Fujitsu Network Communications has launched a series of mobile WiMAX base stations aimed at filling the holes between wide area coverage and end users within a dense urban or suburban deployment. The Richardson, Texas-based unit will show off the base stations at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

“It’s a macro cell, a two-port 10-watt outlet,” said Jim Orr, principal network architect at Fujitsu Network Communications.

Fujitsu BroadOne WX300 macrocell WiMAX base station

In a typical dense urban deployment the base station would deliver a broadband wireless signal from a half-kilometer to two kilometers. A suburban play would range to about five kilometers. In both cases outdoor reception would be optimal but signals could be picked up indoors, especially for stationary devices.

“It doesn’t have to be urban only,” Orr said. “In rural areas if you’re trying to get high-speed data for areas that are hard to cover, this is an option if you have some of the (spectrum) in the 2.3, 2.5 bands.”

700 MHz possiblities

Another option, he said, would be for players who win 700 MHz spectrum in the FCC’s ongoing auction of broadcast channels that are being abandoned as the networks move to all-digital transmission.

“All the folks that are bidding on this stuff are our customers now (so) of course we’re in sync with them as they’re looking at WiMAX for 700,” he said.

Fujitsu is also in synch with its customers who want interoperable CPE equipment. To put its stamp on that part of the space, Fujitsu has partnered with Airspan to market is CPE.

WiMAX, Orr said, is finally emerging to replace first-generation outdoor Wi-Fi networks.

“Wi-Fi has its challenges; good quality of service is difficult and costly to maintain. WiMAX certainly fixes those,” he said. “When you get to the business model where (WiMAX) CPE starts getting embedded in everything ... there’s a lot of that coming and as that develops there’s a good business case for the carriers to drop it out and expect the CPE to be provided by their customers.”

Fujitsu hopes to be on hand with a network arrangement that takes advantage of its product that is “smaller than anybody else out there and certainly lighter for the power you’re looking at,” he said, pointing to a one-cubic-foot size and 40 pounds. “If you’re looking to do a big deployment where you’re covering all areas, you do the big stuff first and then you fill in where you have holes. That’s what it’s built for.”