WiFi firms say they do it better

The 802.11b standard may be underrated as a way to bring the internet to distant areas while the Government focuses on broadband. MICHAEL FOREMAN reports.

Wireless communications providers who have installed high-speed internet links serving some of the most remote locations say the Government broadband strategy ignores cheap and proven technology.

Mike Dagg, sales manager at Chiliad Communications in Penrose, said Government-backed broadband pilot schemes seemed to be overlooking the 2.4 GHz 802.11b standard.

This standard, known as WiFi, is commonly used for wireless local area networks but can also provide internet services over long distances using a series of point-to-point links.

"The Government seems to have spent an awful lot of money to investigate and write reports on this type of technology, but we have got operational services up and running for the same kind of money."

Chiliad has installed a 52km internet and voice loop from Taupo to Poronui Ranch, a tourist lodge which provides hunting, fishing and outdoor activities for visitors from the US and Europe.

Dagg said the lodge approached Chiliad after it had rejected a quote from Telecom for a fibre optic cable-based connection.

"I understand they were quoted $600,000 up front and then $5000 in line rental.

"Poronui is an upmarket facility, so they have to provide high-quality service to customers, but they couldn't run to that."

The link originates at the Taupo exchange and connects to the lodge via two relay stations which contain Chiliad-developed hardware - "basically a re-engineered Linux box with a Lucent card", said Dagg.

While the 802.11b standard provides a maximum one-way data speed of 11 megabits per second (Mbs), the actual performance achieved degrades as the distance between stations increases.

Dagg said the longest span of the Poronui link, a 35km leg across Lake Taupo, was achieving a two-way throughput of around 2Mbs.

Chiliad says the system cost about $300,000 to install but the ranch pays a $5000 monthly fee for internet and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services at three sites on its premises. Chiliad may now offer internet services to other customers in the area.

Dagg said performance levels could be maintained by adding a parallel connection using a different channel, or by upgrading to cards using the 5.8GHz wavelength, which would offer a maximum two-way throughput of 10Mbs when they became available.

Chiliad installed a similar system for the Matamata Piako District Council two years ago linking Matamata and Morrinsville to a backbone connection in Te Aroha and including a 40km leg from a relay station on the Kaimai Ranges to Matamata.

"We think we can get it to work farther than 40km, but so far we have never had a requirement to stretch it beyond that," said Dagg.

The Matamata wireless link replaced an expensive frame relay service as well as providing a 1Mbs internet service to several outlying sites including a library and remote management of water supplies.

"As the water facilities are computer controlled, they are able to manipulate them remotely rather than sending someone 20 miles down the road just to turn a valve.

"The driving force behind using this technology is value for money, the economies of using radio equipment are just phenomenal."

Marc Cohen, managing director of Southland internet service provider SouthNet, agreed that the 802.11b standard was being undervalued as a rural internet delivery medium.

Southnet has installed about two dozen wireless links around Invercargill and Te Anau since it began offering the service last year.

Cohen said WiFi technology was ideal for reaching pockets of geographically isolated customers.

"We'll have a look at any town or company that can deliver a minimum demand of 20 users.

"I have no idea what's going with the broadband pilots, but while they are looking at third-generation technology, I'll just keep rolling out this service."