NASHUA, N.H.-Spike Technologies Inc. announced that it completed the first phase of a $2 million broadband wireless local loop project in Merida, Venezuela.
Spike installed its Prizm broadband delivery system to provide point-to-multipoint, last-mile connectivity covering distances up to 30 miles, as well as a wireless backbone covering a 50-mile area in the Andes Mountains.
The wireless backbone links to the city of Tovar, about 50 miles from the base station on top of a 14,000-foot mountain in Merida. The backbone uses a digital repeater unit located about 25 miles from the base station.
“A single Prizm base station covers as much as 2,800 square miles, providing broadband connections to line-of-sight users throughout the area,” said Douglas Carey, president of Spike Technologies.
“We believe that a single Prizm base station can support up to approximately 22,000 users.”
Spike’s Prizm BDS provides wireless connectivity at 10 megabits per second for applications including Internet Protocol telephone, videoconferencing, wide area network connectivity and Internet access.
“We are modernizing the state of Merida, connecting schools, hospitals, universities and major government agencies,” said Merida Governor William Davila Barrios. “We have evaluated other wireless solutions, as well as fiber optic cable. Factors we considered include performance, cost and speed of installation.”
