Wireless: "Invisible Fiber"
In a congested city center, the cost to lay new fiber optic cable or more copper telephone lines can be prohibitive — sometimes as much as $1 million per mile.
But Orlando’s Triton Network Systems has found a way to put a high-speed network in place at less than one-tenth of the cost — and without the hassle of tearing up city streets. Triton has developed a wireless system that uses radio-wave technology and devices perched atop city buildings. “Our product is called invisible fiber,” says Douglas R.B. Campbell, vice president, international sales and marketing.
Triton’s product is based on a Lockheed Martin technology used in military applications. What sets it apart from other commercial wireless applications is a very strong signal, making it less susceptible to interference from rain and physical barriers.
Bellevue, Wash.-based Advanced Radio Telecom used Triton’s product in its launch last summer of a broadband fixed wireless fiber network designed for businesses in the San Jose, Calif., area. It offers 100 Mbps (megabits per second) Internet access for $1,250 per month. Another company, BroadStream Communications, is using the technology in Las Vegas. Triton does not sell directly to consumers.
Founded in 1997 by Brian Andrew, Triton funded its initial growth with a $1.6-million investment from Orlando’s Military Commercial Technologies (MILCOM), a company that helps form start-up companies by providing financial and management assistance. Triton has grown from six employees to 175 and projects a workforce of 400 within three years. Skip Speaks, a veteran of Sprint and telephone maker Ericsson, joined Triton as president and CEO last fall. Fueling growth is $97.7 million in venture capital raised over two years. It appears poised for an initial public offering — although the company declines to comment on the possibility of an IPO.
Looking forward, Triton is focusing on new products, higher bandwidth products and bringing the design of its components in-house. Says Campbell, “We’re growing in three dimensions.”
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