T1-Class Business Internet Provider - WiMAX-featured Technology
Covad Wireless currently operates a WiMAX-featured broadband wireless network that can satisfy the under-served demand for last mile broadband access and deliver enhanced T1-class IP-based services. Covad Wireless' broadband service delivers fast, symmetrical downstream and upstream speeds and is ideally suited for small and medium sized businesses to take advantage of e-business opportunities and finally overcome data connectivity limitations by pushing the network out to the customer.
Fixed Wireless Infrastructure
Covad Wireless has deployed a combination of license-exempt (5.8 GHz) and licensed band radio technology. Typically, wireless licensed spectrum links are used for backhaul — connecting base stations together, to ensure maximum up-time — and Hi-Capacity last mile subscriber links, while license-exempt spectrum point-to-multipoint technology is used to connect Super-T subscribers to the base stations. Whether using our Super-T services, which deliver access bandwidth up to 6 Mbps, or our Hi-Cap services with bandwidth up to 100 Mbps, Covad Wireless offers superior speed and reliability.
Moreover, since (unlike in previous fixed wireless broadband models) Covad Wireless has not incurred the high costs of purchasing large amounts of expensive wireless spectrum, Covad Wireless can operate as a trusted service provider maximizing value through the combination of reliable service and price leadership. Whether the customer needs are 1Mbps or 100 Mbps of bandwidth, Covad Wireless has a service to meet the subscriber’s needs.
Complementing these factors are Covad Wireless’ speed in service deployment to subscriber location and the company's ability to provide maximum bandwidth flexibility to meet subscriber requirements.
Covad Wireless also provides, proven reliable wireless equipment coupled with classic T-1 copper products from its parent company (Covad Communications) to address the redundancy and diversity requirements of its most demanding subscribers.
Covad Wireless is currently testing its next generation of RF platform components. Major manufacturers are developing these improved feature sets in anticipation of widespread deployment of more standardized wireless broadband systems with new WIMAX features. Offering reliable, lower cost and better performing equipment, this next generation wireless platform will permit Covad Wireless to offer higher bandwidth, improved quality of service features, better coverage through near-line-of-site signal propagation, and future Layer II service offerings. Covad Wireless expects to complete its testing on these components by the end of 2007 and to deploy this technology into its network in 2008.
Download the Covad Wireless Wireless Network Backgrounder here.
Scalable Architecture
Covad Wireless’ network design is highly scalable. This means that fixed broadband service can start in part of a market and additional coverage added seamlessly (unlike a mobile service, such as a cellular or PCS network that requires full coverage of each mobile market from day one). Benefits of a scalable network are: lower initial capital costs, lower initial operating costs, and lower promotional costs and focused sales effort, and faster and lower cost to implement.
The basic network design (see network diagram) consists of the following three key components:
1. Base stations;
2. Customer premises equipment (CPE); and
3. Covad Wireless Regional Data Centers
Base Stations
Covad Wireless locates its base stations on high-rise building rooftops, mountain top communications towers, and other strategic locations, and use wireless access radios with sectorized directional antennas to provide the wireless access hub connection. Each Access Point typically allows a six to eight mile range, giving a fully provisioned base station coverage up to a 200 square mile area. Up to 250 subscriber units can be deployed per base station sector, with maximum user throughput of 6 Mbps in both the uplink and downlink direction.
Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)
Covad Wireless’ Super-T service is designed for customers that require a high rate of sustained connectivity (typically 1-6 Mbps) but occasionally burst to even higher speeds for heavier traffic loads. Each subscriber unit (SU) is a sealed 10"x10" unit (see below) located at the customer premises, for example, on the roof, with line-of-sight to a base station within 8 miles. In addition to housing the antenna, the SU also contains the customer-edge gateway router, so no additional equipment is required. The SU connects either directly through the customer's LAN or a firewall through standard RJ45 CAT5 Ethernet cable. Covad HiCap service is designed for customers requiring 10 Mbps or greater broadband access and typically requires both an ODU (Outdoor Unit) on the customer's rooftop connected to an IDU (Indoor Unit) which will then connect to the customer's router or switch.
Installation
Covad Wireless field technicians will install the CPE at the customer's location typically in a couple of hours using non-penetrating tripods, or an existing structure. Indoor window mounting is also possible. The CAT5 cable plugs directly into a customer's Ethernet LAN or PC, and can service from a large number of individual hosts or servers.
Regional Data Centers
Covad Wireless base stations are interconnected using high-speed licensed wireless backhaul links (OC-3 (155 Mbps or greater) back to one of five Covad Wireless Regional Data Centers. At these Regional Data Centers, Covad Wireless maintains peering and transit with multiple global backbones. Depending on location, the Regional Data Centers may also be home to Covad Wireless's servers, which provide web hosting, DNS, mail and other services. Each Covad Wireless Regional Data Center is a state-of-the-art facility with around the clock security, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and generator power backup and environmental controls (for temperature and humidity).
