data.com
January 1999
By David Greenfield
Hot Products:
New Public Network—Broadband Wireless
Wireless Wonder
Net managers could satisfy their appetite for big pipes at small
prices with Newbridge's point-to-multipoint wireless Broadband
Access Solution. The service lets carriers blast customer traffic at up
to 155 Mbit/s, courtesy of LMDS (local multipoint distribution
services), a form of cellular radio operating at 28 to 40 GHz. What's
more, Newbridge's offering dynamically reallocates unused
bandwidth to other customers. That could cut costs, especially on
bursty LAN connections. And only Newbridge Networks Inc.
(Kanata, Ontario) furnishes service via an interface module in its
36170 ATM switch. “That saves on the cost of buying and
integrating another device,” says Joel Bell, deputy chairman of
alternative operator Maxlink Communications Inc. (Montreal), which
uses Broadband Access to deliver services like telemedicine and
video on demand.
Why it's hot:
Fast and efficient
wireless local-loop
service
LMDS competitors don't offer as much. Spectrapoint 2100 from
Bosch Telecom GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany) is limited to 2 Mbit/s.
And the Reunion Broadband Wireless Solution from Northern
Telecom Ltd. (Mississauga, Ontario) can't reallocate bandwidth,
though it hits speeds of 155 Mbit/s. But potential buyers should be
aware of LMDS's shortcomings. It has a six-kilometer reach and
requires a line of sight. Carriers need to apply and pay for
transmission licenses from the local government, which could delay
rollouts. And though T1 (1.544-Mbit/s) service costs only around
$2,000 for 100 to 200 end-users, equipment charges could add
hundreds of thousands of dollars to that figure, depending on
configuration.
I have never seen CSCO name on any list of LMDS suppliers.
CSCO has partnership with Bosch. |
