OTTAWA, Ontario, February 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Video improvements and "No-touch" access enrich service provider brand experience with Wi-Fi, mobile offload and small cell networks

Large service provider Wi-Fi network installations 4X faster than other vendors' with BelAir Networks hardware, software and management tools

BelAir Networks, the leader in large-scale Wi-Fi and multi-access small cell wireless systems for mobile and fixed service providers, and the only company focused solely on service provider customers, today announced the latest enhancements to its recently announced GigXone™ small cell wireless system.  System improvements speed up and simplify the deployment and management of tens of 1000s of network access points (APs) while optimizing video-based applications and services.

New features also address service provider requirements for tighter integration with existing mobile and fixed service provider access and core networks.  This integration simplifies secure access to Wi-Fi and multi-access metro networks for subscribers, partner-roaming networks, and enables new managed services to small and medium businesses, hospitality and education segments. The GigXone system already integrates with service providers' existing core network and leading gateway vendors.

"Our customers are asking for integration and scalability features to help speed the deployment of Wi-Fi to help make the existing service provider networks better for their customers," said Bernard Herscovich, President and CEO, BelAir Networks. "With the GigXone system, service providers can offer 'Gig Zone' indoor and outdoor services with improved network capacity for millions of subscribers, addressing video and other rich applications that consume 60 - 70% of capacity, without the need to retrofit core or access networks to work with systems built for indoor enterprise Wi-Fi access."

GigXone system integration features and improvements include:

Access Network:

• Video over Wi-Fi hardware-based features improve video buffering speeds by up to 500%, allowing video streams to run more smoothly by dramatically reducing jitter and latency using dedicated video priority queues and video rate adaptation algorithms:  IP multicast-to-802.11 unicast conversion using IGMP snooping, reduces overall network traffic and improves reliable delivery of streams by only sending video to requester, instead of best-effort multicast to all.
• "No-touch" access to Gig Zones:  BelAir Networks was the first to deploy auto-authentication using EAP-SIM/AKA.
• Cellular-Wi-Fi co-location interference rejection: Unlike other APs that experience interference problems within 200 meters of a cell tower, BelAir Networks APs include high-performance filters to minimize interference when co-located or integrated with licensed spectrum radios.
• BelAir's latest 3-stream 802.11n access points offer uniform user experience and predictable high throughput throughout the coverage area:  Leveraging the latest standards-based 802.11n-2009 technologies with beamforming, APs provide 50% better coverage and a more reliable connection in both the uplink and downlink with performance up to 900Mbps per AP.
• Policy enforcement at the access level:  All APs function as policy enforcement points (PEP) removing the reliance on core gateways to handle basic security access functions for local offload.  This reduces latency and improves the overall user experience in a distributed AP-controller architecture for networks experiencing millions of sessions per day. 
• GPS Location: APs ship with GPS with auto-location features enabled to track network elements.
• Band steering, auto channel scanning and beamforming improve iPhone, iPad and Android devices performance and network reach:  AP band steering and auto channel selection with background scan can select any channel in addition to the commonly used non-overlapping channels 1, 6, and 11.
  • Airtime fairness ensures that user devices operating at high modulation rates receive their fair share of available time-based spectrum.
  • Full support for legacy and standardized beamforming.

Core Integration:

• GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) AP and controller support for GTP-C, GTP-U and GTP-P:  GTP support ensures the transport and control of user data between various access nodes in 2G, 3G and LTE networks, thus improving the overall integration of service provider Wi-Fi networks with mobile networks. GigXone controllers support:
  • GTP-C to convey signaling information between core nodes.
  • GTP-U for the transport of user data.
  • GTP-P for the transport and handling of charging data for sessions.
• Dynamic zone configuration:  BelAir8000 Carrier Cloud (CC8000) and BelAir4000 Hot Zone (HZ4000) Controllers support provisioning of subtended access points and can manage multiple network zones for access and services. This gives service providers maximum flexibility by enabling configurations for consumers, business customers and for roaming partners who require a different northbound tunneling path for billing and policy enforcement. The CC8000, announced in November 2011, is already in commercial use with service providers.  The CC8000 can support up to 2000 APs.
• GigXone systems and products already integrate with leading gateways from companies such as Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent and Cisco.

Management and Scaling:

• BelView Network Management supports up to 100,000 APs and provides comprehensive fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS) functions that reduce deployment and troubleshooting time and speed up network deployments of tens of 1000s of access points, up to four times faster than other AP vendors.
• Provisioning templates simplify the deployment of tens of 1000s of network elements while GPS inside APs assures accurate location information. Software can be updated remotely and securely to all, or a selected group of APs already deployed, while dual bank flash allows for complete load reversion if needed.
• Access aware features, auto-provisioning templates and flexible remote software updates enable completely automated out-of-the-box configuration of Wi-Fi hotspots to enable "network-in-a-box model" opening up new revenue models for managed wireless services for business customers and partners.
• BelAirOS Release 12 operating system software boosts individual AP performance by 15-20% for better access to all content and services, improving mobile offload and capacity handling by hundreds of Terabytes/month for small cell networks in a metropolitan area.

New Services and Revenue Models

BelAir Networks unique AP virtualization capabilities give service providers the ability to leverage one network deployment many times. With Virtual AP, each AP can support different and segregated services by assigning unique SSIDs by network, group, zone and individual subscriber, enforcing a service provider's existing policy and billing settings.  Virtual AP also enables service providers to offer a variety of managed services to subscribers, businesses, schools, building owners, and other service providers via shared or hosted network access - unlocking billions of revenues from emerging Wireless-as-a-Service (WaaS) business models.

About GigXone™

The GigXone system is a robust portfolio of outdoor and indoor APs and multi-access small cells, backhaul and mounting options, as well as network and zone controllers for carrier cloud, managed services, stadium and ad-hoc event deployments. GigXone features a highly scalable network management system and tools with support for remote updating of AP software, and business intelligence for network insight and monitoring.

Customers, media and analysts can schedule a meeting with BelAir Networks at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, February 27 - March 1. Click here to request a meeting. See us at our GigXone Cafe (AV03).

About BelAir Networks


BelAir Networks is the leader in large-scale Wi-Fi and multi-access small cell wireless systems for mobile and fixed service providers. BelAir Networks customers include leading service providers such as AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and Bright House Networks. The GigXone portfolio of indoor and outdoor small cells, control and management systems enable service providers to build scalable, high performance wireless networks to deliver Gig Zone services. BelAir Networks is privately held with investments from Comcast Ventures, T-Mobile Venture Fund and several leading venture capital firms, including Trilogy Equity Partners.  http://www.belairnetworks.com

GigXone™ is a trademark of BelAir Networks.

SOURCE BelAir Networks