Subj: Spike Technologies PRIZM BDS Captures Two of 12...
Date: 6/16/98 3:58:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Spike Technologies PRIZM BDS Captures Two of 12 SuperQuest Awards at SuperComm98 in Atlanta
ATLANTA, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Spike Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce that its PRIZM Broadband Delivery System (BDS) captured 2 of 12 SuperQuest awards presented at a gala ceremony at SuperComm98. The SuperQuest awards program honors service providers and enterprise end users for their innovative use of technology in communications networks and services. Ten of the SuperQuest awards were presented to companies that implemented the most innovative public or enterprise networks of 1997. Two of the 10 networks honored are based on Spike's PRIZM BDS. Over 1200 nominations were received in competition for the 12 awards.
Third-Rail Wireless Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spike, received the award for the "Most Innovative Public Network of 1997 -- Local Access Category." Third-Rail operates a PRIZM BDS in Nashua, New Hampshire, offering High-Speed Internet Access, WAN Connectivity, Video IP Broadcasting, Videoconferencing, IP Telephony, and Remote Outsourcing of IS Services.
Using Spike's PRIZM system, Third-Rail has created a wireless point-to- multipoint, self healing active matrix network. Third-Rail's VLAN Service provides secure virtual LAN connections over the combined broadband wireless and terrestrial network. The traditional advantages of 802.1Q VLAN are provided with the addition of circuit redundancy, layer-3 routing, user mobility, policy implementation, and call tapping. Management is centralized but switching information is stored locally on the switching (hardware) engines. Additionally, the VLANs interoperate with Third-Rail's ATM core to extend VLAN services on a Wide Area Network (WAN) scale.
"We are deeply touched by this recognition" said Michael Bouchard, director of services at Third-Rail. "The integration of Spike's PRIZM BDS with traditional wireline networks has exceeded our initial expectations in terms of bandwidth and reliability."
The award for the "Most Innovative Enterprise Network of 1997 -- Remote Access Category" was presented to the Fundacion para el Manejo de Emergencias (FUNDEM), a government agency in Merida, Venezuela. Spike installed a PRIZM BDS for the FUNDEM, providing point-to-multipoint "last mile" connectivity over distances up to 30 miles. The PRIZM Base Station is located atop a 14,000 foot mountain in the Andes, and serves over 250 users in Merida, La Trampa, and Tovar, Venezuela.
The FUNDEM's PRIZM BDS provides high speed wireless connectivity linking government offices, business facilities, scientific foundations and schools within 30 miles of the Base Station. Included in the system architecture is a wireless backbone link to the city of Tovar, approximately 50 miles from the PRIZM Base Station in Merida. The backbone utilizes Spike's PRIZM Digital Repeater 25 miles from the Base Station. Users get 10 Mbps connectivity both upstream and downstream. Applications currently in use include IP telephony, videoconferencing, IP video broadcast, wide area network (WAN) connectivity and Internet access.
Videoconferencing over the PRIZM System is used for court arraignments between the Superior Courthouse and the Merida Federal Penitentiary. This system provides 30 frames per second full screen video, with audio, and reduces the need to transport prisoners over rough terrain between the two locations. The FUNDEM and the Governor's Palace are also equipped with videoconferencing to be used in the event of an emergency. Later this year, the local school system will also be equipped with videoconferencing for distance learning applications.
IP video broadcasts are used mainly for civil defense. The headquarters of the FUNDEM houses a variety of agencies, including Forestry officials and several police agencies. They can distribute IP video streams to any authorized users on the PRIZM System for purposes including monitoring of forest fires, mudslides and other natural disasters that occur frequently in the Andes.
"The important thing is that we are not talking about bits, bytes and megabits and how many images you can transmit on the wireless system; the more important thing here is that there is nothing more beautiful than to see the smile of a child in your computer at a long distance, or when you give class in a local town from very far away, or when you save the life of one person with telemedicine, so you have to see what you are really doing. Its not a matter of whether it's 10 megabits, 12 megabits, or 100 megabits, its what you are doing for your society, and how can you change that" said Diego Cardona, representing the FUNDEM during an emotional speech at the SuperQuest awards ceremony.
The Merida System is remotely managed by Third-Rail Wireless Services in Nashua, using Cabletron's SPECTRUM network management software, treating Merida as a virtual LAN, and connecting the two locations by using IP Tunneling through the Internet. Every device in Merida is monitored remotely in Nashua.
The PRIZM BDS is the ideal Last Mile solution. PRIZM's compact sectored antenna technology multiplies the capacity of wireless frequency spectrum over 10 times, much like Wave Division Multiplexing multiplies the capacity of fiber. For this reason, the PRIZM Base Station is the highest capacity base station available today. It delivers an aggregate data rate of 440 Mbps using only four 6 MHz channels. It is operable from 1-10 GHz; systems deployed to date operate from 2-3 GHz and from 5-6 GHz. PRIZM is the only two-way MMDS data delivery system available. A single base station has a range of 30 miles, covering 2,800 square miles, 400 times more than proposed LMDS systems.
Spike Technologies, Inc. designs and manufactures broadband bi-directional wireless communications systems. Its flagship product is the PRIZM Broadband Delivery System. Spike Technologies has offices in New Hampshire, New York, and San Antonio Texas. Spike's web page is located at spke.com.
Third-Rail Wireless Services, Inc. is a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) based in Nashua, New Hampshire. Third-Rail provides a variety of digital services through a wireless and terrestrial network based around the PRIZM BDS. Third-Rail also provides consulting and integration services. Third-Rail is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spike Technologies, Inc. Third- Rail's web page is located at third-rail.net.
The Fundacion para el Manejo de Emergencias (FUNDEM) is a government agency in the State of Merida, Venezuela. Chartered by Dr. William Davila Barrios, governor of Merida, the FUNDEM manages various public interest projects, including an aggressive plan to modernize the technology infrastructure of Merida. The FUNDEM works in conjunction with related federal agencies in Venezuela.
SuperComm is the world's largest annual communications conference and exhibition. It has demonstrated attendance of over 45,000 telecom industry professionals, and is presented jointly by the Telecommunications Industry Association, Arlington, Va., and the United States Telephone Association, Washington, D.C. The official website is supercomm98.cmpnet.com.
SOURCE Spike Technologies, Inc.
CO: Spike Technologies, Inc.
ST: Georgia
IN: CPR
SU:
06/16/98 15:53 EDT prnewswire.com |
