July 1, 2000

Up on the roof
Housetop devices spread wireless broadband

While DSL and cable modems have garnered much attention as the next wave in high-speed Internet access, wireless broadband solutions are starting to pop up on the horizon. Nokia, for example, has unveiled a family of products that will enable service providers, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), and wired carriers to deploy wireless broadband networks.

Nokia's RoofTop Wireless Routers create routed, mesh networks that mimic the wired structure of the Internet, according to the company. Since they require line of sight only to another router, not an access point, the routers simplify deployment in residential neighborhoods and business parks. The routers run Nokia's AIR operating system, which creates networks that self-configure and self-heal by automatically detecting new or removed neighboring routers. The OS also routes traffic through the most efficient path. Meanwhile, Nokia's CityHopper broadband wireless access products create point-to-multipoint wireless access networks, providing high-speed voice and data services.

—Margot Suydam