BWA Service Provider Solutions

Alvarion brings Service Providers and Local Telcos a new kind of broadband network infrastructure – one that is scalable, affordable and quick to deploy anywhere.

Today’s competitive market demands solutions that launch the service provision industry to a new level, above and beyond the model of simple Internet access. Our comprehensive solutions allow providers to offer their customers robust, high-speed wireless Internet connectivity, plus a full complement of value-added service options, including, VoIP, VPNs and QoS.

Ideal for both large and small ISPs, Alvarion’s solutions provide a comprehensive range of broadband wireless access applications for data and voice, enabling providers to effectively compete in a market environment where enhanced services represent the defining factor in generating new and profitable revenue sources. Leveraging wireless technology to provide broadband data and voice services allows ISPs and Telcos to extend their reach to new residential and business customers in the last mile.

With its vast, proven R&D experience and hundreds of successful deployments worldwide, Alvarion offers service providers a superior broadband wireless access (BWA) alternative that is secure, consistently reliable and affordable. Great for reaching high growth markets such as SMEs (small and mid-sized enterprise), SOHOs (small office home office) and private residences, Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS™ and BreezeNET® wireless products are high-performance alternatives that outperform DSL and cable networks in terms of bandwidth, QoS and reliability. Moreover, the inherent mobility of our wireless solutions help ISPs extend their businesses to areas that cable has not reached and that DSL cannot serve.

Alvarion’s Service Provider solutions require minimal initial investments and roll out quickly, allowing immediate customer revenues – a major factor in implementing a successful business strategy in the current market. Through reduced installation costs, expedited network deployment and the use of standard IP-based components, Alvarion products deliver Providers a fast return on investment and enable them to build profitable and sustainable voice and data businesses in every market segment.

BreezeNET and BreezeACCESS operate in the 2.4 GHz license-free ISM band and are approved for deployment in most countries.

Broadband Wireless Internet Access

Today’s customer require service providers to offer high-speed “always on” Internet services. No longer is dial-up sufficient for most users. In order to achieve this, ISPs utilize a broadband access solution – to connect their customers over the “last mile”, from the ISP Point of Presence (PoP) to their subscriber premises. The typical solution is to partner with a carrier or cable operator that deploys wired broadband access technologies like DSL or cable modems. In the process, ISPs relinquish a high proportion of their Internet access revenue. Customers of ISPs accessing the network via DSL and cable modems suffer from the slow rollouts, poor service and technical problems of these access technologies. Internet services become a commodity, competing on price alone.

With Broadband Wireless Access, ISPs can break the access monopoly, building a wireless access infrastructure, reaching their customers directly and bypassing wired access networks. In this manner, ISPs are able to address customers not otherwise reached by broadband, due to the limitations of DSL and cable modems. ISPs can keep the entire broadband revenue pie, without having to pay costly inter-connect charges to the carrier. BWA reduces churn, increasing customer loyalty by providing high quality service that can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively.

Built specifically for the stringent requirements of the BWA market, Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS system has been designed to make Broadband Wireless Access infrastructure deployment quick, simple and cost-effective. BreezeACCESS incorporates the state-of-the-market form factor and technology integration.

BreezeACCESS allows both small and large providers to benefit from the best of broadband access alternatives: BreezeACCESS II operates in the 2.4GHz unlicensed frequency band; BreezeACCESS MMDS operates in the 2.5-2.7GHz MMDS band; BreezeACCESS XL operates in the licensed 3.5GHz band. While many providers choose to operate in the unlicensed band to avoid license fees and regulatory issues, some may own some spectrum in a licensed band hence they may prefer to use a licensed band system, or even a hybrid deployment of licensed and unlicensed band systems.

Alvarion BreezeACCESS is based on packet-switching technology optimized for IP based applications, allowing “always on” connectivity at high data rates bursting to 3 Mbits/sec per subscriber. Deploying an Alvarion BreezeACCESS wireless infrastructure requires minimal entry cost, and provides fast return on investment. Once the wireless infrastructure is in place, the modular design allows for scalable and incremental growth. BreezeACCESS allows both existing and new ISPs to reach new markets and connect additional customers quickly. With commonly used Ethernet interfaces on both CPE and base station equipment, interfacing to a standard data communications network is seamless.

Using the BreezeACCESS Committed Information Rate (CIR) and Maximum Information Rate (MIR) features, ISPs can guarantee bandwidth to select customers, while limiting the bandwidth of others, allowing tiered fee schedules and additional revenue. Layer 2 and 3 traffic priorities using 802.1p and IP ToS allow the implementation of additional service options, such as platinum, gold and silver services.

