Wifi Revolution

Now that the first customers have gone live on BT’s CN21 network, the UK-based network operator is set to move ahead with its plans for a dozen wireless cities by the end of March 2007. To help complete those developments, BT has selected Motorola’s (News - Alert) wireless mesh infrastructure for its first six deployments.

 

According to the deal, Motorola, in conjunction with BT, will design, deploy, and manage the city-wide WiFi networks that will provide wireless broadband service to enable city services, businesses, residents, and visitors to make use of their WiFi (News - Alert)-enabled devices throughout the cities.

 

In areas that already feature BT’s OpenZone hotspots, wireless access will be extended to a wider area, providing connectivity where there once was none, enabling continuous use of wireless broadband applications. It also will enable local businesses to make use of their VPN facilities, and will bring next generation capabilities to the city’s mobile workers, who will be able to file reports and enter data while on-site or in transit, from a laptop or digital handheld device.

 

In addition, local safety and security measures can be enhanced through the use of wirelessly enabled closed circuit video, made possible by Motorola and BT.

 

While Motorola is perhaps best known for its handsets, its innovation extends much further, including into wireless network access solutions. In fact, in Detroit last winter, Super Bowl XL organizers, looking to provide the safest possible environment, implemented Motorola’s mesh networking to provide increased real-time video feeds to police and other safety officials in the Ford Field vicinity.

 

For BT’s wireless cities deployments, Motorola will provide parts of its MOTOwi4 wireless broadband portfolio, which features hardware that is mountable on lampposts and in other locations that are both convenient and offer maximum coverage.

 

Motorola’s solution also provides the additional flexibility of enabling wireless backhaul, saving both time and costs involved with building a second backhaul network. Mesh networking also provides a built-in failsafe mechanism — should one AP fail, the network automatically circumvents it by rerouting traffic to surrounding APs.

 

And with Motorola’s security features, businesses, residents, governments, and other users are assured the integrity of their data is always maintained. In fact, because of its experience in wireless technology, Motorola drives many of the world’s largest mesh networks, as well as several military and government deployments, where security and reliability are paramount.

 

With its Motorola partnership, BT will ensure its wireless cities remain on the leading edge of technology, which will become increasingly beneficial as more and more Web-based services are rolled out. With city-wide access, residents will have ubiquitous access to all their applications, including IP-based communications.

 

“The Wireless City initiatives offer wide area wireless broadband access across metropolitan areas, enabling people to use the network on a range of devices for entertainment, education and communication, such as email, video and voice calls, even when they’re on the move,” continued Hughes.

 

Jose Figueroa, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Networks and Enterprise EMEA, added that, “The Wireless City initiative will deliver what consumers, business and city authorities really want: a broadband service that’s consistent in the home, the office and now outside in open spaces around the city.”

 

Once complete, the Wireless Cities will offer the ability to not only communicate with business associates, but also keep abreast of movie showtimes, traffic conditions, driving directions, and other location-based information services to improve overall quality of life.

 

Indeed, while at first, the municipal WiFi projects by BT will be like new toys at the holidays, soon the city-wide access will become just another communications medium residents and businesses will come to use regularly to enhance their personal and professional lives. The ultimate achievement, of course, will be that residents will be able to do anything, anytime, anywhere, on any device.

 

Erik Linask is Associate Editor of INTERNET TELEPHONY. Prior to joining TMC, he was Managing Editor at Global Custodian, an international securities services publication. To see more of his articles, please visit Erik Linask’s columnist page.

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