Urban Wi-Fi can compete with mobile networks

A survey in 14 major cities in North America showed that short-range wireless connectivity technology, in addition to data transmission rates are much higher than mobile phone networks, also capable of reaching coverage. equivalent wave.

Currently, many cities in the world are planning or deploying to build Wi-Fi network to increase Internet access in public areas, and create additional solutions for Wireline broadband infrastructure. These wireless networks (in English called the Metropolitan Network) are usually free and are increasingly proving superiority, despite the fact that mobile service providers building 3G telecommunication networks promise similar speeds. DSL connection channel.

Novarum, an independent consulting firm specializing in wireless infrastructure, conducted the above survey and found that Wi-Fi systems have the ability to expand the range on a large scale, beside advantages. inherent speed is faster than 3G (the slowest form of Wi-Fi has a maximum theoretical maximum capacity several times higher than 3G network). Their Wi-Fi connectivity tests for laptops in several California state cities have demonstrated this with signal availability ranging from 70% to 100%.

Source: cabq Meanwhile, according to Novarum Director Phil Belanger, mobile networks currently have an average signal level of 86% but in fact are not really "well matched to that number". 3G networks also only have a signal level of 58%, while in many regions, suppliers compete with much slower speed services. In Novarum's survey, 3G networks operate with download speeds of 300-400 Kb / sec, while 2.5G network types are only a fraction of that. The advanced version 2.5G of GSM mobile network, referred to as EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), has the advantage of using data applications on the phone but weak in application support. follow the PC standard.

Novarum said the urban Wi-Fi network has an average performance twice that of 3G with download speeds of 869 Kb / sec and uploads of 256 Kb / sec. A test on the infrastructure of Hydro OneZone in Toronto (Canada) also recorded download speeds of 2.2 Mb / sec and uploaded 1.6 Mb / s compared to wired broadband.

Two notable urban Wi-Fi projects in the United States are Earthlink's company in Philadelphia (USA) with a download speed of 1.5 Mbps, although it is only a test model with performance. 50% signal. The second is Google's Mountain View network at 70%.

Novelum director Phil Belanger said cities that want to build urban Wi-Fi networks must deploy multiple access points, ranging from 35 to 40 network nodes per square mile ( 1 mile equivalent to 1.6 km) for suburbs, and more than 100 buttons on the same area for the inner city.