WLAN

Proxim looks to capitalize on Motorola's restructuring plans

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:47:47 -0400

Proxim Wireless is pouncing on Motorola's recently announced re-organization of its Home & Networks Mobility Group as an opportunity to steal Motorola's broadband wireless customers. The company is offering an investment protection plan to all Motorola customers and resellers of Motorola equipment, extending preferential pricing to these groups if they move way from Motorola's Symbol, MeshNetworks, Canopy or Orthogon products and buy Proxim's WLAN, WiFi mesh and point-to-point solutions.

At the end of July, Motorola announced plans to separate its Home & Networks Mobility Group into three separate businesses, a move that many believe may make the businesses easier to sell off. The Home & Networks Mobility Group has been profitable compared to the firm's mobile devices unit. Many analysts believe that either the entire division or parts of it are attractive to other industry vendors.

For more:
- see this release

Related stories:
Motorola restructures--again. Motorola story
Motorola finds breaking up is hard to do. Motorola story

Belden buys Trapeze for $133M

Sue Marek — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:40:36 -0400

Component maker Belden snapped up enterprise WLAN gear maker Trapeze Networks for $133 million in cash. Belden says the deal will help it increase its position in the signal transmission market and enable it to address its customers growing need for mobility.

Trapeze Networks, based in Pleasanton, Calif., was one of many startups that pioneered the concept of the wireless LAN switch, which links the access point to a central control and allows the clients to roam seamlessly. This deal has been rumored for several weeks.

For more:
- Read this press release
- See this NetworkWorld article

Related stories:
Trapeze shifts WLAN distribution model. See this Trapeze article
Cisco comfortably leads among WLAN vendors. See this WLAN article.

Motorola: WLAN poised to replace enterprise wired networks

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

Motorola made the case for the enterprise to cut the wires during the Interop conference in Las Vegas. Kathy Paladino, president of enterprise mobility with Motorola, told conference attendees that wireless LANs are at the point where they should motivate enterprises to go all wireless. She said new standards such as 802.11n are offering the enterprise wired-like data speeds, reliability and security to WLAN networks. In addition, cost savings provide a compelling proposition to move all wireless. Paladino said wired networks cost 10 times that of WLANs to deploy and maintain.

"The technology is ready, and the time is now to make the shift," she said.

For more about Motorola's all-wireless views:
- check out this InformationWeek article

Broadcom moves into enterprise WiFi market

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:59:55 -0400

Broadcom believes it can leverage its success in the consumer 802.11n WiFi market to move into the enterprise WLAN market. The company announced a new 802.11n enterprise solution the combines its Intensi-fi silicon and its Fastpath networking software that it says will extend the enterprise-critical features from the company's StrataXGS enterprise switches to create an end-to-end solution for business-grade 802.11n WiFi networks.

Broadcom said this integrated platform provides significant cost and time-to-market advantages for manufacturers compared with other silicon solutions that do not include the software features that IT managers require. The solution also successfully addresses power consumption issues, said Broadcom. Broadcom claims that APs built using its new chip use half the power of competing 802.11n chipsets, allowing access points to operate simultaneously on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands while being powered by a company's existing Power over Ethernet infrastructure.

"Broadcom is building on the great success we have achieved with consumer 802.11n solutions to serve the untapped enterprise wireless market," said Michael Hurlston, vice president and general manager of Broadcom's Wireless LAN line of business, in a press release. "By marrying the industry's leading WLAN solutions with proven switch hardware and software, Broadcom is well-positioned to pursue the $2.3 billion enterprise wireless market with an end-to-end solution."

For more about Broadcom's foray into the enterprise market:
- read this release

Related article:
Broadcom: 802.11n won't usurp 802.11g yet Report on 802.11n

Motorola introduces pre-802.11n WiFi equipment

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:59:54 -0400

Motorola became the latest vendor to introduce pre-802.11n WiFi equipment. The company released the Motorola RFS6000 multi-core processor-based wireless LAN switch targeted at mid-sized enterprises. Motorola say the switch supports an "all-wireless enterprise vision, enabling businesses to build an enterprise WLAN that serves the entire organization from workers in corporate headquarters to manufacturing and distribution plants to remote branch offices."

Motorola also released a tri-radio 802.11n access point, the AP-7131. The tri-radio design integrates three 802.11n radios that simultaneously support high-speed client access, mesh backhaul,and dedicated dual-band intrusion protection. The third radio can be field-upgraded to enable next-generation 3G/4G technologies, such as WiMAX for wide area network connectivity.

