City of Richardson, Texas to Get a Software Configurable Multi-Radio Mesh Network

  

 

 

 


Main Street (Beltline) in Richardson, Texas.


MeshLinx Inc. a provider of citywide Wireless Mesh Networking Solutions, today announced that Richardson, Texas will be home to the most advanced wireless mesh network deployed. It will feature software configurable, silicon chip radios delivering high-speed Internet service to the entire city. Richardson will receive the network at no cost to the city and their residents will be offered a free service with burst rates up to 768Kbps. MeshLinx will also offer a high-speed fee-based service to all residents with speeds up to 5Mbps and with power users and corporate solutions up to 20Mbps. MeshLinx, using standard 802.11 technology, will offer a network that will travel seamlessly with the subscriber everywhere within the city in both a fixed and mobile environment. The multi-radio network will operate simultaneously in both 2.4 GHz (Wi-Fi) and 4.9 GHz (public safety) spectrums on the subscriber side allowing first responders and city services their own frequency which can be encrypted to the highest levels for security.

The deployment will be accomplished in multi-phases with individual sections deployed and operational without waiting until the whole network is complete. This approach allows parts of the network to be operational by the end of 2007 with full deployment in the first half of 2008. It will have approximately 600 Access Points (AP's) placed throughout the city offering a "blanket" of broadband wireless coverage providing high resolution streaming video, quality voice over the Internet, and high-speed Internet access throughout the city. The network will provide a signal to every home and business within the city limits. If needed, residents can purchase off the shelf 802.11 b/g routers to bring the signal to every room in their home or request low cost professional installation to cover their home. Outdoor coverage will allow residents to log on anywhere within the city limits.

Mayor Gary Slagel says, "With this network, Richardson, with one of the highest concentrations of telecom businesses in the country ("telecom corridor") will continue to stay on the cutting edge of communication technology. The network will provide a wonderful quality of life feature for all our citizens. It will promote digital inclusion, beneficial competition and provide an additional economic boost to the city of Richardson."

The technology consists of a 4.9 GHz subscriber radio to be utilized by Public Safety/first responders, a 2.4 GHz (802.11b/g) subscriber radio for city services and public use, two radios operating as a fully duplexed backhaul operating at the 5.8GHz (802.11a) frequency, and one radio operating as a spectrum analyzer allowing interference signature analysis where the Network Operations Center can identify the actual interference source.

Jack Harrod, MeshLinx CEO said "MeshLinx will be deploying for the first time in a Mesh network, a true software configurable radio(TM) (SCR) on a silicon chip providing unmatched network flexibility and with a backhaul speed unrivaled by any other mesh vendor". It will have the flexibility of real time monitoring of interference, the ability to change frequencies in real time, a DHCP/HTTP server in each Access Point, a CLI interface, and a radius client in each AP to simplify authentication. Each MeshLinx AP can contain anywhere between 3-12 radios, a unique antenna systems, amplifiers and battery backup. The technology solution delivered to the city will produce the highest possible bandwidth, flexibility, and reliability beyond the reach of any other mesh network in existence. MeshLinx is delivering a solution capable of delivering higher speeds with better prices than existing last mile solutions such as DSL, 3G cellular networks and cable.

Richardson, Texas is home to nearly 100,000 residents and a large, diverse and growing portfolio of businesses.