Network Monitoring and Provisioning
Covad Wireless also maintains 24/7 network monitoring and provisioning for functions including: bandwidth allocation, monitoring and controlling of network elements, monitoring traffic patterns to detect network over/under-utilization, traffic re-routing, troubleshooting and repairs, billing, customer resource management and other administrative tasks.
For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Fixed Wireless Infrastructure
Covad Wireless has deployed a combination of license-exempt (5.8 GHz) and licensed band radio technology. Typically, wireless licensed spectrum links are used for backhaul — connecting base stations together, to ensure maximum up-time — and Hi-Capacity last mile subscriber links, while license-exempt spectrum point-to-multipoint technology is used to connect Super-T subscribers to the base stations. Whether using our Super-T services, which deliver access bandwidth up to 6 Mbps, or our Hi-Cap services with bandwidth up to 100 Mbps, Covad Wireless offers superior speed and reliability.
Moreover, since (unlike in previous fixed wireless broadband models) Covad Wireless has not incurred the high costs of purchasing large amounts of expensive wireless spectrum, Covad Wireless can operate as a trusted service provider maximizing value through the combination of reliable service and price leadership. Whether the customer needs are 1Mbps or 100 Mbps of bandwidth, Covad Wireless has a service to meet the subscriber’s needs.
Complementing these factors are Covad Wireless’ speed in service deployment to subscriber location and the company's ability to provide maximum bandwidth flexibility to meet subscriber requirements.
Covad Wireless also provides, proven reliable wireless equipment coupled with classic T-1 copper products from its parent company (Covad Communications) to address the redundancy and diversity requirements of its most demanding subscribers.
Covad Wireless is currently testing its next generation of RF platform components. Major manufacturers are developing these improved feature sets in anticipation of widespread deployment of more standardized wireless broadband systems with new WIMAX features. Offering reliable, lower cost and better performing equipment, this next generation wireless platform will permit Covad Wireless to offer higher bandwidth, improved quality of service features, better coverage through near-line-of-site signal propagation, and future Layer II service offerings. Covad Wireless expects to complete its testing on these components by the end of 2007 and to deploy this technology into its network in 2008.
Download the Covad Wireless Wireless Network Backgrounder here.
Scalable Architecture
Covad Wireless’ network design is highly scalable. This means that fixed broadband service can start in part of a market and additional coverage added seamlessly (unlike a mobile service, such as a cellular or PCS network that requires full coverage of each mobile market from day one). Benefits of a scalable network are: lower initial capital costs, lower initial operating costs, and lower promotional costs and focused sales effort, and faster and lower cost to implement.
The basic network design (see network diagram) consists of the following three key components:
1. Base stations;
2. Customer premises equipment (CPE); and
3. Covad Wireless Regional Data Centers
Base Stations
Covad Wireless locates its base stations on high-rise building rooftops, mountain top communications towers, and other strategic locations, and use wireless access radios with sectorized directional antennas to provide the wireless access hub connection. Each Access Point typically allows a six to eight mile range, giving a fully provisioned base station coverage up to a 200 square mile area. Up to 250 subscriber units can be deployed per base station sector, with maximum user throughput of 6 Mbps in both the uplink and downlink direction.
Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)
Covad Wireless’ Super-T service is designed for customers that require a high rate of sustained connectivity (typically 1-6 Mbps) but occasionally burst to even higher speeds for heavier traffic loads. Each subscriber unit (SU) is a sealed 10"x10" unit (see below) located at the customer premises, for example, on the roof, with line-of-sight to a base station within 8 miles. In addition to housing the antenna, the SU also contains the customer-edge gateway router, so no additional equipment is required. The SU connects either directly through the customer's LAN or a firewall through standard RJ45 CAT5 Ethernet cable. Covad HiCap service is designed for customers requiring 10 Mbps or greater broadband access and typically requires both an ODU (Outdoor Unit) on the customer's rooftop connected to an IDU (Indoor Unit) which will then connect to the customer's router or switch.
Installation
Covad Wireless field technicians will install the CPE at the customer's location typically in a couple of hours using non-penetrating tripods, or an existing structure. Indoor window mounting is also possible. The CAT5 cable plugs directly into a customer's Ethernet LAN or PC, and can service from a large number of individual hosts or servers.
Regional Data Centers
Covad Wireless base stations are interconnected using high-speed licensed wireless backhaul links (OC-3 (155 Mbps or greater) back to one of five Covad Wireless Regional Data Centers. At these Regional Data Centers, Covad Wireless maintains peering and transit with multiple global backbones. Depending on location, the Regional Data Centers may also be home to Covad Wireless's servers, which provide web hosting, DNS, mail and other services. Each Covad Wireless Regional Data Center is a state-of-the-art facility with around the clock security, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and generator power backup and environmental controls (for temperature and humidity).
Network Monitoring and Provisioning
Covad Wireless also maintains 24/7 network monitoring and provisioning for functions including: bandwidth allocation, monitoring and controlling of network elements, monitoring traffic patterns to detect network over/under-utilization, traffic re-routing, troubleshooting and repairs, billing, customer resource management and other administrative tasks.
For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.