WaveSpan Corp. introduced its WaveSpan 5800, a broadband access solution that offers fiber-like performance in voice-over-Internet protocol, high-speed Internet access and last-mile connectivity applications, said the company.
The WaveSpan 5800 is a standards-based local area network product that can sustain full-duplex Ethernet extensions for point-to-point links at speeds of 10 megabits per second for up to five miles, said the company.
The product consists of a single-rack indoor unit, which fits in with other networking equipment, such as routers and Ethernet switches, and an outdoor unit that can be placed up to 1,000 feet away, said Mike Kazban, vice president of marketing at WaveSpan. The outdoor unit is a flat-panel antenna that measures 18 inches by 18 inches and is 1-inch thick. The outdoor unit can be placed in a window, eliminating the need for roof rights, said Kazban.
Positioning of the antennas is designed to be easy, said Kazban. One antenna is pointed in the general direction of the other antenna and when they are perfectly aligned, an indicator lights up. WaveSpan said one technician could install a complete link in a matter of hours.
Because it operates in the unlicensed 5.8 GHz band, carriers and enterprise customers can install and relocate the equipment without securing permission from the Federal Communications Commission, said Kazban. That frequency range also is not susceptible to interference caused by weather, he said.
WaveSpan said the product can be used by Internet service providers, competitive local exchange carriers, universities and enterprise networks. Kazban said the company has initial customers in each of the four target markets.
