16 October 2003 Vancouver, Canada Lightwave -- fSONA Communications, provider of free space optical wireless systems, announced at ITU Telecom World in Geneva, Switzerland the launch of the entire SONAbeam E Series of products.
The SONAbeam E Series fills a need in the market for FSO systems that are compact, economical, and carrier-class, say company representatives. The E Series includes two redundant high-powered lasers transmitting at 1550 nm within a simple, environmentally sealed housing. They feature transmission distances of 50 m to 4600 m (160 ft to 2.9 mi). Interchangeable interface cards allow customers to quickly and inexpensively ramp bandwidth or switch protocols. The interface cards support NxT1/E1, 10/100 Ethernet, E3/DS3, STM-1/OC-3 protocols or data-rate transparent transmission and offer the added reliability of clock data-rate recovery (CDR). Additionally, the complete E Series can be managed over Ethernet and is IP-addressable.
"Customers feel confident using our products because they are designed to withstand the most extreme conditions," contends Theresa Carbonneau. "However, in certain situations, they need a scaled-down version. The new SONAbeam E series fulfills the requirement for a compact, cost-effective FSO solution. Based on feedback from leading international carriers, we expect customer demand to be great," she adds, "especially in areas that, for one reason or another, lack infrastructure."
The SONAbeam E Series is unlicensed worldwide and can be easily transported to installation sites, making it ideal for situations that require rapid deployment. In regions that lack wireline infrastructure or have had infrastructure damaged or destroyed by war or natural disasters, the E Series can quickly establish a high-speed communications network. With a SONAbeam E rapid deployment kit, agencies and enterprises can be prepared for emergency restoration of service or temporary deployments. Emerging service providers will find the E series perfect for aggregating the bandwidth of off-net buildings and RF networks, says the company. In addition, mobile wireless network operators who wish to expand their coverage or capacity will find the E's small form-factor appealing.