Wi-Fi access points from Ruckus Wireless Inc. have met test requirements from railway systems for commuter trains and subways stations and platform, according to the company.
Ruckus said that its ZoneFlex 7982 indoor and 7782 outdoor access points passed tests for shock and vibration and electromagnetic compatibility, and can now be deployed for trackside wireless LANs.
Meanwhile, Nomad Digital — which is an international provider of connectivity on trains and buses, including passenger Wi-Fi on Amtrak — has acquired Inova Multimedia, which provides information, entertainment and closed-circuit TV on public transporation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Inova is based in Germany and has provided more than 28,000 displays for public transit vehicles, with installations in the U.S. and more than half a dozen other countries, mostly in Europe. One of its passenger information screens, used by Danish rail company DSB, is pictured above.
Infonetics Research predicts that the small cell market will reach $2.7 billion by 2017, based on its tracking of 3G microcells, picocells, and public access femtocells, as well as LTE mini-eNodeBs and public access femtocells.
Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier economics at Infonetics, said that 2013 “is shaping up as a kick-off year for small cells, driven by 4G small cells deployed for capacity upgrades.”
He noted that many large wireless operators, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint in the U.S., Vodafone, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo and South Korea’s LG U+ have all announced major small cell plans in order to boost capacity for their macrocell networks, particularly in urban areas.
“As operators formulate their plans for small cell rollouts, one of the key decisions will be how tightly to integrate Wi-Fi,” said report co-author Richard Webb, who is Infonetics’ directing analyst for microwave and carrier Wi-Fi. “Last year, we saw clear indications that picocells have integrated Wi-Fi, and this has indeed materialized. Both technologies have a similar range and power requirements, which may provide an advantage for picocells over microcells, as the dense cell option could have its own in-built offload option,” Webb added.
The report concluded that given the pace of global LTE rollouts, 4G small cell shipments will likely overtake 3G shipments by the end of this year.
Two other reports, these from Wi-Fi offload provider Aptilo Networks, outline both the business opportunity and how to implement Wi-Fi offload. Claus Hetting, an independent analyst and consultant who authored the papers, said that in addition to relieving strain on the network from offloading, Wi-Fi offers carriers the chance to expand their business by offering new services and targeting Wi-Fi users who may not be their customers — such as users of tablets, computers and gaming devices.
“There’s no better way for mobile carriers to reduce costs while offering a service that millions or perhaps billions of users really want,” Hetting said. “In many ways it’s a no-brainer, and the technology is already here. Embracing Wi-Fi will reduce the risk of disruption, which is a challenge that mobile carriers are facing now.”
European telecom company NextiraOne Poland announced the completion of two Wi-Fi projects: a Wi-Fi network for the Scientific Information Centre and Academic Library in Katowice, Poland; and a network at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The company is providing ongoing service support for the library project. The airport project consists of 54 access points that allow users 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi access, with access extended for four hours for users in the executive lounge or VIP area.