Alvarion BreezeACCESS is secure, supporting RC4 based Wired Equivalent Privacy. Additional security is provided by means of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) wireless technology, frequency shift sequences and by requiring an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) for entry into the network.

Alvarion BreezeACCESS support tunneling protocols such as PPPoE for easy provisioning with authentication and authorization.

BreezeMANAGE provides a complete network management solution for the BreezeACCESS system that is integrated into HP Open-View SNMP and SNMPc management platforms.

ISP BWA Infrastructure

ISPs use sectorized base stations which are deployed to provide radio coverage to the targeted area, and frequency channels are reused in other base station sectors, making most efficient use of available spectrum. Base stations are connected to the ISP PoP using wired or wireless point-to-point solutions.

Base stations may have one, four, six or eight sectors. The choice of sector scheme depends on the available spectrum and subscriber density. A base station is typically deployed on a rooftop or antenna mast. The base station equipment includes both outdoor and indoor parts. The outdoor part of the base station including the radio unit and the antenna are securely installed on the antenna mast or rooftop pole. Cables connect the outdoor units to the indoor parts, located in a room on the rooftop or in a weatherproofed cabinet. The indoor parts include the base station shelf, power sources and complementary voice and data communications equipment used to aggregate and backhaul user traffic.

End users are provided with customer premises equipment (CPE). CPEs come in two configurations: 1. A fully indoor, simple installation unit with integral antennas or a detached patch antenna that is placed on a window. 2. A two-piece unit consisting of an outdoor unit with the radio and antenna, connected to an indoor unit, which supplies it with power and communications via a single cable. In both cases, the CPE receives power and presents and Ethernet port to the user.

The Alvarion BreezeACCESS system has been designed to make BWA infrastructure deployment quick, simple and cost effective. BreezeACCESS allows both small and large ISPs to benefit from the best of broadband access alternatives. BreezeACCESS operates in the 2.4GHz unlicensed, as well as the MMDS and 3.5GHz licensed frequency bands. While many ISPs choose to operate in the unlicensed band to avoid the license fees and regulatory issues, some may choose a licensed band system, or even a hybrid deployment of licensed and unlicensed band systems.

Alvarion BreezeACCESS is based on packet switching technology optimized for IP based applications, allowing “always on” connectivity at high data rates bursting to 3Mbps per subscriber. Deploying an Alvarion BreezeACCESS wireless infrastructure requires minimal entry cost, and provides fast return on investment. Once the wireless infrastructure is in place, the modular design allows for scalable and incremental growth. BreezeACCESS allows both existing and new ISPs to reach new markets and connect additional customers quickly. With the commonly used Ethernet interfaces on both CPE and base station equipment, interfacing standard data communications equipment is seamless.

The Alvarion BreezeACCESS CPE, known as a Subscriber Unit (SU) is installed at the customer premises and provides a standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 10BaseT (R-J45) connection, as well as optional POTS port. There are two main variants of subscriber units. Indoor only units can be installed at sites close to the base. Indoor/outdoor versions, consisting of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are required at sites located further from the base station using an integrated antenna for a detached patch antenna that is placed at the window. A single subscriber unit can support one, eight or an unlimited number of users, depending on the model.

The Alvarion BreezeACCESS base station shelf is a 19” rack mounted chassis with dual, redundant power supplies, housing up to six access unit cards. Multiple shelves can be installed in a single base station, to increase capacity. A fully equipped BreezeACCESS base station can serve as many as 1000 subscribers, with each having peak throughput of up to 3 Mbits/sec. Each access unit card connects to an outdoor unit via an easily installed cable that carries data, signaling and power. The outdoor unit is connected to a sector antenna. The access unit card also has an Ethernet port via which it communicates with the backbone network. BreezeACCESS also features a unique standalone Access Unit, a single radio unit base station for pico-cell deployments.

Traffic from all access units is aggregated using a standard Ethernet hub or switch. Traffic is backhauled to the ISP PoP using a variety of techniques and protocols including:

• Wireless point-to-point links
• E1/T1 telco lines
• Ethernet over fiber

At the ISP PoP, traffic is routed to Internet and to the ISP network, providing access to ISPs provided value added services such as application hosting, backup services or web hosting.

