Edgecore Networks Launches Open Wi-Fi Access Points Preinstalled with the TIP OpenWiFi Image

HSINCHU, Taiwan--Edgecore Networks, a leading provider of traditional and open network solutions for enterprises, data centers, and telecommunication service providers, today announced the launch of a series of open Wi-Fi access points preinstalled with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) OpenWiFi image. Edgecore’s TIP OpenWiFi-ready access points offer users an open platform that works straight out of the box and which is also highly customizable. Edgecore cooperates with other members in the TIP OpenWiFi ecosystem to accelerate the pace of innovation in the Wi-Fi market by creating cost-effective disaggregated open source solutions aimed at improving global connectivity.

Edgecore Networks joined TIP's Wi-Fi Project Group in 2019 and has contributed technology and experience in hardware and software disaggregation. Edgecore is proud to launch a range of open Wi-Fi access points preinstalled with TIP’s OpenWiFi image to further support the ecosystem, including two Wi-Fi 6 indoor access points, EAP101 and EAP102; two Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2 indoor access points, ECW5211-L and ECW5410-L; and one Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2 outdoor access point with optional cellular backhaul, OAP100. From SMB to MDUs to larger venues, Edgecore TIP OpenWiFi-ready access points can adapt to various usage and requirements. The all-in-one package allows users to save on time without the hassle of having to go through initial setup. If required, Edgecore products provide endless possibilities on its open platform for clients to expand accordingly. Furthermore, each access point has received multiple international certifications including FCC and CE, allowing each product to successfully enter local markets across numerous countries and regions.

Tengtai Hsu, Vice President of Edgecore Networks, said, “As an active contributing member of TIP, Edgecore is excited about the positive collaboration that is being established among the members of the OpenWiFi ecosystem, which allows each member to excel in their area of expertise. Further, Edgecore highly prioritizes executing a roadmap that provides more high quality TIP OpenWiFi-ready products for adoption by the ecosystem. Edgecore is eager to utilize the synergy within the OpenWiFi ecosystem to develop, build, test, and deploy open, disaggregated, and standards-based solutions that deliver the high-quality connectivity that the world needs.”

“As a longtime TIP participant and supporter of disaggregation, Edgecore Networks is an active member in multiple project groups across TIP. We are excited to have Edgecore expand its support of TIP and its initiatives to include the OpenWiFi initiative,” said David Hutton, Chief Engineer, TIP.

Edgecore open Wi-Fi access points with TIP’s OpenWiFi image preinstalled are now available for order.

About Edgecore Networks

Edgecore Networks Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Accton Technology Corporation, the leading networking ODM. Edgecore Networks delivers wired and wireless networking products and solutions through channel partners and system integrators worldwide for Data Center, Service Provider, Enterprise and SMB customers. Edgecore Networks is the leader in open networking, providing a full line of open 1G-400G Ethernet OCP Accepted™ switches, core routers, cell site gateways, virtual PON OLTs, optical packet transponders, and Wi-Fi access points that offer choice of commercial and open source NOS and SDN software. For more information, visit wifi.edge-core.com or contact sales@edge-core.com.

Edgecore and Ligman Collaborate to Advance Urban Wireless Network Deployments using TIP Street Smart

Ligman Evolve, a leading smart street pole manufacturer, and Edgecore, a leading provider of open network solutions, announce their collaboration using the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) Street Smart module specification to simplify the deployment of communications and sensor networks in the Connected City. The specification enables a "chassis in the street" that supports mobile operators’ networks, public Wi-Fi hotspots, public safety and other Smart City applications. The specification supports TIP’s mission to accelerate the pace of innovation in the telecom industry by designing, building, and deploying technologies that are more flexible and efficient.

Consumers are watching more streaming video and making video calls on their mobile devices as they go about their cities, unconstrained by data caps that have been removed under competitive pressure. Operators are responding to the greatly increased demand on their networks with increased capacity. This can be achieved through denser deployment using existing frequency bands and using the more recently licensed higher frequency mmWave bands, but the propagation characteristics of these bands mean shorter range and more limited coverage. To overcome these limitations, operators must make their networks more dense, which in urban environments means putting small cells on street assets such as street lights, traffic lights, bus shelters and digital signs.

