AT&T, Covad Team for VoIP over WiMAX

A WiMAX infrastructure will let service providers deliver VoIP to rural areas without a backhoe. 

AT&T and Covad have revealed their intention to use WiMAX technology to provide VoIP and data services to rural areas to avoid local access charges. The announcement earlier this month clears up the mystery surrounding the service providers' membership in the WiMAX Forum: Apparently, instead of trenching fiber everywhere, as Verizon is doing, they will deliver VoIP services over a less expensive wireless infrastructure.

VoIP over WiMAX is attractive for both enterprises and carriers, but challenges remain. First, no WiMAX-certified equipment has yet been released--though some shipments are expected in 2005, just in time for AT&T and Covad's plans. Second, the initial WiMAX equipment will be certified in the 2.5- and 3.5-GHz spectrum ranges. The 2.5-GHz spectrum is owned largely by Sprint and Nextel, while the 3.5-GHz spectrum is not available for use in the United States. This means that any near-term WiMAX equipment deployment will likely use unlicensed spectrum, which carries the risk of interference from other wireless devices.

Organizations seeking a quick way to provide connectivity to branch offices should consider using high-speed wireless, even if it's pre-WiMAX. AT&T and Covad's announcement should help confirm that wireless VoIP can be made reliable and cost-effective.
 

Wi-LAN, Quintum combine for VoIP over wireless broadband

Wi-LAN and Quintum Technologies have teamed to provide enterprise ISPs and service providers VoIP via wireless broadband.

The joint effort between VoIP technology specialist Quintum and Wi-LAN, one of the biggest proponents of WiMAX, includes design and installation of the PBX connection, VoIP gateways and wireless point to multi-point systems.

The Wi-LAN backhaul uses the company's 'pre-WiMAX' solution that is guaranteed upgradeable to the emerging wireless broadband standard.

The companies say combining Wi-LAN's wireless network technology with Quintum's patented MultiPath Architecture based switch, dubbed the Tenor, would allow service providers and WISPs to penetrate new markets by allowing them to bypass the incumbent telco.

They suggest the combined system can be used to connect securely multiple locations with both data and VoIP Services. The architecture allows for simple integration into existing voice and data networks, while providing failover and redundancy.

John Seliga, Vice President of Marketing of Wi-LAN, commented: "This solution allows us to deploy Tenors on both the customer premises and service provider access points, minimizing the disruption to the existing network infrastructure that is common with traditional VoIP gateways."