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February 3, 2012
Cablevision develops technology for WiFi-based mobile phone service
Steve Donohue, FierceCable
Cablevision executives have said little since then about its WiFi phone strategy, but the company continues to invest in building its WiFi network, using gear from Canadian supplier BelAir Networks. [More]
February 2, 2012
Wi-Fi comes of age
James Atkinson, Wireless
Canadian manufacturer BelAir Networks, which focuses on the mobile operator space, believes that the carriers are now recognizing that Wi-Fi embedded in their networks can unlock new markets and services.
Ronny Haraldsvik, senior VP and chief marketing officer for BelAir Networks, says: 'There has been a massive build up by cable companies. We know of over 100 trials by carriers for Wi-Fi and small cells. AT&T has done more than one billion connections in a 12 month span. So if you factor that up based on around 500 mobile operators and 100 cable operators, that comes to around 100 billion connections across the world.'
He continues: 'Those are staggering numbers. We've done some analysis of Wi-Fi on carriers' networks. There is a doubling of traffic after it is deployed. The intention may have been to deploy Wi-Fi as a means to offload traffic off the main network, but usage goes up to 20Tb of data. But a carrier does not want all this data going over its licensed spectrum.' [More]
January 18, 2012
US LTE setbacks put new focus on unlicensed solutions
Volume 9, issue 39: January 18 2012, Rethink Wireless Watch
The most famous example of this in the US is Cablevision, which has built a dense system of Wi-Fi hotspots and hotzones over its New York and north east territories, to offer a measure of fixed/mobile convergence and added value to its cable subscribers. It can also tap mobile operators for revenue should they want to use the WLans for offload. BrightHouse Networks, the smallest of the three cablecos in the Clearwire group, has just announced that it take the same approach, and like Cablevision is working with carrier Wi-Fi provider BelAir Networks. Most US cablecos have given up on the idea of building their own mobile networks - the other Clearwire cablecos, Comcast and Time Warner, along with Cox, are defecting from their Sprint alliances to team up with Verizon, selling their spectrum to the operator in return for access to its LTE network and fixed/mobile cross-selling. [More]
January 17, 2012
Cable is discovering the joys of Wi-Fi; why not mobile?
Kevin Fitchard, GigaOM
or the last few years, an alternate wireless network has been emerging in the U.S.: one not built by the mobile operators but by cable providers. Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, and Comcast have all launched numerous Wi-Fi hotspots in their service areas, and last week, Bright House joined the club, turning on 2,000 outdoor and indoor hotspots across the state of Florida. The Multiple Service Operators (MSOs) have latched onto the idea of Wi-Fi as a way of extending their home and business broadband services to customers on the go, and it's paying dividends. Why haven't their mobile counterparts followed suit? [More]
January 17, 2012
Dish can play all sides in US 4G fall-out
Caroline Gabriel, Rethink Wireless
For one thing, its main wholesale customers apart from Sprint were the cablecos Cox, Comcast and BrightHouse Networks. The first two have now thrown their lot in with Verizon's LTE platform, while BrightHouse has just announced that it will adopt a Wi-Fi route for its wireless strategy, emulating CableVision. It will work with carrier Wi-Fi provider BelAir Networks. [More]
January 17, 2012
Too Much Information
Stephen Pritchard, CNBC Europe
In the short term, wireless-industry experts expect the problems with mobile networks - and for the companies that use them - to increase. "The operators are in a capacity crunch right now," warns Ronny Haraldsvik, senior vice president at BelAir Networks, a Canadian provider of wireless technology. "Where there is good coverage, people consume huge amounts of data." [More]
January 16, 2012
Cable guy Bright House joins Wi-Fi world
Dan O'Shea, Fierce Broadband Wireless
Cable TV companies for the most part may have abandoned the idea of building their own mobile networks, but increasingly they are warming up to the idea of building Wi-Fi networks in their key residential services markets. The latest cable guy to do so is Bright House Networks, which late last week announce that it has worked with its vendor, BelAir Networks, to roll out more than 2,000 Wi-Fi access points in Florida. [More]
January 13, 2012
Bright House builds 2,000 WiFi hotspots in Florida
Steve Donohue, Fierce Cable
Bright House is using WiFi gear from Canadian vendor BelAir Networks, which also supplies WiFi hardware and software to Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC). Its high-speed Internet subscribers get access to the WiFi hotspots for free. It is charging non-subscribers that discover its WiFi hotspots on their mobile phones, tablets or laptops fees ranging from $1.99 per minute to $19.95 weekly for wireless Internet access. [More]
January 12, 2012
Bright House Lights Up 2,000-Plus Wi-Fi Hotspots In Florida
Todd Spangler, Multichannel News
Bright House has deployed Wi-Fi access points from BelAir Networks. Initially the operator has concentrated the Wi-Fi buildout in marina areas, including Clearwater, Daytona Beach, Ybor City and River Walk. The company said it will also "concentrate on areas where its customers heavily travel," such as the International Drive tourist strip in Orlando and shopping centers. [More]
