Siklu will begin shipping a new 60 GHz, multi-Gbps fixed wireless broadband access system to service providers in the U.S. and U.K., which will support field trials and commercial services during the first quarter of 2021, according to the company.

The N366 and T265 systems meet the Terragraph standard, a technology developed by Facebook Connectivity to provide last mile connectivity for communities lacking high speed internet access. Terragraph is an 802.11ay-based wireless technology designed to deliver fiber-like speeds at significantly lower cost and faster time to market than trenched fiber, according to Facebook. The 802.11ay standard enables an end-to-end solution and supports volume production of equipment, to drive down prices.

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The 60 GHz band is attractive for this application as it is unlicensed, available in most countries and offers wide bandwidth with little interference from other wireless networks — supporting high density, low latency, multi-Gbps connections.

“We expect 2021 to be a big year for the deployment of cost-effective, Terragraph-based fixed wireless broadband, and Siklu’s announcement today provides further evidence of that,” said Dan Rabinovitsj, vice president for Facebook Connectivity.

Siklu’s Terragraph product line encompasses three generation of 60 GHz multipoint solutions, known as MultiHaul™. The N366 distribution node is an integrated system with just under 16 Gbps capacity and 360 degree coverage. It can self-organize into a neighborhood L2 software-defined network mesh, connecting to the T265 terminals to cover an area.

Siklu also offers software applications for planning, designing, deploying and operating the fixed mmWave network.

“By achieving important economies of scale and gigabit-speed connections, Siklu and Terragraph fixed wireless now offer a flexible high performance alternative to optical and coax options such as FTTH and DOCSIS 3.0 — at a lower cost and with faster deployment,” said Sue Rudd, the director for networks and service platforms at market research firm Strategy Analytics.

“In almost all situations, wireless networks are quicker to deploy than wired ones,” said Ronen Ben-Hamou, CEO of Siklu. “As we have learned over the last several months, broadband is needed more than ever.”