A number of new network-related equipment announcements have been made lately, so here’s a quick round-up of the new gear and solutions available.
Aruba Networks has launched access points for 802.11ac outdoor connectivity. Its new Aruba 270 series has a small form factor, is available with integrated (AP-275) or external antennas (AP-274), and can be mounted with just one bracket and one screw, the company said.
“The Aruba 270 Series is an ideal and cost-efficient gigabit Wi-Fi solution for public facing enterprises, like large hospitality, retail and campuses, looking for high-performance, small cell deployments to service large coverage areas,” said Husnain Bajwa, Distinguished Engineer, Aruba Networks. “The result is an improved mobile broadband experience without having to wait for licensed small cells to mature.”
The form factor is on par with security cameras or other similar “street furniture,” according to Bajwa. The University of the South, aka Sewanee, in Tennessee has already opted to use the new all-weather APs on its campus, where a new inn and event center are being added.
The base list price for the APs starts at $1,595 and is avaliable now.
—Cambium Networks, the heir of Motorola Solutions‘ broadband wireless and Canopy products, has made a couple of recent product launches.
The company added 3 GHz support to its PMP 450 fixed broadband wireless equipment, which already was available for use at 2.4 and 5 GHz. Cambium said that it expects 3550-3800 MHz capability to come in March for the PMP 450 line, which offers up to 125 Mbps of throughput per access point and low latency for data, video and VoIP applications.
Cambium also launched the PTP 650S, which is a new point-to-point wireless backhaul solution aimed at small cell networks. The 450 Mbpz, sub-6 GHz solution has a small form factor of less than 0.1 cubic feet and, Cambium noted, qualifies as “de minimis” in European countries like the United Kingdom, so that it doesn’t require planning permission and speeds deployment. The PTP 650S can also be used for video surveillance and private networks that need short-range NLOS links.
—Commscope extended its Andrew SiteRise line which is aimed at simplifying work at the top of cellular network towers, going so far as to say it has accomplished “plug and play” at the tower-top. The solution was initially launched last year as the first pre-assembled tower top solution, and now the company has introduced a new way of connecting remote radio units to the base station antenna with the SiteRise Standard Interface.
“Since we began implementing the SiteRise solution in close collaboration with a major wireless operator, we have continued to work closely with the whole operator community to understand what innovations would be of additional value to them,” said Ben Cardwell, senior vice president, Global Wireless Sales, CommScope. “Those conversations led to a new SiteRise solution aimed at even greater simplification of the radio and antenna interface, which provides for even less interference risk, better flexibility and a true plug-and-play capability at the top of the tower.”
