BridgeWave Launches New Line of Field Upgradeable, 80GHz Wireless Bridges for 'Future Proof,' Seamless Migration From 100Mbps to Gigabit Ethernet Bandwidth.

San Jose Provider of Wireless Broadband Services Deploys BridgeWave's FE80U Links to Expand High-Capacity Access and WiMax Backhaul for South S.F. Bay Area Customers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- BridgeWave Communications, the leading supplier of gigabit wireless solutions, today announced a line of 100Mbps wireless links that can be upgraded in the field to full Gigabit Ethernet speeds to deliver unprecedented investment protection while easily accommodating ever-increasing bandwidth requirements. Ideally suited for network operators and enterprises seeking a "future proof" alternative to traditional 100Mbps, 18-to-38GHz links, the FE80U and FE80XU offerings provide virtually unlimited frequency re-use in the 80GHz licensed spectrum to support a wide variety of metropolitan applications.

Bandwidth on BridgeWave's FE80U and FE80XU point-to-point bridges can be increased from 100Mbps to Gigabit Ethernet simply and quickly by activating a web-enabled software key. When upgraded to GigE speeds, both products also include BridgeWave's exclusive AdaptRate[TM] technology, which switches capacity from GigE to 100Mbps transmission to provide continuous operation, even during moments of intense downpours. Additionally, the FE80XU features BridgeWave's extended range antennas providing up to "five nines" availability over multi-mile distances.

According to Gregg Levin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for BridgeWave, the new FE80U and FE80XU links reduce the cost, complexity and time delays often associated with bandwidth capacity expansions. "With our new field-upgradeable wireless links, it's now possible to extend network capacity to full GigE bandwidth without time-consuming and expensive hardware upgrades," he says. "This new product line offers a compelling value proposition since it enables service providers and enterprise users to start out with highly economical 100Mbps capacity and then upgrade to full GigE rates as bandwidth needs grow."

For Nth Air, an emerging wireless broadband services provider based in San Jose, BridgeWave's new FE80U family provides secure, reliable and affordable multi-mile connectivity for extending the delivery of converged IP network services. In seeking a high-capacity solution for a growing base of customers in San Francisco's South Bay, Nth Air evaluated a variety of wireless solutions in the 11-to-23GHz frequency range but was concerned about spectrum congestion in dense urban areas. Additionally, the service provider required the ability to add capacity as its network of buildings is expanded. Initially, BridgeWave links are used to connect a core set of buildings, which then serve as "jumping off points" to reach another set of nearby locations, eventually creating a city-wide footprint. While Nth Air didn't want to invest in the additional bandwidth upfront, the service provider desired a simple upgrade path to handle aggregated traffic from more and more buildings. Additionally, the service provider wanted to accommodate expanding end-user bandwidth demands, while avoiding hardware replacements and lengthy licensing approval times.

According to Craig Niemeyer, president and CEO of Nth Air, BridgeWave's FE80U product line is a highly appealing, economical choice for handling the backhaul distribution of converged network services. "BridgeWave's 80GHz wireless bridges are easy-to-deploy, high-bandwidth links that give us all the flexibility we need and more, to compete effectively against larger, more established network service providers," he says. "With the field-upgradeable products, we can turn up network capacity for a nominal fee, which allows us to offer more services at very attractive rates. Moreover, we can amortize our BridgeWave CAPEX investment within three months and then continue to collect highly profitable annuities for the services provided."

Reduced licensing requirements for BridgeWave's 80GHz links also ensure that Nth Air can expedite deployments without typical licensing costs and hassles. "BridgeWave's 'lightweight' licensing for its 80GHz products saves us up to $2,000 in fees while the online registration process takes minutes not weeks," Niemeyer says. Nth Air also plans to use BridgeWave's wireless bridges to complement its growing WiMax deployments throughout the South Bay area. "With BridgeWave, we can deliver more WiMax sectors to support increased customer demand," he adds. "The combination of 60GHz and 80GHz point-to-point links with WiMax multipoint hubs fulfills the promise of ubiquitous wireless broadband distribution."

With the largest installed base of GigE radios worldwide, BridgeWave continues to gain significant market traction. The company's high-performance, economical and secure wireless products are highly viable alternatives to fiber for LAN backbone extensions, high-capacity access services as well as emerging WiMAX/4G mobile backhaul applications.

Availability and pricing:

The FE80U and FE80XU products are available now from BridgeWave's partners worldwide at a starting MSRP of $26,900 and $29,900, respectively.

About BridgeWave Communications

Founded in 1999, BridgeWave Communications is the leading supplier of Gigabit Ethernet outdoor wireless connectivity solutions. The company's exclusive AdaptRate[TM] technology and Forward Error Correction capabilities deliver the highest availability at the longest distances for full-rate GigE solutions. BridgeWave's point-to-point, fixed wireless solutions are ideally suited for a wide variety of enterprise, service provider, healthcare, education, public safety and government/military network applications. With the largest installed base of GigE radios worldwide, BridgeWave delivers the highest levels of product quality and reliability. For more information, visit www.bridgewave.com.