Neul And Carlson Target Rural Broadband With White Space Launch

Cambridge-based wireless specialist Neul, working in conjunction with its American partner Carlson, has launched the first commercially available white space radio system created for WISPs (Wireless Internet Service Providers).

Neul and California-based Carlson actually partnered up last October in an effort to jointly develop a device that would provide affordable mobile broadband connectivity for rural regions around the world.

They announced six months ago they were developing first commercially available radio networking system that would use the so called ‘white space’ frequencies left-over in the TV spectrum.

They were aiming to produce a device that would give WISPs access to more than 100MHz of white space radio spectrum in the UHF band. Now the two companies have officially launched the product, which is known as RuralConnect.

TV spectrum broadband

A product that can utilise the UHF band is very useful in that due to its outstanding propagation characteristics, UHF signals can travel through walls and other obstacles better than others.

RuralConnect is designed to give users in rural areas up to 16Mbps of bandwidth for each available vacant TV channel. It is also designed to provide “unmatched ability to make long range, non-line-of-sight links.”

Major milestone

“RuralConnect marks a major milestone in the realisation of white space technologies, which have been in development for a while,” said Luke D’Arcy, VP of marketing at Neul. “The outstanding propagation characteristics of white space signals mean that operators can serve customers they cannot reach with existing wireless technology.

“The capacity available allows pioneering WISPs to offer all customers faster plans that beat ADSL based competition… And this is possible without investing in new tower sites, spectrum licenses or high priced network equipment, boosting profitable growth.”

“We are well-positioned to make the most of the TV white space opportunity,” said Jim Carlson, CEO of Carlson. “RuralConnect is a proprietary combination of Carlson’s hardware and Neul’s software, resulting in an affordable, high-performance system that is attracting the attention of investors globally.”

Neul and Carlson are stressing the fact that they have priced RuralConnect so as to make it immediately commercially viable. Volume shipments of the new system will begin some time in the second quarter.

White space

In the United States white space radio is now fully available, presenting a host of opportunities across the pond. In the UK, regulator Ofcom has opened up “white-space” frequencies to anyone who guarantees to follow a national database of free spectrum, and not to interfere with TV broadcasts.

The move to digital TV in this country has meant that the use of white space is now being seriously examined as a possible solution for those living in isolated communities.

Earlier this month, BT said it would extend its white space technology trial into Cornwall this summer, as it seeks to gain a better understanding of how the technology can be used to deliver broadband services into remote locations

BT has already experimented with white space technology, after it was revealed in June 2011 that it was part of a consortium that included Microsoft and the BBC that would test “white space” spectrum in the English university town of Cambridge.

BT has already conducted a small-scale trial of white space technology on the Isle of Bute up in south-west Scotland, specifically for the ‘broadcasting’ of broadband services into that remote location.

Last August, Cambridge Consultants saidwhite space radio frequencies will offer companies a range of innovative service opportunities. It said the emergence of white space radio and its use in daily life is inevitable and it will be increasingly used to support internet provision and broadcasting, amongst other things.

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