very low latency wireless link using the CPRI protocol. For E-Band, it's really a new application that expands our horizons and our addressable market," Umbrasas added.
"Our partnership with E-Band enables our customers to reduce costs and deployment time with an efficient wireless backhaul solution." said Ray Brunet, Director of Sales Engineering at BTI. "With smartphones the user demands on wireless networks today will constantly drive our customers to utilize innovative and cost effective solutions to expand network capacity and coverage."
Dragonwave Acquires NSN Microwave Transport Business
Published on 5/7/2012
DragonWave recently announced an amended agreement and closing date for the acquisition of NSN's microwave transport business.
This strategic partnership is truly transformational for DragonWave, bringing us into key new markets throughout the world," said Peter Allen, president & chief executive officer of DragonWave. "We believe that through this strategic relationship, customers will receive comprehensive, end-to-end solutions comprising high-quality services and sales support from Nokia Siemens Networks and a full portfolio of industry-best products from DragonWave. Our increased scale and customer footprint, and significantly enhanced resources and capabilities all provide solid pillars for rapid innovation and broader market penetration."
Casio IT-9000 Handheld Terminals
Published on 5/2/2012
Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced the availability of the IT-9000 handheld terminals earlier this year. The models are ideally suited for operations that require Mobile printing, such as issuance of tickets for parking and traffic violations, receipts for public transportation, mobile point of sale, and field force automation.
The IT-9000E-MC25E is an all-in-one handheld printer terminal
equipped with a thermal printer, near field communication (NFC)
reader/writer designated for contactless smart cards and 13.56MHz
radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, a C-MOS imager for
scanning 1D barcode and 2D code symbologies, a magnetic card reader
and an auto-focus digital camera. Its OS is Microsoft Windows
Mobile 6.5. for industry standard compatibility with public and
enterprise IT infrastructure and application software development
tools.
Designed for superior security, the IT-9000E-MC25E can be used
securely for solutions which require handling of important
information. The NFC reader/writer can be used to verify an
operator's login status with a contactless smart card, and secure
access module (SAM) slots are available onboard for use if even
higher security is required.
The IT-9000E-MC25E features a 9.4-centimeter (3.7-inch) VGA touch
panel fitted with a Blanview LCD that realizes excellent visibility
both indoors and outdoors with low power consumption. The model is
compliant with IP54 dust proof and water-splash proof standards,
and its casing can withstand a drop of up to 1.5 meters to
concrete, making it suitable for uses in a wide variety of
settings.
■Thermal printer enables issuance of tickets, receipts, and
other documents on the spot
■Equipped with an NFC reader/writer for contactless smart cards and
13.56MHz ISO 15693 approved RFID tags
■The C-MOS Imager can read 1D and 2D barcode symbologies with high
speed
and accuracy
■Fitted with a 2.0-megapixel digital camera with auto focus and LED
flash functionality.
■Includes a magnetic card reader for membership cards, credit cards
and other cards
In addition to the IT-9000E-MC25E, Casio's IT-9000 series also includes the IT-9000E-C25E without integrated magnetic card reader. Both models are well suited for a variety of mobile printing applications including ticketing, mobile sales receipt, and proof of delivery for a multitude of industries such as public safety, transportation, retail, health care, logistics, field service, route accounting, inspection, and utilities.