Alvarion BreezeACCESS base stations may be deployed in macrocell, microcell and even picocell deployment. Macrocells, in which cell radius exceeds 5Km and may be as high as tens of Km, can be achieved in areas where line of sight is possible, and in deployments where all subscribers have outdoor antennas. The other extreme is a deployment, where all users have indoor-only CPEs, and there is no line of sight between base station and CPE. In such a scenario, picocells with radii of less than one Km must be deployed to give proper radio coverage to all users. The middle ground involves a deployment with cells that allow some non line of sight deployments, close to the base station and require line of sight to farther customers. Such microcells can typically cover an area with a radius of a few Km.

Traffic separation between end users, maintained in the Alvarion BreezeACCESS system using 802.1Q VLAN tagging, is preserved in the backhaul network using techniques like mapping of 802.1Q VLAN tags to ATM virtual circuits or MPLS labels. Similarly, priority of traffic is assured end-to-end in the backbone using IP ToS, or mapping 802.1p priorities to ATM circuit specifications or to MPLS labels.

BWA Telco Solutions for Business Customers

Broadband Wireless Access is becoming the last mile solution of choice for many carriers that address business customers. With wireless, minimal capital expenditures are required to reach many customers and begin service, providing a quick path to profitability. BWA architectures are scalable, allowing demand based build-out. A wireless network can be deployed in parallel with the existing infrastructure, or as a complete infrastructure for emerging operators. Broadband wireless access technologies are, today, mature and field-proven, providing the optimal choice for operators seeking cost-savings and rapid deployment.

Operating in the licensed MMDS, 3.5, 10.5 and 26 GHz frequency bands, Alvarion Broadband Wireless Access solutions are ideal for carriers targeting business customers. Whether it is a small business requiring always on, fast Internet access, an enterprise wanting a private network for PBX-to-PBX connectivity or a branch office needing IP connectivity to headquarters, Alvarion has the broadband wireless access solution most appropriate for the job.

Alvarion BWA solutions are implemented as a cellular infrastructure, similar to mobile telephony networks. Base stations are deployed to provide radio coverage to the targeted area, and frequency channels are reused in non-adjacent base station sectors, making most efficient use of available spectrum. Base stations are connected to the carrier central office or PoP using wired or wireless point-to-point solutions. Business customers are provided with customer premises equipment (CPE), typically consisting of an outdoor unit with a radio and antenna, connected to an indoor unit, which receives power and presents voice and data interfaces to the customer network. The entire BWA network is connected to the carrier data backbone, the Internet and the PSTN.

Alvarion BWA solutions feature comprehensive network management, integrated into the leading network management platforms, including HP OpenView and Castle-Rock SNMPc.

Using Alvarion’s WALKair-1000 and WALKair-3000, carriers can provide carrier class, toll quality voice services, linking customer sites and providing PSTN connectivity. At the same time, the WALKair systems allow the provision of high speed, IP or legacy data networking services, including Internet access, LAN interconnect and VPNs. WALKair utilizes dynamic bandwidth allocation to maximize bandwidth capacity and facilitate the widest range of differentiated high-speed data and voice services.

With WALKair, carriers can provision truly toll quality legacy services ranging from ISDN BRI through fractional E1 through full E1 and even E3. Packet data services with any can be provisioned by throughput, starting from 64Kbits/sec and going right up to 34Mbits/sec per customer. A variety of TDM and packet data interfaces, including ISDN BRI and PRI, V.35/X.21 and Ethernet can be presented o the customer network. A single WALKair base station can support up over 1000 users, and has a total capacity of over 1Gbits/sec. WALKair systems operate in the 3.5, 10.5 and 26 GHz bands.

By using Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS systems carriers can cost effectively provide Internet access and IP data services to business customers that do not require legacy telephony or data interfaces. With up to 3Mbits/second of throughput per customer, H.323 Voice over IP telephony and myriad service provisioning features, BreezeACCESS has the power and flexibility to address most business customers. BreezeACCESS lowers overall capital and operational costs by using standard Ethernet data communications protocols and interfaces, making use of low-cost components and connecting to inexpensive, easily managed complementary equipment such as switches and routers.

BreezeACCESS enables carriers to provide differentiated services, with CIR & MIR, delivers secure VPNs using standard 802.1Q VLANs and supports easy provisioning with PPPoE. Accounting services can easily be implemented using the RADIUS clients built-into the BreezeACCESS solutions. BreezeACCESS networks allow traffic prioritization with 802.1p and IP ToS, ensuring high quality end-to-end delivery of delay sensitive traffic, such as voice and video.

Alvarion business BWA solutions allow carriers to deliver telephony and data services to a wide variety of business customers, with diverse requirements. Alvarion solutions can be deployed quickly and inexpensively to provide initial coverage and can scale easily as customers come on line.