New Orleans Announces Citywide Wi-Fi
On November 27th, New Orleans Mayor Ray C. Nagin announced the city's plans to extend coverage of their Tropos MetroMesh network to encompass all of the city. The network will be used by multiple city agencies, including public safety personnel, homeland security workers, building inspectors, and other city workers. The mesh network, with gear donated by Tropos, Intel and Pronto Networks, was the first broadband network available after Katrina hit the Big Easy, and has been used extensively since by FEMA workers, public safety officers and private company insurance adjusters. Additionally, the Mayor has made the network immediately available to residents, free of charge, to supplement DSL and cable connectivity not yet restored since the Katrina disaster. Be sure to check out the interview with Chris Drake, Project Office Manager for the Mayor's Office of Technology, from the Discovery Channel Canada.
Tropos Introduces Advanced MetroMesh Tools and Solution Partner Programs
Tropos Networks announced significant enhancements to its MetroMesh architecture with its new family of MetroMesh operation and optimization tools developed by Tropos Networks and third-party partners. These tools are designed to speed the planning, deploying, optimizing and maintaining of MetroMesh systems. The first Tropos-developed MetroMesh tools are Tropos Insight, an advanced MetroMesh analyzer and optimizer, and Tropos Drive, a drive-test appliance to determine coverage and throughput in MetroMesh networks. Both products incorporate Tropos Networks' experience gleaned from hundreds of metro-scale deployments. Glenn Fleishman covers the announcement in Wi-Fi Networking News.
Tropos also announced the Tropos MetroMesh Partner Program, a new initiative that brings together leading vendors from a variety of product categories to speed delivery of complete, end-to-end solutions for Tropos metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh networks. Solution areas include consumer access, video surveillance and mobile voice services. The new program includes Tropos MetroMesh Solution Partners, whose products have proven to successfully interoperate with MetroMesh products to form a complete metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network solution, and Tropos MetroMesh Development Partners, who have integrated their products closely with MetroMesh products. Dan Jones wrote this story, published on Unstrung.
The first Tropos MetroMesh Development Partners are Badger Meter, EDX Wireless, Nomadix and Ruckus Wireless.
Derry Air: Northern Ireland City Goes Wireless with Tropos MetroMesh
Londonderry is set to become one of the first cities in Europe to be fully wireless-enabled. The Walled City to Wireless City initiative is in part financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Northern Ireland Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme.
Pat Ramsey, chair of the council's development committee, said: "We are now going to provide wireless broadband coverage for the entire city centre. Our aim is to encourage businesses to develop new services and applications to utilise this wireless working environment."
Read the complete story from The Belfast Telegraph.
The British Invasion, Philadelphia Style
BBC News reporter Ian Hardy reports on the progress of Philadelphia to deliver fast, low-cost and simple broadband to all residents. This balanced report explores the motivations, challenges, and goals of the Wireless Philadelphia initiative, and presents all sides of the story in an intelligent and compelling way. Be sure to watch the streaming video from the BBC program ClickOnline.
Cable Companies Eying Opportunities of Mesh, Voice-over-WiFi Services
Investor's Business Daily reporter Mike Angell put together this report on the opportunities mesh networks, as well as wireless VoIP services, present to cable providers. Mr. Angell offers "The low cost of mesh interests cities that want to set up wide-ranging Wi-Fi networks. And the low cost and other factors associated with mesh could be key to helping cable companies enter the mobile phone service business."
APCO 3rd Annual Winter Summit
Orlando, FL
January 30- February 2
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Barcelona, Spain
February 13 - 16
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Houston, TX
February 28 - March 2
