Motorola today announced a 5GHz fixed wireless system called Canopy for residential and small business customers. Motorola’s system uses the unlicensed 5GHz band (at 5.25 & 5.8 GHz) and includes a 6-sector cell, an integrated one-piece customer unit, and a 10Mbps backhaul system that can be used to connect additional “cells” or p-to-p customers up to 10 miles away.
The Canopy radio, which includes an integral 60 sectorized antenna, measures only 12” high, 3 ” wide, and 1” deep. Canopy radios can be used in several configurations:
- Omnidirectional: 6 Canopy radios can be mounted to provide 360 coverage (2 mile range
- Point to Multipoint: 1 Canopy “hub” radio can provide service to a number of Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) Canopy radios (2 mile range)
- Point to Point: a pair of Canopy radios can be configured as a Point to Point link (2 mile range with integral antenna, 20 miles with “high band / high power” version mated to a parabolic dish)
Each 6 sector Access Point (5200-AP) delivers multi-point access with approximately a two-mile reach, although the range can be extended up to 10 miles with the Canopy reflector kit. Other “cells” can be interconnected using the same point-to-point link. The residential device is a small integrated antenna/receiver (5200-SM). The components are said to be small, unobtrusive, easy to install and can serve a wide-range of network purposes. It may be deployed as a stand-alone system, or used to extend the reach of wired IP distribution systems such as cable and DSL. Scenarios such as feeding 802.11b “hot spots” are described on their web site.
Motorola is not using off-the-shelf, 802.11a. Wideband FM provides a robust link even where multipath is an issue. GPS-based timing or self-timing permit auto location and frequency reuse. A small outdoor transceiver unit, about the size of an ice cream bar, is powered via CAT-5 cable. Timed from the base unit, the system can provide information on link power, jitter and the other information an installer will find useful on initial setup.
Placed on top of utility poles and linked by cable networks - like the 1 Gbps Narad system (below) - they could have potential for unwiring a city. Of course, it might also create interference with Community LANs based on 802.11a standards. Time will tell.
The bottom line: carriers have a lot to loose. National wireless plans may roll right over Community LAN systems. Cellular and cable operators have a vested interest in “disallowing” free wireless networks. They could spend a fortune to “block” them.
.gif)
