BroadLink Communications Chooses Cisco Aironet for Wireless Broadband Services

Strategic Insights -

BroadLink Communications has selected the Cisco Aironet wireless LAN (local area network) products from Cisco Systems, Inc. to offer wireless broadband services to small- and medium-sized enterprises, home-based businesses, and home Internet customers. This service provides bi-directional access to the Internet at speeds up to 5.5 Mbps, utilizing BroadLink's proprietary technology, BrightEdge, which matches DSL performance as well as cost and surpasses DSL's reach. The partnership enables BroadLink to deliver high-speed Internet access to customers outside the 18,000-foot limit of traditional wire-DSL loops.

Key Takeaways:

  • BroadLink Communications has partnered with Cisco Systems, Inc. to incorporate the Cisco Aironet wireless LAN products into its networks, offering wireless broadband services to small- and medium-sized enterprises, home-based businesses, and home Internet customers.
  • The service provides bi-directional access to the Internet at speeds up to 5.5 Mbps, utilizing BroadLink's proprietary technology, BrightEdge, which matches DSL performance as well as cost and surpasses DSL's reach.
  • The Cisco Aironet wireless LAN products provide the most consistent and reliable wireless point-to-multipoint access of any other wireless access systems tested by BroadLink.
  • BroadLink's proprietary customer premise equipment (CPE) operates as a firewall, enabling network address translation and packet filtering, and allows for remote management of the device.
  • The CPE features Cisco Aironet client adapters, which provide 11 Mbps of bandwidth, are IEEE 802.11b-compliant, and feature up to 128-bit WEP encryption for secure data transmission.
  • BroadLink has launched its wireless broadband service in Santa Rosa and Stockton, Calif., with networks under construction in several other locations.
  • The company plans to extend its service nationally and worldwide, taking advantage of its open architecture to serve multiple ISPs, while others can only reach one ISP.
  • BroadLink was recently qualified as a Cisco Powered Network program member and has been invited to participate in Cisco's Beta Program for development and testing of future wireless LAN products.

Statistics:

  • Up to 5.5 Mbps speeds for bi-directional access to the Internet
  • 11 Mbps bandwidth provided by Cisco Aironet client adapters
  • 128-bit WEP encryption for secure data transmission
  • Up to 18,000 feet coverage of traditional wire-DSL loops bypassed by BroadLink's technology
  • BroadLink's CPE allows for uniform 360 degree coverage of up to four miles from the W-POP
  • Four sectors can be served per W-POP using directional external antennas connected to wireless bridges
  • BroadLink has launched its wireless broadband service in two locations, with networks under construction in several other locations

Sources:

  • BroadLink Communications announcement (Dec. 5, 2000)
  • Cisco Systems, Inc. press release (Dec. 5, 2000)
  • BroadLink Communications website (www.broadlink.com)
  • Cisco Systems, Inc. website (www.cisco.com)