The Wall Street Journal -- October 26, 1999
Technology:
Cisco Plans to Unveil
Means of Improving
Wireless Net Links
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Cisco Systems Inc. today will unveil technology designed to improve wireless Internet connections. The move could intensify the race to hook consumers and businesses to the Web.
Cisco, the largest maker of computer-networking equipment, says the technology will make "wireless cable" systems cheaper and more reliable. The systems use radio waves to beam data to antennas attached to homes or buildings. But early versions have been plagued by spotty performance and high costs.
Both MCI WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp. have invested heavily in wireless-cable systems, as they race AT&T Corp. and local-phone companies to offer high-speed Internet connections.
Cisco expects to have products based on the technology by the end of the year, incorporating components from Motorola Inc., Broadcom Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. Korea's Samsung Group, Japan's Toshiba Corp. and Britain's Pace Micro Technology PLC have agreed to build the receiving antennas, Cisco said. Cisco hopes to enlist more partners, with the hope of driving down prices.
Excite At Home Corp. uses a version of the Cisco technology to reach isolated rural cable systems. Milo Medin, Excite At Home's chief technology officer, said the technology is "very, very solid and quite reliable."
Analysts said Cisco is likely to face competition from Lucent Technologies Inc., Nortel Networks Corp. and Alcatel SA of France.
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