Lucent Technologies Enables High-Speed Outdoor Wireless Internet Access and Data Networking for Enterprises - WaveACCESS wireless networking system

Cambridge Telcom Report, Jan 10, 2000

Lucent Technologies Monday announced the availability of its new WaveACCESS high-speed (11 Mbit/s), point-to-point and point-to-multipoint outdoor wireless networking systems for large corporate complexes and campuses, including access to local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). WaveACCESS is an economical and reliable alternative to leasing phone lines or running cables between buildings. Operating in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz band, WaveACCESS provides a range of up to 10 miles with various levels of security encryption (64-bit WEP and 128 bit RC4).

WaveACCESS provides both IP routing and bandwidth management that enables network managers to fully control their wireless networks and to easily add wireless technology to their campus-wide network infrastructure. By using IP routing, multiple local area networks in different buildings can be connected, using independent IP-subnets. This allows managers to set up secure, separate interconnected wireless networks.

Bandwidth management provides the network manager the ability to allocate bandwidth among the sub-networks, ensuring that the appropriate bandwidth is provided as needed to the various buildings in a campus or facility. For example, large offices with many users would get more bandwidth, small offices with fewer users could be allocated less.

The point-to-multipoint WaveACCESS system consists of a Central Office (CO) Router that can connect up to 16 WaveACCESS Remote Office Routers and associated networks, or 32 WaveACCESS PC Card radios per channel, each running the Internet Client software (Up to 3 separate 11 Mbit/s channels are possible). By installing WaveACCESS Internet Client software on the WaveACCESS radio card, ISPs can provide wireless Internet access to their residential customers' Windows 95, 98, Windows 2000 or NT equipped desktop or laptop computers. In addition, a networked Remote Office Router can be connected to yet another CO Router, thereby creating an additional set of point-to-multipoint links.

The point-to-point WaveACCESS system consists of WaveACCESS Remote Office Routers used to establish a high-speed, wireless link between two buildings and their interior networks. WaveACCESS Office Routers are based on Lucent Technologies' industry standard WavePOINT II, which also supports wired Ethernet and wireless WaveLAN indoor networks via a dual slot architecture. One slot holds a WaveACCESS radio card connected to an outdoor antenna. The other slot can act as a link to a third building. A wired network can be connected via Ethernet to the Remote Office Router as well.

"IP routing and bandwidth management is very important to us as a wireless ISP," said Gregory Friedman, CEO of Netbeam, Inc., a wireless phone and Internet service Provider headquartered in Breckenridge, Colorado. "Lucent Technologies WaveACCESS gives us the ability to provide high speed, high reliability Internet access to businesses as well as to individuals, without having to run cables or negotiate with phone and cable companies."

"We are offering a high-performance, highly secure point-to-multipoint system for enterprises and ISPs," said Angela Champness, director of product and business management at Lucent Technologies. "The system is quickly deployable and scalable so our customers can easily expand their networks as their business needs demand it."

Existing WaveACCESS and WaveLAN users can upgrade their WavePOINT II to WaveACCESS Office Routers by installing WaveACCESS Central or Remote Office Router software and using a new 11 Mbit/s WaveACCESS radio card in an available radio slot. WaveACCESS Remote Office Routers can also be converted to WaveACCESS CO Routers via a software upgrade.

More on Lucent Technologies

Lucent Technologies is a global leader in wireless data communications, with installations in more than 50 countries, and is a proven leader in meeting the networking challenges of the enterprise and ISP markets. Through its Bell Labs research and development arm, Lucent holds more than 25 key patents on high-speed wireless radio technology. Lucent Technologies also plays a leading role in WLAN standards development through its chairmanship of the IEEE 802.11 committee and its vice-chair of the ETSI BRAN (Broadband Radio Access Network) committee. Lucent is a founding member of WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance) and holds the Secretary position on the WECA board.

The WaveACCESS family of products is sold worldwide through a network of value-added resellers (VARs), distributors and OEMs. For more WaveACCESS product and VAR information visit http://www.wavelan.com/products on the Web. U.S. may also call 1-800-WAVELAN.

Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J. (USA), designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronic components. For more information on Lucent Technologies, visit the corporate web site at http://www.lucent.com.