Both the Tsunami QuickBridge-8100 point-to-point backhaul radio and the Tsunami MP-8100 point-to-multipoint product are proprietary radios that use the same underlying 4G technologies in WiMAX and LTE: MIMO and OFDM.
As a result, both radios provide high capacity and long range for their prices, and non-line-of-sight connectivity. That combination is a first for any platform. The radios operate in two bands: 2.3GHz-2.5 GHz, and 4.9GHz-6GHz, both licensed and unlicensed. It's a relatively low set of frequencies, which enables longer range and better building penetration.
There are already 1Gbps radios on the market, including the 1.6Gbps Horizon Dual from . But the Dragonwave product, designed for very high capacity backhaul, has a range of 5 to 7 miles, runs in licensed or unlicensed 11GHz-38GHz bands, and carries a price tag ranging from $12,000 to $30,000.
One of the key selling points for the new Proxim gear will be its prices: The QB-8100 starts at $6,600 and the MP-8100 at $1,550.
The QB-8100 offers data rates of 300M and 600Mbps,with throughput of 100 and 200Mbps. These backhaul links can reach over 40 miles. Latency is 1-2 milliseconds, a key requirement to be able to handle streaming traffic such as voice and video, according to Proxim President and CEO Pankaj Manglik.
The MP-8100 offers the same data rates and throughput. It can share that capacity as fixed broadband wireless access for multiple subscribers in offices and homes. It can also be used for cost-effective video surveillance deployments, according to Manglik.
Both radios have two Gigabit Ethernet ports, both which support Power-over-Ethernet. One acts as the uplink, the second as a port for local devices, such as a video camera, which can draw the power it needs from the radio unit itself.
Both use Proxim's own Wireless Outdoor Routing Protocol, and an array of common network management and security standards. Based on the same radio technology, Proxim plans eventually to introduce a 1Gbps product.