DragonWave Inc., a global supplier of next-generation wireless networks, introduced the Horizon Compact, which integrates and enhances the functionality of traditional wireless indoor and outdoor units (IDU and ODU) in a single, native Gigabit Ethernet microwave transmission system. DragonWave’s Horizon Compact enhances the value proposition—with 800 Mbps full duplex capacity at lower capital and operational costs—for enabling Carrier Ethernet services.

"DragonWave’s ‘zero-footprint’ backhaul solution for Carrier Ethernet is complementary to the innovative WiMAX network solutions we are developing," said Alan Cameron, senior vice president of engineering and operations with NextWave Broadband Inc.

"By integrating traditional indoor and outdoor backhaul functionality in a single, compact, high performance, high availability unit, their Horizon Compact system will reduce our customer’s total cost of ownership."

"Horizon Compact helps solve the growing backhaul problem for carriers wishing to deploy WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) or other 4G personal broadband solutions," said Emmy Johnson, founder and principal analyst with Sky Light Research.

"Our quarterly research reports have validated the growing concern of a backhaul bottleneck. Platforms with proven economics and high capacity bandwidth help mitigate the backhaul challenge of how to transport traffic reliably and economically, improving the business case for next generation services."

Installation and other operational burden can be reduced, as there is no indoor backhaul equipment for the carrier to support; the Horizon Compact demands no footprint in indoor base-station cabinets, and uses standard CAT5E cabling with Power over Ethernet.

DragonWave’s Horizon Compact product will operate in the 11 to 38 GHz licensed radio frequencies, ensuring interference-free performance for wireless Carrier Ethernet traffic. The DragonWave solution provides scalable, low latency, wire-speed native Gigabit Ethernet connectivity up to 800 Mbps.

The system is extremely easy to deploy and manage, with a full suite of network-management options. DragonWave's Horizon Compact supports 50-ms switching and 99.999-percent service availability over point-to-point, ring and mesh network topologies.

“We believe the Horizon Compact can change the equation for offering carrier Ethernet,” said Alan Solheim, vice president of product management at DragonWave. “Carrier CAPEX and OPEX are reduced so that the Horizon Compact, a licensed-spectrum solution, provides direct cost competitionfor best-effort, unlicensed systems, while providing scalability comparable to fiber solutions.”

DragonWave will display the Horizon Compact in Booth 4002 at CTIA Wireless 2007, March 27-29, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.