To read more about Motorola's foray into 802.11n:
- check out this article from Wi-Fi Planet

Related articles:
- Cisco introduces enterprise 802.11n equipment Report
- Enterprise vendors put pre-802.11n stakes in the ground Report

Meru: New access point software upgradeable to 802.11n

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:59:54 -0500

Meru Networks says it has introduced the first WLAN access point that conforms to legacy IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards but can be upgraded with just a software update to the higher performing 802.11n draft 2.0 standard. The move is significant given the fact that enterprises must rip out existing 802.11 a/b/g gear if they want to move to 802.11n, which offers higher throughput and capacity.

Meru says when enterprises decide to upgrade to 802.11n using its new AP302 access point, they only pay for a new software license, avoiding new hardware costs and the disruption of new installations.

For more about Meru's new access point:
- check out this release

Related articles:
Enterprise vendors put pre-802.11n stakes in the ground Report
Philadelphia, Meru and Avaya provide wireless technology at 268 schools Release

Aruba warns fiscal 2Q below expectations

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Enterprise WLAN vendor Aruba announced its second-quarter fiscal results ended January would not meet Wall Street's expectations, blaming a delay in approval of the federal budget.

The company expects revenue for the quarter of between $40 million and $41 million with a loss of about 4 cents to 5 cents per share. Wall Street had expected revenue of $51.5 million and a profit of 5 cents a share.

In a press release, Aruba CEO Dominic Orr said the company in the quarter "experienced a significant decrease in revenues in the federal vertical in conjunction with the delay in the approval of the Federal budget." He expects the federal business to pick up in the second half of the fiscal year.

Orr also said that the company has seen "an elongated sales cycle" at some customers. He also said that a transition to a two-tier distribution system has taken longer than expected.

Goldman Sachs noted in a research note that the economic slowdown is weighing on Aruba's business. "In addition to U.S. weakness, the company is also seeing weakness in Europe, particularly northern countries such as the U.K.," the firm wrote. "While U.S. enterprise weakness is not a major surprise, weakness in European enterprise suggests that macro issues could weigh on the company longer than originally expected."

For more about Aruba's lower-than-expected results:
- take a look at this article from AP
- read this release

Related articles:
Aruba moving on up in enterprise WiFi Report
Aruba jumps on 802.11n bandwagon Report

Broadcom posts big Q4 numbers

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Broadcom, the company best known for its legal skirmishes with Qualcomm, reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded expectations. The company said net revenue reached $1 billion and net income was $90 million, up 100 percent from the year-ago quarter. Broadcom's stock rose more than 6 percent on the news. The company is predicting a strong outlook for revenue driven by Bluetooth, WiFi nd digital TV.

To read more about Broadcom's results:
- check out this article from RCR Wireless News

Related articles:
Broadcom teams up with Trolltech Report
Broadcom bolsters FiOS foothold Report

Siemens says it solved 802.11n power problem

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:59:54 -0500

Siemens said it is launching a WLAN system based on 802.11n that can run on normal power over Ethernet--a feat other players have not managed to do. The vendor says it is using two concurrent radios, both running 3 X 3 MIMO with all the features running at 12W.

Other enterprise WiFi vendors say that two 802.11n radios require 15W, which is a higher power requirement than what can be delivered over powered Ethernet. Others have come up with various solutions to deal with the power problem, including using fewer antennas or proprietary power over Ethernet. Siemens doesn't use any of these approaches but won't divulge much about how it accomplished this capability.

To read more about Siemens' claims:
- take a look at this article from TechWeb

Related articles:
Siemens CEO dropped in scandal fallout Report
ABI: Siemens trumps Microsoft on middleware Report

Conexant exits WLAN market

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Chip maker Conexant Systems has ended development of its WLAN product line and let go 140 employees as it continues to slip deeper into financial trouble. The company says it will keep making and selling its WLAN chips to existing customers with its current technology but won't be making any new products. Conexant expects to save $5 million per quarter as a result of the moves.

For more about Conexant's decision to get out of the WLAN market:
- read this article from Telecom Web

ALSO NOTED: Sri Lanka's Dialog Telekom introduced the country's first WiMAX network; Chip company Conexant Systems is quitting

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:51 -0500

Sri Lanka's Dialog Telekom introduced the country's first WiMAX network. Article

Chip company Conexant Systems is quitting the WLAN business. Article

The government of New Zealand has approved an auction for radio spectrum in the 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz bands. Article

And Finally… Time Magazine names the iPhone as the "Invention of the Year." Article

Aruba counter sues Motorola over WLAN patents

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Aruba Networks has counter sued Motorola over WLAN patents, bringing some interesting drama to the WLAN space. In August, Motorola's subsidiaries Symbol Technologies and Wireless Valley Communications filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court of Delaware against Aruba for alleged patent infringement. The suit concerns Aruba's alleged infringement of patents related to WLAN technologies. The four disputed patents relate to WLAN switching architecture technology and WLAN site planning and RF management.

