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Tarana Wireless and SIAE Microelettronica Backhaul Key to Vodafone Netherlands Success at SAIL Amsterdam 2015
Advanced non-line-of-sight solution enables full LTE coverage in harbor for world’s largest nautical event
August 26, 2015 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
AMSTERDAM & MILAN & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global partners SIAE Microelettronica, strategic wireless transmission solutions supplier to Vodafone, and Tarana Wireless, the communication industry’s clear performance leader in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) wireless transport, today announced their stunning success at enabling full LTE coverage for Vodafone Netherlands at SAIL Amsterdam 2015, under what most would consider completely impossible conditions.
Held every 5 years in Amsterdam since 1975, SAIL has become the maritime community’s premier global gathering, setting new participation records with each event. This year’s massive party, running from Wednesday through Sunday last week, was attended by an estimated 2.5 million people, 44 class-A tall ships hailing from all over the world, and thousands of smaller craft. Given today’s obsessively connected culture, mobile operators were understandably concerned about the event’s challenge to their networks’ capacity and responsiveness, particularly with the unprecedented density of demand out in the harbor itself.
Vodafone Netherlands, as an extension of their ongoing installation of small cells supported by Tarana and SIAE Microelettronica, deployed a solution to the harbor problem that would have been totally infeasible without fundamental advances in NLoS technology. To bring their LTE network capacity to wherever demand was most intense, the Vodafone team, collaborating with SIAE Microelettronica as prime contractor and Tarana as NLoS product provider, rolled a cell-on-wheels truck onto a utility craft that navigated the harbor throughout the event. This enabled rapid, dynamic network augmentation as boating crowds gathered around and moved along with the tall-ship stars of the show. Given Vodafone’s extensive experience with the SIAE Microelettronica and Tarana backhaul solution, they were confident they could achieve reliable wireless backhaul from this constantly bobbing and swaying mobile platform — attempting a feat most cellular radio and microwave backhaul engineers would consider foolhardy at best. Their confidence was well rewarded. The backhaul installation performed flawlessly, maintaining rock-solid connectivity throughout the harbor, regardless of the dynamics or orientation of Vodafone’s novel “cell-on-boat.” (You can see Vodafone’s brief video of the scene here.)
Matthias Sauder, Chief Network Officer for Vodafone Netherlands, said, “Our cell-on-boat concept was a perfect solution to the harbor demand problem in theory, but we realized there was no way we’d get backhaul to work in practice without the support of Tarana and SIAE Microelettronica. We’re thrilled with how smoothly this unique installation engineering project went and how well the technology performed.”
Steve Sifferman, Tarana’s CEO, commented, “Given our experience with other challenging commercial backhaul installations, we and SIAE Microelettronica were certain we could help Vodafone succeed with their concept and, in the process, show again how the unrivaled performance advantages of our collaboration with SIAE Microelettronica can make the difference in any last-mile environment.”
Alessandro Cucina, Vodafone Global Account Director in SIAE Microelettronica, added, “This is an excellent example of the power of our partnership with Tarana, enabling an innovative joint solution for our long-term customer Vodafone that no one else in the industry could have achieved.”
SIAE Microelettronica and Tarana are working together with a growing list of tier 1 operators on four continents. For more information about their global partnership and innovative wireless network solutions, please visit www.taranawireless.com and www.siaemic.com.
About Tarana
Addressing persistent challenges in both mobile and fixed networks, Tarana has combined many antennas, unique algorithm innovations, and expert implementation to create the industry's first truly viable wireless alternative to prohibitively expensive last-mile fiber. Well proven in tier-1 mobile and fixed operator engagements, the company’s AbsoluteAir product line offers fundamental advances in wireless performance and autonomous adaptation that yield dramatic improvements in the economics and deployment flexibility of radio network backhaul, fiber extension, and fixed access. See www.taranawireless.com for more information.
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About Vodafone Libertel B.V.
Vodafone Netherlands is the second largest telecom operator in the Netherlands, based on revenue and profitability, with 5.2 million customers as of 30 June 2015. Vodafone’s headquarters are located in Amsterdam and Maastricht and there are offices in Eindhoven, Capelle aan den IJssel, Bodegraven and Amstelveen. Vodafone Netherlands is part of Vodafone Group, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies which provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 55 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 30 June 2015, Vodafone had 449 million mobile customers and 12 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com.
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About SIAE Microelettronica
SIAE Microelettronica, founded in 1952, is a leader in wireless communication technology. Present in over 25 countries it offers to national and multinational operators advanced technological solutions in microwave and millimeter wave transport, services and design. With in-house advances in RF capabilities from design to industrialization, SIAE Microelettronica products bring innovation to the market satisfying ever-changing requirements and customer needs. For more information, see www.siaemic.com.
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