| New Orleans Selects Tropos Networks to Provide Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Network for Surveillance Camera Project
On April 20, Tropos Networks announced that the City of New Orleans, Louisiana, has selected the company as its supplier for metro-scale Wi-Fi equipment for use in the city’s surveillance camera project. New Orleans will use Tropos equipment to build a city-wide wireless video surveillance network.
Telecommunications Magazine “10 Hottest Technologies 2004”
In its April 2004 issue, Telecommunications Magazine named meshed wireless networking one of its 10 Hottest Technologies for 2004. The article also gives a nice nod to Tropos Networks as one of the startups who “rule this market.”
Wireless ISP Profiled in USA Today
Aiirmesh Communications’ city-wide Tropos Wi-Fi installation in Cerritos, CA, received an excellent profile in USA Today. The article points out the benefits of using metro-scale Wi-Fi to deliver broadband Internet access to communities underserved by DSL and cable data. What the article calls “toaster-oven-size antennas” are, in fact, Tropos 5110 Wi-Fi cells.
Reed Hundt and Jack Kemp Join the Tropos Networks Family
Tropos Networks recently announced two high-profile additions to our family. In an April 7th press release, we revealed that former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt has joined our Board of Directors. Hundt’s extensive knowledge of telecommunications technology and regulation will be a great asset to help us achieve our goal of wireless broadband access anywhere, any time.
A week later, we released the news that former HUD Secretary and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp had agreed to head our Advisory Board. Kemp will help us evangelize the benefits related to both public safety and economic development that metro-scale Wi-Fi can bring to towns and cities around the United States.
New Research Shows Wireless and Broadband Internet Usage Up
New research report from the Pew Internet Project (PIP) show that both wireless and broadband Internet usage is up. Reuters reports that “One in six use wireless Internet, survey finds,” based on the PIP data memo, “The rise of wireless connectivity and our latest findings.” The Associated Press reports, “2 in 5 Web Users Have Broadband at Home,” citing the PIP report “Broadband Penetration on the Upswing.”
FCC Looks to Open More Unlicensed Spectrum
In an April 15 press release, the FCC announced that it will begin rulemaking aimed at allowing unlicensed broadband wireless operation in the 3.65 GHz band. The goal of allocating an additional 50 MHz of unlicensed spectrum is to facilitate broadband access, especially in rural areas. The move is a response to requests from wireless ISPs.
Tropos Networks Releases New White Papers
Public safety agencies interested in video surveillance and service providers who wish to cater to them should read “Tropos Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Networks for Video Surveillance.” This paper details how metro-scale wireless networks can be combined with IP video cameras (both wired and wireless) and DVR software to create a complete metro-scale video surveillance solution.
Carriers and service providers interested in comparing the technical and economic characteristics of 3G (in particular, EV-DO) and Wi-Fi when delivering metro-scale broadband data access should read “Price-Performance Comparison: 3G vs. Tropos Metro-Scale Cellular Wi-Fi.” In Wi-Fi Networking News, Glenn Fleishman called this paper “the clearest presentation I’ve seen yet that explains precisely…how dense 3G cells have to be to provide the kinds of speeds that a T-1 plus a Wi-Fi access point can achieve.”
Service providers and those considering investing in them often wonder just how profitable metro-scale Wi-Fi service offerings can be. This question is explored in Maximizing Profitability: Tropos Networks and the Wireless ISP. In short, the answer is quite profitable and with relatively low up-front capital requirements. |
