1. fSONA Proven Solutions
Reference Sites

2. fSONA Proven Solutions
Military & Government
fSONA Proven Solutions

3. Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan
Goal:
Establish high-speed wireless network to enable transfer of bandwidth intensive biometric security information
Solution:
Four SONAbeamTM 155-M links
Benefits:
Secure wireless connectivity
Very high-capacity network
Rapid installation

4. Washington, D.C. Goal: Solution: Benefits:
High-speed backup connections to provide triple-redundancy connections for two federal agency buildings.
Solution:
Two SONAbeamTM Gigabit links
A federal government agency needed to upgrade their communications networks and mandated that all mission-critical links should be triple- redundant to prevent loss of service during any kind of emergency.
The backup links had to provide the full data rate that users were accustomed to with their existing fiber connection and they had to be extremely secure and reliable. In addition, the agency required a system that would last a few years and would not require visits from outside personnel to adjust it.
With all of this criteria in mind, the SONAbeamTM 1250-S system became the chosen solution. Because the 1250-S features data rate adaptive bandwidth, it is able to ramp up to the required speeds. Two systems were installed in parallel to meet the agency’s triple- redundancy requirement.
The SONAbeamTM 1250-S was able to deliver on all fronts.
Benefits:
Secure wireless connectivity
Very high-speed
Installed rapidly
Scalable bandwidth

5. Camp Arifjan, Kuwait Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Close and protect a SONET ring to provide physically diverse connectivity
SONAbeam™ 1250-M provides rampable bandwidth from 34 Mbps to 1.5 Gbps
SONAbeam was rapidly deployed and provided a savings of 66% vs. a fiber build-out
Solution:
Benefits:

6. Puerto Rico Port Authority - Honeywell
Goal:
Close a fiber ring for CCTV application
5 x SONAbeam™ 1250-M provides rampable bandwidth from 34 Mbps to 1.5 Gbps
SONAbeam™ optical wireless technology is extremely secure at the physical layer
Solution:
Benefits:

7. BAE Systems Goal: Solution: Benefits:
CCTV application
7x SONAbeam™ 155-E systems
SONAbeam™ optical wireless provides secure wireless for end customer New River Marine Core Air Station
Solution:
Benefits:

8. fSONA Proven Solutions
Service Providers
fSONA Proven Solutions

9. Nextel – Acapulco, Mexico
Goal:
Establish wireless cellular antenna extension to Acapulco Golf & Country Club.
Nextel President is club member
Solution:
SONAbeam 1250-M
fSONA was the ONLY wireless vendor able to provide the solution.
Benefits:
Secure wireless connectivity
Very high-capacity requirement (1.42 Gbps)
Proprietary CPE interface compatibility with ADC Digivance
Cost had been prohibiting fiber install

10. Curacao Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Connect a Central Office to a nearby location and from there build a backbone
Three high-speed SONAbeam™ links already in place. Future links will be installed as demand dictates. Lower cost units connect end-users to the backbone.
SONAbeam™ is installed quickly and provides reliable backbone connectivity
Solution:
Dynamic Air Spectrum (DAS) uses Free Space Optics technology to connect businesses on the island of Curacao to the Internet through the ARCOS (Americas Region Caribbean Optical - Ring System) undersea fiber ring. By utilizing FSO for the island network DAS is able to provide very high speed connections quickly and cost-effectively giving them a big advantage over other network providers.
Benefits:

11. Istanbul, Turkey Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Establish a high-speed wireless backbone network to deliver competitive services to Istanbul's busiest business sector
Omnitek used the SONAbeam™ series to build the first Gigabit Wireless backbone network in the world
SONAbeam's unlicensed technology is ideal for competitive carriers. Gigabit plus speeds and rapid deployment allow Omnitek to respond quickly to the growing needs of Turkey's business district
Solution:
In Turkey, the deregulation process is just getting underway. In response, Omnitek has build the first gigabit wireless backbone network in the world. So far, the network consists of 8 SONAbeam 1250 series systems covering over 13 km and located on key Class A corporate buildings in Istanbul's busiest business route (Maslak-Eminönü route). Omnitek is now delivering high-speed services to businesses, residences and consumers. As well, they also wholesale bandwidth to ISP's. By using Free Space Optics, Omnitek is able to offer both higher speeds and lower rates to their customers.
Benefits:

12. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Goal: Solution: Benefits:
An ISP wanted to establish high- speed wireless service from one central point to other key locations in an extreme environment - up to 50ºC with sand storms.
Initial deployment of 12 SONA- beam™ Fast Ethernet links. More links will added as needed.
SONAbeam™ shines in challenging conditions. No outages during major sandstorm of 2003
Solution:
INET is an Internet Service Provider that has been using Free Space Optics to connect business users in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They are currently using 12 SONAbeams in a star-style network that expands in step with user demand.
During the sandstorm mentioned above (the one that took place at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom) only the SONAbeam remained operational at distances greater than 700m. Other vendor’s FSO links were not able to transmit through the intense sandstorm. (Optical Access, AstroTerra).
INET had planned to extensively test the SONAbeam but, after only one week of testing, they realized the SONAbeam was a huge improvement over the FSO solutions they had been using previously.
Benefits:

13. North Belfast, UK Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Deliver broadband triple-play cost effectively for up to 7,000 endpoints in a disadvantaged community in Northern Ireland
SONAbeam™ FSO links combined with b radios provide broadband access to schools, businesses and residential users
Wireless backbone was installed quickly and is maintained by community. Cost-effective units also have no recurring monthly fees.
Solution:
The network combines Free Space Optics with b radios to provide a community network with an internet gateway to schools, businesses and residences. In addition to traditional data services, the network also carries television programming. Dueto poor reception in the area, Flax Trust rebroadcasts a satellite feed over the SONAbeamª backbone to the IP network and community aerials. The television service includes two locally programmed stations that are sponsored by Flax.
Free Space Optics Provides Speed and Savings
Flax Trust orginally approached traditional telecom suppliers such as British Telecom and NTL for solutions. However, the traditional solutions offered were too expensive and time consuming to deploy.
Flax Trust had a number of reasons for selecting fSONA as their Free Space Optics vendor. "It was more expensive than other FSO solutions but fSONA had a robust solution that could be delivered right away," said Liam Mailey. As well, "My chairman flew to Vancouver and met the management team. He was impressed with their dedication and felt he could rely on fSONA to support us. He was right."
Benefits:

14. Rebuilding Belfast with Broadband
“We chose free space optics because, with it, we didn’t need to dig up the streets and pay high annual charges for leased lines or license fees. There is no radiation risk and the network could be up and running quickly.”
Quote is from Liam Mailey
Flax Trust has used SONAbeamª FSO links to build a high-speed optical backbone. Five SONAbeamª systems sit atop the Belfast Beacon building, connecting it to key points in the community which in turn connect to buildings further out in a lily-pad architecture. The network backbone will consist of 17 point-to-point SONAbeam links which serve 23 wireless access points. As subscribers sign up for the service, more wireless access points and SONAbeam links can be added to the existing backbone.
The Flax Trust’s vision is a network that connects businesses with their customers, as well as churches with their parishioners and schools with their students. In addition to creating vital communication links, the network will provide much needed job training and jobs for the residents of North Belfast.
March/April 2003 Issue

15. Costa Rica Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Find a high-speed wireless solution capable of operating through the extreme rains in Costa Rica which is located in ITU Rain Zone P.
The SONAbeam 155-M was installed at 900 m during the worst annual rains.
The SONAbeam was an outstanding solution - it achieved 100% availability at up to 150 mm/per hour and % availability in rains up to 180 mm/per hour.
Solution:
ICE (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad), the only telecom carrier in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is located in ITU Rain Zone P. fSONA went through extensive testing in Costa Rica during their rainy season. To date, we are the only FSO vendors to have undergone this testing in Costa Rica. The testing was done during 32 days of the most intense rains. The SONAbeam turned out to be an outstanding solution - it achieved 100% availability at rains up to 150 mm per hour and % availability in rains up to 180 mm per hour. The trials were conducted at 0.9 km (900 meters) or 0.6 miles.
(For notes: some examples of rainfall in local areas might be useful. ie.: For example, here in Washington, DC the highest rain rate in the last ten years was "x")
Benefits:

16. Port Louis, Mauritius Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Build an optical backbone to distribute satellite feed to business customers such as commercial banks
SONAbeam™ 1250-M Gigabit system provides rampable bandwidth
Rapidly deployed, high-speed solution is flexible and can be redeployed if customers move
Solution:
IBL (Ireland Blythe Limited) Information Technology is a business integrator, assisting business partners in obtaining and maintaining the competitive edge within their respective markets in the Indian Ocean region.IBL wanted to find an efficient, cost-effective way to distribute bandwidth on the island of Mauritius. Their initial customers were commercial banks who required secure, high-speed networks to transmit financial and business data. But IBL has a larger vision of connecting the business community with a Free Space Optics backbone that will connect users to each other and to the Internet through fiber and/or satellite gateways.
Benefits:

