Telecommunications provider BitCo has launched microwave connectivity in the last mile using licensed spectrum at 2GHz, it said on Monday. The service offers speeds up to 100Mbit/s and is being pitched as an alternative to fibre, especially in areas where fibre is not yet available.
BitCo MD Jarryd Chatz said licensed-frequency microwave technology offers higher speeds over longer distances.
“Licensed-frequency microwave technology makes our links more reliable and mitigates the risk of interference. It is just as good as fibre with high speeds and low latency,” Chatz said in a statement.
“We had previously started experiencing a higher than normal rate of declines on wireless links when using open spectrum technology. There were inherent problems with interference in the ISM band on 2,4GHz and 5,8GHz,” he said.
Those bands are not protected from interference by communications regulator Icasa and are typically used for providing Wi-Fi and similar services.
BitCo said that in densely populated or metropolitan areas where fibre is available, it uses its licensed-frequency microwave technology for rapid deployment as an interim solution while fibre is being installed.
The technology is line-of-sight dependent. Chatz said BitCo will not install wireless links where it cannot provide 99% operational uptime. – © 2016 NewsCentral Media
