BridgeWave Releases Industry First Full-Rate Gigabit Picocell Wireless Backhaul System

PicoHaul Product Family Provides Operators with a Solution for Small Cell Network Connectivity

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BridgeWave Communications, the leading supplier of 4G backhaul solutions, introduces the first product in its all new PicoHaul™ backhaul product family with the release of its PG60C. The company continues its mission of providing backhaul solutions for next generation 4G networks, building on its field-proven family of gigabit wireless products, with its entry into small-cell (picocell) backhaul of 4G networks.

BridgeWave's PG60C, part of the PicoHaul family of products. (Photo: Business Wire)

As 4G networks become a reality, mobile carriers are faced with increasing demand for backhaul capacity to handle data hungry devices in dense urban areas where coverage can be a challenge. To provide ubiquitous coverage and 4G speeds to the user, the traditional model of macro-cell site coverage is being redefined. Operators will deploy smaller, lower cost street-level cells with greater densities than in the 2G/3G macro-cell model. As each “picocell” in this model delivers 4G speeds to the handset, the need for high-capacity backhaul becomes critical in fulfilling the “4G promise”.

BridgeWave’s PG60C provides mobile operators with a cost effective and unobtrusive solution for small cell backhaul, or to in-fill network holes between macro base stations that originate from geography, building layout or legacy network planning. Designed to cost effectively transport gigabit data rates, the PG60C product provides high-capacity backhaul of picocell traffic without the traditional “dish” antenna used with other wireless solutions. BridgeWave’s PicoHaul product has already completed a successful, several month-long trial with a North American Tier 1 carrier.

“The PG60C picocell backhaul product was developed for mobile operators looking for an affordable, high-capacity product for small-cell connectivity,” said Amir Makleff, CEO of BridgeWave Communications. “BridgeWave is committed to developing products that tackle emerging 4G issues, ultimately providing operators with more tools for ubiquitous coverage. This product leverages our expertise in building high-quality gigabit transmission solutions that are being adopted by carriers world-wide.”

“Mobile carriers are looking for innovative and cost-effective ways to provide backhaul connectivity that can be easily deployed while also blending with the overall aesthetics of an urban area,” said Earl Lum, principal at EJL Wireless. “The demand for mobile broadband continues to increase and BridgeWave’s PG60C is the first product designed to provide operators the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for high-capacity gigabit small cell backhaul.”

Millimeter wave frequency bands, specifically the 60 GHz band, yield a number of significant benefits for high-capacity transmission in terms of spectrum availability, frequency reuse, interference immunity, and in many areas, licensee-free availability. PG60C allows operators to provision these backhaul circuits rapidly and more cost effectively than fiber.

BridgeWave’s PicoHaul products were designed with aesthetics in mind in order to blend with dense urban landscapes. In particular, it was designed for mounting on light poles and sides of buildings where it easily and unobtrusively blends in with the environment to help carriers deliver on the promise of 4G speeds.

“Leveraging picocell backhaul allows mobile operators to provide excellent coverage and capacity to users in dense areas and other public spaces,” said Idan Bar-Sade, SVP of engineering and product management for BridgeWave Communications. “The PG60C product yields an unobtrusive, low-impact installation while providing enough capacity to support a variety of network topologies such as daisy-chaining, mesh, and rings, with a low total cost of ownership”.

BridgeWave will be showcasing its PicoHaul solution at CTIA Wireless, March 22-24, 2011, Orange County Convention Center, Booth # 1459.

About BridgeWave Communications

BridgeWave Communications is the leading supplier of high-capacity 4G backhaul and gigabit wireless connectivity solutions. BridgeWave's carrier-grade, point-to-point wireless FlexPort® links provide a future-proof mobile backhaul solution for carriers and mobile operators looking to support 4G/LTE/WiMAX adoption. PicoHaul™ links provide the same carrier-grade high-capacity, small-cell backhaul for dense cell deployments. The company's 60 GHz and 80 GHz links offer up to ten times the bandwidth of comparably-priced lower-frequency license-free and licensed-band wireless links, while providing superior interference immunity and data security. Founded in 1999, BridgeWave is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. For more information, visit http://www.bridgewave.com.

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CONTACT:

BridgeWave Communications
Joe Schraml, 408-567-6927
joe.schraml@bridgewave.com
or
SHIFT Communications
Jennifer Usher, 415-591-8456
jusher@shiftcomm.com

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BridgeWave's PG60C, part of the PicoHaul family of products. (Photo: Business Wire)