January 12, 2012
Bright House Lights Up Wi-Fi in Florida
Jeff Baumgartner, Light Reading
Bright House SVP of Network Engineering and Operations Craig Cowden cleared up the MSO's Wi-Fi vendor situation -- it'll be spreading the wealth between BelAir and Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO). "BelAir is the only current AP vendor. However, we plan to also deploy Cisco APs -- perhaps as early as the first half of the year. At this point, we plan to balance our AP equipment across these two vendors," he said in an emailed statement. [More]
December 21, 2011
There's a Land grab going on
Holman W. Jenkins, JR., Wall Street Journal
Neither the technology nor the competitive structure of the industry is mature. The FCC's archaic and rigid way of allocating spectrum rights leaves much of the airwaves bottled up in inefficient uses or idle. That won't last forever. Unlicensed spectrum used by WiFi is also becoming a bigger factor in how we get data to our devices wherever we happen to be. Ronny Haraldsvik of WiFi specialist BelAir Networks says a "land grab" is under way (and the cable companies are winning) to establish hotspot rights in the nation's metropolitan areas, suggesting WiFi will play a bigger role than anyone might have guessed in making ubiquitous broadband possible. [More]
December 21, 2011
WiFi: No Longer an Add-On
Carl Weinschenk, Broadband Technology Report
BelAir Networks' Rayment said that the mean size of cable WiFi networks in 2012 is expected to double over previous installations. Size alone, of course, doesn't indicate a greater level of sophistication or robustness. That is coming as well, he said. Coming WiFi projects will feature deeper integration with the core network -- they no longer can be "bolt-ons," Rayment said -- with deeper levels of policy creation and enforcement and security. "There is a switch-over from one way of doing it to another," he said. [More]
December 20, 2011
Big 4 Mobile Broadband Predictions For 2012
Ronny Haraldsvik, Business Computing World
In this past year alone, Vodafone reports around 69% growth in mobile data across the Group compared with 25% for voice. As we move into 2012 this upward curve shows no sign of dipping. What impact will this have on the mobile broadband industry? [More]
December 20, 2011
Bright Lights, Gig Cities
BelAir Networks, IT Analysis
Based on trends observed through the BelAirBI Business Intelligence tool and data extrapolated from both internal and third party sources, networking specialist, BelAir Networks has compiled 4 Big Network Predictions for 2012. When combined, these predictions all point to the emergence of the Metro Gig Zone offering bright lights for mobile broadband, particularly in big cities where wireless networks are challenged by highly dense pockets of data usage: [More]
December 14, 2011
Cable AWS Deal Marks Strategic Shift to Wi-Fi
Fred Dawson, Screen Plays
BelAir, as the leader, has kept up with the evolving scenario by delivering ever more products with the scaling and specific functionalities essential to various segment requirements, including those of the evolving cable strategy. For example, Haraldsvik said, the firm's controller and management system can now manage up to 100,000 access points within a large metro deployment. [More]
November 24, 2011
BelAir Networks launches GigXone wireless system
Editor, Information Week
BelAir Networks recently announced the launch of GigXone, a small network wireless system that enables carriers, fixed and mobile, to make use of Wi-Fi as part of their overall network strategy beyond just "offload." The system claims to offer new business models, such as hosted WLAN services, thereby bringing new sources of revenue to carriers. [More]
November 17, 2011
BelAir's GigXone: Making metro Wi-Fi communal
Kevin Fitchard, Wall Street Journal
Mobile operators are paying hotspot aggregators for mobile offload capacity. Why not the other way around? BelAir Networks thinks operators should think big, building their own monster metro Wi-Fi networks, then turn around and sell that capacity back to aggregators and everyone else. [More]
November 16, 2011
BelAir launches GigXone small cell wireless system
Editor, Telecompaper
BelAir Networks has unveiled the GigXone small cell system for mobile carriers. GigXone allows mobile carriers to offer network data capacity and wireless coverage in dense metropolitan areas, 'HotZones', office and school campus locations and for fixed carriers who want to offer mobile access outside. The GigXone system of multimode or Wi-Fi small cell network access and backhaul options is suited to extend existing broadband services into densely populated areas challenged by macro mobile coverage, capacity and/or backhaul issues, or overall business economics associated with providing wireless coverage and capacity in such areas, both indoors and outside. GigXone is built on BelAir Networks carrier Wi-Fi network integration with carriers' existing service infrastructure and billing systems. The GigXone physical system is comprised of Carrier Cloud and HotZone controllers and a portfolio of GPS-enabled small form factor, multimode access points and backhaul products. [More]
November 16, 2011
BelAir's GigXone promises new Wi-Fi riches for cellcos
