BelAir Networks Now Shipping BelAir50c for Metropolitan Wi-Fi Mesh Networks; Low-cost, Carrier-grade Wi-Fi Coverage Accessible for All Municipal Networks

Business Wire, Oct 11, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO -- Mesh networking leader, BelAir Networks, today announced that it is shipping the BelAir50c, an economical and easy to install single-radio wireless mesh node.

"BelAir offers a significant range of products that will scale up to the toughest possible metro mesh requirements," said Tony Rizzo, Sector Head with The 451 Group, a technology industry analyst company focused on the business of enterprise IT innovation. "The new BelAir50c now adds the ability to meet scaled-down requirements and price points." This comment appeared in an independent report, titled "BelAir adds a lower-price mesh product to its arsenal as mesh networking heats up," which was published on July 8 of this year (see Editor's Note below).

The BelAir50c is a single-radio platform combining Wi-Fi access and wireless mesh backhaul in an environmentally hardened, outdoor enclosure. It can be deployed in distinct mesh clusters for small networks or as coverage extension at the edge of larger mesh networks. The BelAir50c integrates seamlessly with the multi-radio BelAir200 and the two-radio BelAir100 to form a complete, integrated solution for large metro-scale Wi-Fi networks.

"Our experience has shown that most large networks are not uniform. They have mixed requirements," said Phil Belanger, VP of marketing for BelAir Networks. "They need comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage throughout a large area with some areas requiring higher capacity or voice support. With the addition of the low-cost BelAir50c, we are making it easier for our customers to design networks that offer the best of both worlds: lowest cost of coverage and high performance access at a cost that is less than alternative options."

The new BelAir50c is priced to make it easy and affordable to deploy high-volume community networks for high-speed Internet access, public access to government services, and public safety applications throughout residential and business districts

"The BelAir50c offers a low-cost way to build a wireless mesh network for applications such as public access and emergency services. Networks can be designed for low cost coverage initially and then upgraded seamlessly into a larger, more complex network as and when needed," noted Belanger. "Cities no longer have to sacrifice future capacity and capability for near-term budget constraints."

About the BelAir50c

As part of the complete BelAir Networks wide-area Wi-Fi product line, the BelAir50c enables the creation of large carrier-grade wireless local area networks (WLANs). It simplifies network deployment and provides more flexibility in the network design.

The BelAir50c is a single-radio, wireless mesh cluster node that uses 802.11g to support both Wi-Fi client access and wireless backhaul. The BelAir50c utilizes BelAir's rugged, environmentally-hardened design, and includes diversity omni-directional antennas, 100 Mbps Ethernet line interface, Layer 2 switch and a power supply with two hour battery backup. Each unit is designed to operate as part of a shared mesh cluster of up to eight nodes.

The BelAir50c automatically discovers other BelAir50c units nearby to create a mesh cluster. Using BelAir's advanced mesh routing protocol, packets are forwarded though the optimal path to the node in the cluster that is supplying the wired or wireless backhaul. The BelAir50c supports multiple SSID and VLAN configurations.

The BelAir50c has been shipping since September 2005.

About BelAir Networks

BelAir Networks offers the most scalable, wide-area wireless broadband wireless network solutions with the highest quality of service for data, voice and video applications. BelAir's complete portfolio of wireless networking products are built on the only multi-service architecture for wide -area wireless broadband deployments of Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and broadband cellular networks. Built specifically for outdoor deployments, BelAir Networks' products deliver the lowest cost per user and deploy in days, blending into the physical infrastructure of downtown business districts, hotels and resorts, and college campuses. Founded in 2001, BelAir Networks is a privately held company headquartered in Kanata, Ontario. For more information, please visit www.belairnetworks.com.

Editor's Note: The 451 Group's report, "BelAir adds a lower-price mesh product to its arsenal as mesh networking heats up," referenced above, is an independently-produced report that was neither sponsored by nor otherwise funded directly by BelAir Networks. The report and its entire contents are the sole property of The 451 Group, copyright 2005, and are reproduced here by permission. The entire contents of this report are available at www.the451group.com.