For its part, Aruba claims Symbol knew enough about Aruba's products in 2003 to indicate they might infringe on Symbol's pending patents. Aruba also says both Symbol and Wireless Valley withheld information from patent examiners, making the patents invalid. In its counter suit, Aruba is seeking declaratory judgments that it has not infringed and that the patents are invalid and not enforceable. Aruba is asking that Symbol and Wireless Valley pay the costs of the suit and its attorney fees.

Interestingly, Symbol was close to acquiring Aruba in 2003, Aruba claims. During the first half of the year, Symbol had "essentially unfettered access" to information about how Aruba's products were made as the two discussed a deal, Aruba said in a filing. The inventor of two of the patents involved in the suit was one of the engineers inspecting Aruba's technology, Aruba said. A deal was never made because the two companies couldn't agree on terms.

To find out more about the counter suit:
- read this story from IDG News Service

Cisco introduces enterprise 802.11n equipment

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:59:56 -0400

Cisco is the latest enterprise WLAN company that isn't waiting for the 802.11n standard to be completed. The dominant WiFi player for the enterprise announced several integrated enterprise products based on the Draft 802.11n standard, which is designed to boost WiFi's throughput and range. Previously, Cisco said 802.11n wasn't ready for the enterprise, but now it follows the footsteps of Meru Networks, Colubris and Trapeze. Given the fact that the company holds around 64 percent of the enterprise WLAN market, Cisco's entrance gives some significant validity to 802.11n in the enterprise.

Cisco introduced its Unified Wireless Network that includes the modular Cisco Aironet 1250 access point and the 48-Gbps Cisco Catalyst 6500-based wireless LAN controller system. It also includes the ability to power a dual-radio Aironet 1250 Series from one Ethernet point, which can be useful if the access point is located some distance from an electrical outlet. Cisco says the Aironet 1250 access point is the first enterprise-class 802.11n draft 2.0 access point available. The products will ship in October.

The enterprise market is risk adverse when it comes to pre-standardized equipment, but the fact that the WiFi Alliance is certifying these products seems to put the enterprise at ease. A recent survey from Colubris Networks highlighted strong interest and momentum for 802.11n deployments in the enterprise.

For more about Cisco's move into the 802.11n market:
- read this article from Mobile Tech Today

Broadcom: 802.11n won't usurp 802.11g yet

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Chipmaker Broadcom revised its outlook for 802.11n chips, saying the standard is not likely to replace 802.11g as the dominant WiFi standard this year. Michael Hurlston, vice president and general manager of Broadcom's WLAN business unit, said the price difference between 802.11n chips and 802.11g solutions was a significant factor in Broadcom's change in outlook. Prices for 802.11g products are dropping due to competition, he said.

Broadcom originally anticipated 802.11n to account for about 25 percent of global WiFi chip sales by the end of 2007, but has revised the ratio downward to 20 percent due to slower-than-expected sales of 802.11n chips, Hurlston revealed. The market share gap between 802.11n and 802.11g could still narrow but 802.11g chips will continue to hold a 50 percent share of the global WLAN chip market, he said.

For more about Broadcom's 802.11n revelation:
- read this article from DigiTimes

Motorola sues Aruba over WLAN patents

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Motorola's subsidiaries Symbol Technologies and Wireless Valley Communications have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court of Delaware against Aruba Networks for alleged patent infringement. The suit concerns Aruba's alleged infringement of patents related to WLAN technologies. The four disputed patents relate to WLAN switching architecture technology and WLAN site planning and RF management.

According to Motorola, Symbol introduced the first modern wireless switch architecture, which significantly lowered the cost of deploying network infrastructure and of managing, maintaining and upgrading wireless systems.

The company also says that Wireless Valley introduced the concept of using a predictive design approach, a three-dimensional representation of an environment, and site specific information in the design, implementation and management of wireless networks in and around buildings.

Symbol and Wireless Valley want a permanent injunction against Aruba and monetary damages for using the patented technologies. Symbol has indicated that Aruba might not be the only company infringing its patents.

For more on the lawsuit:
- read this press release
- take a look at this article from EE Times

Aruba moving on up in enterprise WiFi

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:59:54 -0400

WLAN vendor Aruba has nearly doubled its market share since going public in March. Thanks to going public, customers are comfortable with Aruba's long-term viability, says Aruba founder Keerti Melkote. Aruba recently won a contract with Prudential Fox & Roach, the country's largest single-market real estate firm. It has landed several high-profile contracts, including a deal with the U.S. Air Force, Ohio State University and Microsoft.

Aruba reported in May that revenue increased to $34.7 million, up 30 percent quarter over quarter and up 65 percent from the previous year. It was the company's first break-even quarter since its inception in 2002.