Caroline Gabriel, Rethink Wireless
BelAir Networks, founded a decade ago to tap into the burgeoning metrozone market, no longer likes to be known as a Wi-Fi firm, but is still focusing on metrozones in their newer incarnation - carrier-controlled, running a mixture of Wi-Fi and cellular small cells, and hugely scalable. The company has, in the past few years, become part of the strategies of large cellcos and cablecos by supporting high level data offload to WLans, and now it is moving further into the heart of the carrier network with its GigXone offering. [More]
November 15, 2011
BelAir Networks GigXone wireless system will enable carriers to offer customers Gigabit personal plans
Editor, Wireless Magazine
Wireless equipment manufacturer BelAir Networks has today (15 November 2011) unveiled its GigXone small cell system for mobile carriers. The system is designed to allow mobile carriers or fixed line operators wanting to offer wireless access with the ability to provide customers with a full gigabit of broadband data even in areas of high density demand. [More]
November 15, 2011
BelAir's GigXone: Making metro Wi-Fi communal
Kevin Fitchard, CNN Money
If mobile operators are going to make Wi-Fi a key part of their data strategies, they might as well go big, generating enormous amount of offload capacity they can not only use to relieve their beleaguered 3G and 4G networks but also sell to their partners – at least that's what metro Wi-Fi equipment dealer BelAir Networks proposes. [More]
November 15, 2011
BelAir's GigXone: Making metro Wi-Fi communal
Kevin Fitchard, GigaOM
If mobile operators are going to make Wi-Fi a key part of their data strategies, they might as well go big, generating enormous amount of offload capacity they can not only use to relieve their beleaguered 3G and 4G networks but also sell to their partners – at least that's what metro Wi-Fi equipment dealer BelAir Networks proposes. [More]
November 4, 2011
BelAir Networks Makes a Big Deal About Small Cells
Video, Light Reading
BelAir CMO Ronny Haraldsvik explains why operators are making use of Wi-Fi as part of their small cell strategies and how BelAir is integrating licensed and unlicensed technology to deal with its data deluge [More]
November 4, 2011
How operators will support their small cell deployments
Video, Mobile Europe
Ronny Haraldsvik, CMO of BelAir Networks, tells Keith Dyer that as operators deploy denser networks, with smaller cell sizes, they will need to be pragmatic as to how they support their access and backhaul needs.
They will also need flexible technology solutions that can support this pragmatic approach. [More]
October 13, 2011
BelAir Networks launches multi-band metrocell base station
Editor, Wireless Magazine
BelAir Networks has unveiled a new small metrocell base station designed for easy outdoor deployment, which combines licensed 3G and LTE bands with carrier Wi-Fi access and integrated wireless backhaul options. [More]
October 12, 2011
BelAir to offer small cell solution for carriers
Howard Solomon, ITWorld Canada
Cellular network congestion is an ailment suffered by a number of carriers, mostly in the world's biggest cities. But operators are finding macro base stations, which can cover several kilometres, just aren't good enough in urban areas. [More]
October 11, 2011
BelAir deploys compact LTE/3G/WiFi transmitter
Steve Donohue, FierceCable
BelAir Networks, which supplies WiFi transmitters to Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC), said it has deployed what it is calling the first compact transmitter with WiFi, LTE and 3G capabilities. [More]
October 11, 2011
BelAir releases multi-mode metrocell with integrated wireless backhaul
Lynnette Luna, FierceBroadbandWireless
BelAir Networks announced availability of what it calls the industry's first compact LTE/3G/Wi-Fi metrocell that includes integrated wireless backhaul for small-cell outdoor deployments. [More]
October 11, 2011
BelAir Small Cell Packs Backhaul Punch
Michelle Donegan, Light Reading
BelAir Networks Inc.'s newest small cell product not only sports support for 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and WiFi, but it packs in wireless backhaul options, too. [More]
October 11, 2011
BelAir's LTE+3G+Wi-Fi Metrocell Also Integrates Backhaul
Editor, Converge Network Digest
BelAir Networks introduced a compact LTE+3G+Wi-Fi Metrocell featured integrated wireless backhaul and designed for massive, city-wide, small cell deployments. [More]
October 11, 2011
BelAir's latest small cell to integrate directly with the macro network
Kevin Fitchard, Connected Planet
BelAir Networks may be known for metro Wi-Fi but today it made it good case for becoming a mobile network infrastructure provide focusing on the emerging small cells market. At CTIA Wireless Enterprise & Applications it announced a stand-alone Metrocell, which combines its own specialty Wi-Fi access and mesh backhaul technology with any number of wide area network radios, creating a combination small cell, carrier data offload point and backhaul node in a single unit. [More]
September 12, 2011
Time Warner Cable spends $15M to build WiFi network in Southern Calif.
Steve Donohue, FierceCable
The WiFi launch in L.A. is significant since the MSO will not only offer free access to WiFi hotpots to existing high-speed Internet subscribers, but it will allow non-subscribers to access the service for a fee. [More]
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