November 1, 2000

Cutting loose

While digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem connections to the Internet are fast gaining acceptance, serving up the last mile to the hungry masses still faces several problems, including the cost and time involved in installation. Cable is expensive to install, and while splitterless DSL can be more cost-effective, the technology is distance-limited and typically cannot deliver data at speeds any faster than about 6 Mbits/sec.

Enter Iospan Wireless (formerly Gigabit Wireless), whose focus is on transmitting broadband wireless data over the last mile. Apart from some near-line-of-sight players, such as Cisco--whose products don't circumvent the hefty expense of placing antennas on every rooftop--Iospan's fixed-wireless technology doesn't require line of sight. That means consumers in large coverage areas can slap a little box up on the wall or on their desktops, and be ready to go.

Iospan utilizes patented space/time processing techniques that enable deployment of MMDS (multichannel multipoint distribution services) at frequencies below 3 GHz. Compared with higher MMDS frequencies, links at these frequencies can employ cheaper equipment, and they suffer less interference from objects like trees.

But spectrum in this range is also harder to come by. Iospan's AirBurst technology attempts to make the most of every bit of bandwidth. At the heart of the technology is a multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) technique; the system incorporates multiple antennas at both the base station and the customer-premise equipment. The approach provides more subscribers per cell with access to broadband connections at speeds up to 10 Mbits/sec, the company says. The result is large-scale availability of broadband Internet access to businesses and residences, with equipment that consumers can install themselves, faster access speeds, and, of course--no expensive strings attached.

For more on wireless broadband, see "High beams."

—Leah Jiorle