ATLANTA – Cambridge Broadband Networks unveiled an update to its point-to-multipoint VectaStar wireless backhaul platform that it said now supports hub capacity of 14.4 gigabits per second with a maximum range of up to 12 miles.
The VectaStar 600 product follows up on the initial platform launch last year, with the enhancements said to be in response to strong market demand in the U.S. The platform taps the 28 GHz band to support up to 600 megabits per second per link and “guaranteed” carrier-grade service. CBNL added that its collaboration with nationwide spectrum holders Straight Path Communications and XO Communications further benefits deployment opportunities.
The VectaStar platform is said to be in use across 40 countries, and seven of the world’s 10 largest mobile operators. Mark Ashford, VP of sales for North America at CBNL, explained that the company’s initial target at emerging markets allowed it to gain its footing in areas where there was less fiber-intensive competition, but that gaining a foothold in North America shows the capabilities of its offering. Ashford explained that CBNL has used the past 15 years and developed 30 million lines of code to get to its current space.
Ashford added that CBNL’s platform is currently active in five states with yet-to-be-named carriers, which it hopes to begin naming in the coming weeks.
CBNL looks to remain focused on spectrum bands in the 28 to 39 GHz space for the near term, with Ashford noting significant traction for operators looking to garner some spectral clarity above the crowded 6 GHz and lower space. However, the company is not currently looking at a move into the millimeter-wave bands above 60 GHz due to link quality issues using CBNL’s technology.
The company is, however, looking to improve the speed support of its platform, with Ashford noting it is looking to top 1 Gbps per link within the next 3 years.
CBNL recently talked with RCR Wireless News about its Latin American strategy as well as the company’s role in managing network capacity for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. CBNL said it is tapping into experience learned from previous work for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London and at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
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