However, Aruba has a long way to go before it catches up with heavyweight Cisco. According to research company Dell'Oro Group, Cisco's market share sits around 64 percent.

For more about Aruba's surge:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

SPOTLIGHT: Survey says enterprises interested in 802.11n

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:59:52 -0400

Colubris Networks announced results from a survey of 200 senior IT professionals that was designed to benchmark their familiarity with the 802.11n standard and their future deployment plans. The respondents work primarily in medium to large businesses (more than 500 employees) across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, education, manufacturing and financial services.

According to Colubris, data from the survey highlights strong interest and momentum for 802.11n deployments and point to it being an inflection point for WLANs becoming the enterprise network:

44% of respondents already have plans to implement 802.11n.
Nearly one-third of respondents plan to replace their wired network using an 802.11n WLAN.
62% plan to incrementally deploy 802.11n, versus doing it all at once.

Court decision could hurt WiFi industry

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:59:57 -0400

A federal court decision earlier this month could hurt the entire WiFi industry. The Eastern District Court of Texas has issued an injunction against WiFi equipment vendor Buffalo Technology in a patent dispute with the Australian science agency known as CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. The court found that Buffalo violated CSIRO's 1996 patent pertaining to 802.11a/g technology and must stop selling WLAN products until it makes a licensing agreement with CSIRO.

Lawyers say the court's decision could result in steep licensing fees to CSIRO from makers of a whole host of WiFi products.

To read more about the court's decision:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

ALSO NOTED: Free WiFi for Vista users; WiFi at the art museum, and much more...

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:01:31 -0500

> T-Mobile promises three free months of WiFi for Vista users. Report

> There is now another place to surf the web without wires in downtown Savannah, GA: The Telfair Museum of Art's Jepson Center just announced WiFi is available there. Report

> Chipmaker Renesas Technology has invested in WLAN chipset vendor Key Stream Corporation. The two companies plan to collaborate on product integration, WiFi-enabled SoC designs and the development of next-generation wireless standards. Report

> D-Link said it has captured the No. 1 market share position for WLAN in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan. The latest IDC Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) Quarterly Wireless LAN Tracker Report for Q3, 2006, shows D-Link achieving an 18.9 percent share in the WLAN market. Report

> Market research firm BMI-TechKnowledge says fixed and wireless broadband connections in Africa are expected to exceed 7 million by 2011, with DSL subscribers making up 3.7 million and mobile cellular technologies and fixed wireless broadband competing for second place. Report

> And speaking of Africa: Africa's No. 3 mobile phone operator, Celtel, will inject an additional $1.4 billion into its Nigerian unit this year, aiming to increase its subscriber base. Celtel, a unit of Kuwait's Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC), acquired a 65 percent stake in Nigeria's number three mobile operator Vmobile for $1 billion last May. Report

And finally...Music to one's ears: The amount of money that mobile phone users worldwide spend on music received on mobile handsets will reach $32.2 billion by 2010, up from $13.7 billion in 2007, according to new Gartner forecasts. Report

Trend: Where wireless networking is heading

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:01:35 -0500

Wireless networks not only proliferate, but they also grow, become more complex, and are now more critical for more and more organizations. In many enterprises, large and small, WLANs are now the main way of connecting to--and within--the organization. What are the major trends in wireless networking? E-Commerce Times' Greg Murphy offers a useful summary.

Increased scale. Not too long ago only very few networks encompassed 1,000 or more wireless APs. Today 1,000 APs are considered moderately sized WLAN. More and more WLANs now boast more than 10,000 APs, often scattered across hundreds of facilities. The key to coping with this increased size: management software that provides a single console from which to manage an entire network, regardless of its size.
Device diversity. There used to be a time when practically the only devices connected to a WLAN were laptop PCs running Windows. Nowadays any wireless-enabled device--laptops, PDAs, smartphones, etc.--may become a node in the enterprise network. Smaller devices mean greater mobility, and greater mobility affects reception and network performance. The greater number and diversity of devices means that IT managers must now develop a plan to support multiple security policies simultaneously, improve WLAN performance (in order to sustain such new devices that impose higher performance requirements), and understand new mobility patterns within the enterprise. IT managers must conduct regular audits of the entire infrastructure to alert them to AP or wireless-enabled devices not complying with security policies.
Diverse infrastructure. Many enterprises must integrate different wireless technologies--WiMAX, mesh networks, other proprietary technologies--into their current networking mix. The challenge of how to support multiple wireless architectures and topologies, in addition to multi-vendor networks, is not easy.

"In the long run, as wireless networks grow larger and more complex, IT needs to consider investing in neutral network management solutions that give them the flexibility to control and monitor both traditional and advanced infrastructures from the same console," Murphy concludes.

For more on the direction of WLAN:
- see Greg Murphy's E-Commerce Times discussion