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Starting in December 2006, Philadelphia Began Its Proof of Concept Trials of Its Broadband Wireless Mesh Network - Municipal Wireless Mesh Networks for City-Wide Broadband Internet Coverage

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 December 2006, 12:00 CST

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c46462) has announced the addition of Municipal Wireless Mesh Networks for City-Wide Broadband Internet Coverage to their offering.

Mesh does not stand-alone. It is a component of a total WiFi networking solution today for municipalities seeking broadband Internet access. Deployed in a number of communities, WiFi mesh networking has not yet completely demonstrated whether it is scalable enough for a large municipality to serve public Internet access requirements and if so, which vendor solutions will prevail.

In this report we examines the state of the wireless mesh networking market and how it relates to WiFi technology and is used in a municipality. Also reviewed is the Philadelphia, PA wireless mesh network deployment. The Philadelphia deployment is examined because if successful it will demonstrate if WiFi mesh networks are scalable enough for a large municipality. The Philadelphia PA deployment is also closely examined because of the scale of the project and the type of communities involved within the planned coverage area.

This report provides an overview of the market and technology, and a look at the current Philadelphia, PA implementation. A profile on each leading wireless mesh vendor offering products to municipalities is also provided.

This report is targeted at municipalities thinking about launching a mesh network based on WiFi technology in the United States. The report is also a valuable tool for any organization looking to understand and evaluate municipal wireless mesh networks and the Philadelphia, PA wireless network implementation.

In the United States today access to the Internet is primarily from the home or office environment. The current residential broadband Internet access paradigm relies solely on cable and DSL being deployed in individual homes.

Current Internet access architectures in these community networks rely on wellestablished ISPs. But, today local community governments and cities are deploying wireless mesh networks as a shared wireless multi-hop network resource to provide Internet access.

Community wireless mesh networks facilitate communication and information sharing on a local level outside of the home and office environments. The idea is that Internet use in "communities" increases the social interaction between neighbors and builds up a community support structure.

In the community of Philadelphia for example there was an innovative idea that a wireless network would be an investment in the people of the city. "It will provide an infrastructure that can assist in bridging the digital divide that prevents many individuals and families from obtaining the full measure of opportunities generated by the Internet because they can't afford the cost of wired broadband Internet access." Source - WirelessPhiladelphia.org

Starting in December 2006, Philadelphia began its proof of concept trials of its broadband wireless mesh network. In 3Q07, the city is expected to formally launch the low-cost, high-speed Internet access solution for households, businesses and outdoor areas in the City of Philadelphia.

While the hope is high that the network will provide service to low-income families, it is understood that it will also meet the wireless Internet service needs of many people in different occupations and age groups within the City of Philadelphia-including schools and community organizations. It will be one of the largest U.S. wireless mesh network deployments in the nation.

At the nucleus of the overall project (like in other municipalities) there is an expectation of increased economic development in the City of Philadelphia through availability of wireless Internet access. Wireless mesh networks are an attractive low-cost technology option for robust citywide broadband Internet coverage.

But this is not a small task. A well-thought out plan by cities, coupled with a core committee, working with service providers and equipment manufacturers is necessary for building wireless solutions with the same (or similar) functionality offered by cable providers.

Municipalities are using these wireless mesh networks and unsettling the existing broadband business model and creating progress in broadband wireless networking.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c46462

Source: Business Wire

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