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Broadband Access
Anticipatory Interoperability
Narad, Tropos Test Mesh Backhaul over HFC for Broadband Traffic
by Jim Barthold
Narad Networks and Tropos Networks have successfully tested
an interoperable solution to backhaul broadband traffic from the
Tropos wireless network to the Narad switched broadband
wireline backhaul. The testing anticipated that broadband
operators begin will use mesh Wi-Fi wireless networks for
mobile and/or portable broadband traffic for both consumer
and commercial customers.
“It is a partnership in preparation because we see the
demand starting and we want to make sure that there are no
technical hiccups or headaches along the way. Once the
decision is made, we want to make sure that the technology
is the easy piece,” said Louise Wasilewski, vice president of
business development at Narad Networks.
The interoperable testing used Narad’s switched Ethernet-over-
coaxial cable technology and Tropos’ mesh router to
demonstrate aggregate performance that exceeded 20 Mbps
of symmetric capacity. The goal is to help operators offer
mobile broadband applications such as mobile video, instant
messaging and public safety over existing wireline
infrastructure.
“We’ve solved the backhaul capacity problem that will allow
cable operators to provide backhaul as a service to third party
wireless operators or to take their broadband connectivity
outside for their existing cable modem customers,” said
Wasilewski.
No operator, she admitted, has yet stepped to the plate and
said that this is something that’s wanted or needed.
“There’s a lot of quiet, but there’s a lot of play in the
background,” she said.
The combined application would slide across both residential
and commercial users, said Rob Pilgrim, director of business
development at Tropos.
“It depends on who the operator is,” Pilgrim said. “You could
leverage this particular solution to deliver both consumer
outdoor traffic … or to provide services either for commercial
customers or people who don’t necessarily stay in one place
but move around in one area.”
In either case, Tropos would build the wireless mesh using Wi-
Fi and Narad would aggregate and transport the traffic back to
the core of the network.
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