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To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (13509)	2/7/2006 9:35:09 AM
From: Sam Citron	Respond to of 46821

Good question. My assumption that WIMAX is more mature than mesh networking is predicated on 2 simple observations, neither of which is dispositive. (1) Anecdotally, I can recall hearing about WIMAX about 2 years before I heard of mesh networking. (2) Wimax has twice as many hits in Google as "mesh networking" [2 million v. 980,000]. Sam

To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (13509)	2/7/2006 1:13:45 PM
From: Sam Citron	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 46821

Somewhat more persuasive evidence that WIMAX is more mature than mesh networking: 802.16 is ahead of 802.11s in the standardization race (I think) IEEE starts hammering out mesh network standard [Computerworld] News Story by Stephen Lawson JULY 20, 2005 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Proposals for standardizing wireless mesh networks, which can link many wireless LANs to cover a city or campus, are being presented this week to a working group of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. There are 15 proposals for the standard, which will be called IEEE 802.11s, said Bilel Jamoussi, director of strategic standards at the chief research office of Nortel Networks Corp. The 802.11s working group is getting together as part of a weeklong meeting of the IEEE 802 committee in San Francisco. Proposals for the standard are being delivered for the first time, Jamoussi said. Those plans will be whittled down through compromises and consolidations until there is a single draft, which could happen as soon as next May, he said. Once that draft is available, vendors can confidently start developing products that will meet the standard, he said. Mesh networks reduce the need for wired connections in WLANs by letting multiple access points carry one anothers' traffic. Whereas a conventional wireless access point needs its own wired link to a backbone network, with a wireless mesh there can be just one wire for many access points. Traffic that is destined for the Internet can hop from one access point to another until it reaches the one wired connection. Though each access point still needs a power source, the mesh can reduce the need for leased lines, thus reducing costs, Jamoussi said. When a new access point is added to the mesh, it can be automatically configured for characteristics such as security and quality of service. As decisions are made about routing packets across the mesh, the network can take into consideration congestion and other factors and route around busy access points, Jamoussi said. Nortel and other vendors already sell wireless mesh networks, but an access point from one vendor can't necessarily join in a mesh with gear from other makers, he said. A standard would give customers a choice of mesh vendors, ease the work of product developers and lower product prices, Jamoussi said. Nortel's mesh equipment is being used in a wireless mesh network that is expected to cover much of Taipei with an estimated 10,000 WLAN access points by the end of this year. Users will be able to access the network via Wi-Fi client devices. The Wi-Mesh Alliance, which includes Nortel, is presenting a proposal that makes use of Nortel's lessons in creating mesh networks for the city of Taipei as well as other governments and universities, Jamoussi said. The group also includes vendors Accton Technology Corp., NextHop Technologies Inc., Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, Thomson SA, InterDigital Communications Corp. and The Mitre Corp., plus ComNets RWTH Aachen University, a department of a university in Germany that is researching mobile communications. Jamoussi said the group's proposal for 802.11s is designed to work for all three major applications of mesh technology: consumer and small business, metropolitan, and military. Another major proposal is from a group called SEEMesh (Simple, Efficient and Extensible Mesh), which includes heavy hitters such as Intel Corp., Texas Instruments Inc., Nokia Corp., Motorola Inc. and mesh network vendor Firetide Inc., as well as Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. "We do see a lot of commonality between the proposals that are being presented this week, which we see as really encouraging," said Anuj Batra, a member of the group technical staff in Texas Instruments' research and development organization. computerworld.com

To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (13509)	2/7/2006 1:45:39 PM
From: Sam Citron	Respond to of 46821

Contrast 802.16 standard approved 12/01 en.wikipedia.org

To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (13509)	2/18/2006 6:00:29 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 46821

IP-Based Network Provides Voice, Data and Interoperability Capabilities and is Designed for Future Expansion in Fastest-Growing U.S. Community M/A-COM Awarded $8.9 Million Contract to Provide OpenSky Radio System to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sev.prnewswire.com LOWELL, Mass., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- M/A-COM, a business unit of Tyco Electronics and a worldwide leader of critical radio communication systems, today announced that it has received an $8.9 million award from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) to deploy an OpenSky network solution to provide critical voice and data communications for the department's law enforcement personnel. OpenSky is a wireless private communications network based on Internet Protocol (IP) technologies that will connect the department's current force of more than 2,000 officers internally and provide interoperability with surrounding agencies. M/A-COM will provide 700/800 MHz OpenSky network infrastructure for the initial phase of the LVMPD radio system infrastructure replacement project, which is designed to strengthen the department's current communications capabilities and best prepare it for future emergency situations. The LVMPD chose OpenSky due to its true IP-based connectivity, a technology quickly becoming the network infrastructure of choice among public safety communications agencies. OpenSky's IP-backbone will provide the department with excellent flexibility, scalability and performance for all applications, including voice, short data messages and file transfers. As the fastest-growing city in the U.S., Las Vegas public safety organizations require communications systems with this high level of scalability, and the LVMPD system is designed to expand to accommodate as many as 12,000 users. OpenSky also integrates with the current IPC T5 dispatch center maintained by the LVMPD, enabling the department to avoid additional expenditures on this equipment. Using a series of network gateways, the LVMPD OpenSky system will readily interoperate with the State of Nevada's Shared Radio System, a M/A-COM EDACS system that extends across the major counties of the state, as well as other systems in the area. Interoperability is viewed as a critical component of public safety communications and OpenSky will enable the LVMPD to interact with outside agencies using disparate radios, regardless of the manufacturer and frequency. "We greatly appreciate the opportunity to provide the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with what we consider to be the most advanced radio communications technology available," said David Bremson, area sales manager, M/A-COM. "Reliable and interoperable voice and data communications are vital to the ability of public safety agencies such as the LVMPD to protect themselves and their communities, whether during day-to-day operations or large-scale emergencies. We are confident that with the OpenSky infrastructure in place, the LVMPD will have access to critical voice and data functionality that will sustain them now and well into the future." About M/A-COM M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, is a leading supplier of critical communications systems and equipment for public safety, utility, federal and select commercial markets. Products range from some of the most advanced IP-based voice and data networks, to traditional wireless systems that offer customers the highest levels of reliability, interoperability, scalability and security. M/A-COM is also a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of radio frequency (RF), microwave and millimeter wave solutions for the commercial wireless telecommunications, aerospace and defense industries. Headquartered in Lowell, Mass., M/A-COM has offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. Information about M/A-COM can be found on the Web at macom.com or macom-wireless.com. About Tyco Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) (BSX: TYC) is a global, diversified company that provides vital products and services to customers in five business segments: Fire & Security, Electronics, Healthcare, Engineered Products & Services, and Plastics & Adhesives. With 2005 revenue of $40 billion, Tyco employs approximately 250,000 people worldwide. More information on Tyco can be found at tyco.com. M/A-COM, Tyco and OpenSky are trademarks. Other products, logos and Company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. For sales information, please contact: M/A-COM, Inc. 1011 Pawtucket Blvd. Lowell, MA 01853 Americas -- 1-800-366-2266 Europe/Middle East/Africa -- +44 1908-574-200 Asia/Pacific -- 81-44-844-8296 Contacts: News Media Dave Hutcheson Mike Ratcliff M/A-COM, Inc. Tyco Electronics 434-455-9628 717-592-2316 hutchesd@tycoelectronics.com mike.ratcliff@tycoelectronics.com First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: swoodruff@tyco.com Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com Website: macom.com