“We are very pleased to be working with LIGMAN Evolve at this exciting time in the deployment of 5G and smart city solutions into our communities. Edgecore offers scalable, converged networking solutions to best meet different customer needs and targeting data center, telecommunication service providers, managed service providers, and enterprise. This now brings us the critical street level infrastructure to enhance our value proposition.” said Tengtai Hsu, Vice President, Edgecore Networks Corporation.

At the same time, city governments are looking at the role that street assets can play in both the delivery of traditional government services such as public safety, both for traffic and pedestrians, and new responsibilities related to business development and digital inclusion. These services are delivered at the local level and street assets offer an appropriate delivery vehicle with very granular distribution across the city.

The goals of operators and city governments have always been complementary. Now, regulatory action is providing an additional reason for operators and cities to find ways to work together. Both the US, under the FCC’s small cell order (FCC 18-133), and the European Union, under Directive 57 of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), have created a framework for small cell deployments on city-owned assets, and other countries will no doubt follow suit.

However, regulatory action does not automatically make it easier to collaborate. There are many challenges that city governments and operators must together address – one of the most common is the integration of communications equipment with street assets. It is complicated to manage the installation of multiple communications and sensing devices in order to provide different services. The current approach is the ad-hoc attachment to existing street assets and the result is usually unappealing, which attracts citizen complaints. If smart poles are used, the result looks much better but each integration is bespoke and costly for pole manufacturers and equipment manufacturers. There is a collective need for a solution that provides operators and cities with the services they need, is acceptable to citizens and creates a horizontal market for pole and equipment suppliers.

The TIP Street Smart module specification for Integrated Street Assets addresses these issues by providing a "chassis in the street" – a shared physical and communications infrastructure built on street assets such as street lights, traffic lights, bus shelters and digital signs – through which multiple services can be offered by multiple tenants while blending into the city streetscape. The specification is built upon the principle of a standardized, modular approach which provides consistency in implementation for equipment vendors, infrastructure providers, operators and cities. This approach creates a large horizontal market for communications and sensing equipment manufacturers, a standardized approach for street asset manufacturers that avoids custom integrations, and a technical underpinning for the procurement and permitting processes of local governments. It can be applied to both existing street assets and new construction assets such as smart poles, bus shelters and the like.

Ligman and Edgecore have worked together to integrate Edgecore’s TIP open Wi-Fi Access Point ECW5211-L and MLTG-CN Terragraph node into the Ligman Evolve street pole platform. Terragraph MLTG-CN provides wireless gigabit connectivity to smart poles, allowing the deployment of hybrid fiber-wireless networks quickly and cost-effectively extending existing fiber networks. With MLTG-CN and ECW5211-L, the smart poles are able to deliver high-speed Wi-Fi Hotspot service. The collaboration addresses the mechanical, thermal, power and data connectivity aspects of integration and demonstrates the flexibility of the modular approach. The Ligman Evolve platform also includes operator Radio Access Network (RAN) sub-systems, which are also suitable for modular integration. The combined solution will be used in upcoming deployments in Dublin (Eire) and Taiwan.

"Communications and sensor devices are core components of the Ligman Evolve platform," said Trevor Leighton, Managing Director of Ligman Evolve. "Our city and operator partners depend on the integration of these components into street assets for the implementation of their connected cities strategies. The TIP Street Smart module specification has an essential role to play."

"Edgecore’s networking products conform to open standards and are ideal for connected city infrastructure applications," said Teng Tai Hsu, Vice President of Edgecore Networks. "The TIP Street Smart module specification is an important element in the creation of a large, horizontal market, which is beneficial to all participants."

Please refer to the below link for the full article: https://telecominfraproject.com/edgecore-ligman-collaborate-advance-urban-wireless-network-tip-street-smart/