NEW YORK-Iospan Wireless Inc. and Powerwave Technologies Inc. have joined forces to develop AirBurst-compatible broadband power amplifiers to enhance delivery of non-line-of-site fixed-wireless communications.
Powerwave will supply its radio-frequency power amplifiers to Iospan for use in trials with “a major U.S. carrier” that is using Iospan’s AirBust technologies, the companies said last week in the announcement of their memorandum of agreement. They did not identify the carrier.
Iospan, headquartered in San Jose, Calif., said its AirBurst technology “is designed to allow service providers to quickly deploy broadband wireless services for both residential and business applications that will successfully compete with existing broadband technologies on both price and performance.
“The company’s technologies will enable mass deployment of fixed and portable wireless broadband services that provide wireline-like performance and reliability under pure non-line-of-sight channel conditions.”
Powerwave, based in Santa Ana, Calif., designs, manufactures and markets single carrier and multi-carrier RF power amplifiers for use in cellular, PCS and 3G base stations.
Tighter coupling of the two technologies will improve system efficiencies and reduce the cost and footprint of the system, the companies said. Powerwave’s contribution to the joint effort also includes its high-volume, low-cost manufacturing capabilities, said Bruce C. Edwards, its president and chief executive officer.
“This agreement will allow service providers to move forward aggressively with the self-install, indoor CPE (customer premises equipment) service model while keeping infrastructure costs in check,” said Levent Gun, president and chief executive officer of Iospan.
To market successfully these next-generation fixed-wireless systems, carriers will be under extreme pressure to reduce costs to end-user customers, said Brian Modoff, senior analyst at Deutsche Banc Alex Brown.
“The joining of industry leaders such as Iospan and Powerwave will enable the broadband wireless market with solutions that are competitively priced and meet the demands of service providers,” he said.
