Fixed Wireless Equipment

5 GHz Wireless for DOCSIS Networks

ARCi says its 5 GHz Omni Broadband Hub Transceiver/Antenna System should support between 100 and 500 subscribers and is the first 5 GHz DOCSIS-compatible wireless product to hit the market.

by Wayne Kawamoto [September 25, 2002]

Advanced Radio Cells (ARCi), a provider of 5 GHz license-free broadband wireless solutions, announced the availability of its new 5 GHz Omni-directional Broadband Hub Transceiver/Antenna. According to the company, the new system, which is based on ARCi's point-to-multipoint wireless technology, is optimized to serve between 100 and 500 subscribers in rural and underserved areas.

The company says that its point-to-multipoint broadband wireless Internet delivery system is the first commercially available, DOCSIS-compatible product that uses the 5 GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) spectrum. This spectrum, according to the company, is relatively uncongested.

The product consists of a wireless cable modem termination system (W-CMTS) and hub transceiver antenna at the base station, as well as a subscriber transceiver antenna and modem at the customer's site. Depending on the deployment needs, an ISP can implement a single-sector receiver or as many as 6 sectors to obtain full 360-degree coverage.

The AR2250-1 omni-directional transceiver antenna system, a key component of the Omni Broadband Hub Transceiver/Antenna System, offers an omni-directional transmit antenna with a matching electronic module and sectorized receiver antenna that has integrated receiver electronics. The transmitter operates at 5.8 GHz, with 16 channels that should allow for 360 degrees of coverage for up to 4 miles at 10 Mbps.

ARCi's scalable, sectorized receiver, the AR1205, another key component, is designed to provide 60-degrees/sector coverage with 14 frequency channels, and deliver 5 Mbps at up to 4 miles operating range. When combined with a wireless CMTS and a wireless modem, the system may provide a robust point-to-multipoint broadband solution.

"Our omni-directional product is a tremendous solution for those service providers looking to deliver truly affordable wireless broadband to their customers at a very attractive price point," said Jim Bertonis, President and CEO of ARCi. "The omni-directional antenna solution provides 4 miles of 360 degrees of transmit coverage for up to 500 subscribers at a price point of less than $10,000. Now that's a value to both the service provider and eventually the end customer."

Availability and pricing
The AR2250-1 5 GHz Omni-directional Broadband Hub Transceiver/Antenna is available today.

The products are priced at $1,430 for the AR2250-1, and $1,380 for the AR1205.

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