17. Toronto, Canada Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Connect production house to proprietary media network for transfer of "dailies" to Hollywood, CA
SONAbeam™ 155-M combines very high bandwidth and low latency making it an ideal wireless solution for video transmission
Able to operate through windows, able to be deployed rapidly
Solution:
A media service provider of a high-speed network that delivers production applications between motion picture and television studios, postproduction facilities and visual effects companies used SONAbeam to connect Editors to Director/Producers, to Studio/Network Executives in key production cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Syndey etc. The benefits of SONAbeam are that it is cost-effective, redeployable, easy to install, rapidly installed, able to cross geographic impediments, able to cross municipal boundaries, many high-speed bandwidth options and the ability to daisy chain units without infrastructure build.
Benefits:

18. fSONA Proven Solutions
Wireless Carriers
fSONA Proven Solutions

19. Puerto Rico Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Cingular needed to immediately expand capacity for their mobile wireless network in Puerto Rico but had no available spectrum to do so.
SONAbeam™ 52-M running 4 x T1 linked two locations 4 km (2.5 miles) apart
Solution was available immediately and had the necessary range. The 52-M has performed in intense 150mm/hr rains and throughout Hurricane Isabel with no outages or errors.
Solution:
Mobile wireless carrier, Cingular had an immediate need to expand their network’s capacity in Puerto Rico but had no available spectrum to do so. They decided to use this opportunity to introduce Free Space Optics into their network, FSO was an obvious answer because it could be deployed rapidly.
SONAbeam was selected because it has proven performance in extreme environments, notably intese reains and hurricanes. Because of the distance between their two endpoints - 4km or 2.5 miles - they the SONAbeam™ 52-M for its high link margin.
Benefits:

20. fSONA Proven Solutions
Carriers
fSONA Proven Solutions

21. Alcatel - Milan, Italy Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Determine if FSO was a viable alternative for carrier-class networks. Study the effects of the environment on FSO.
Tested the SONAbeam™ 155-M extensively for over 2 years. Combined the results with weather date to develop accurate availability predictions
SONAbeam™ performed excellently and Alcatel is now an OEM supplier and markets the SONAbeam as the Alcatel 9600 FSO
Solution:
The result of the extensive testing conducted in Milan was Alcatel’s decision to OEM fSONA’s SONAbeam product line. Alcatel now sells the SONAbeam as the Alcatel 9600 FSO.
The agreement empowers Alcatel’s offering with optical wireless transmission devices that enable the roll out of high-bandwidth services in the broadband access and last-mile environment.
Alcatel’s high-capacity urban wireless systems are being integrated with FSO technology to transmit large amounts of data through the air at high speeds. Thanks to its compact size and low-power consumption, the Alcatel FSO high capacity product reduces operational costs, as well as enables a rapid and license-free installation with fast investment payback. Furthermore, its ability to interwork with Alcatel’s microwave radio systems and fiber-based SDH/SONET products allows operators to protect their previous investments and to take advantage of both microwave and FSO technologies in their networks.
Benefits:

22. Stewart Davies, CEO, BTexact Technologies
British Telecom, UK
“Free space optics has come of age. We have always maintained that there is a definite role for optical wireless in the telecommunications network infrastructure. It is a reliable, flexible component with compelling benefits offered by its very high capacity, low cost per bit and no licensing requirements worldwide.”
Stewart Davies, CEO, BTexact Technologies
fSONA's optical wireless products, the SONAbeam series, were created based on original development work on free space optics carried out by BTexact's forerunner, BT Laboratories, in the early 1990s. Five years of research and development has been invested in fSONA since its engineering team took over the original product design. The result is an industrial strength, carrier-class product range, designed for volume manufacturing and targeted at the expanding global market for high bandwidth connectivity. In 2001, BT elected to exercise its option to take an equity stake in fSONA.
Stewart Davies, CEO, BTexact Technologies said: "Free space optics has come of age. We have always maintained that there is a definite role for optical wireless in the telecommunications network infrastructure. It is a reliable, flexible component with compelling benefits offered by its very high capacity, low cost per bit and no licensing requirements worldwide. In addition, fSONA has maintained its commitment to the advantages inherent to the 1550nm wavelength which was a feature of our original research.”

23. fSONA Proven Solutions
Enterprise
fSONA Proven Solutions

24. Bechtel, USA Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Provide secure, broadband connectivity between Bechtel HQ and nearby conference facilities
SONAbeam™ 155-M provides Fast Ethernet connection across busy technology corridor freeway
SONAbeam was quick to install and was able to cross a freeway and deliver high-speed service without recurring monthly leased line fees
Solution:
Bechtel Telecommunications has been using the fSONA SONAbeam™ 155-M free space optics link at their Frederick, MD headquarters office for over a year and a half. The link provides connectivity at 100 Mbps Ethernet speed or more than 100 times the speed of a broadband DSL line from the headquarters building to conference center facilities across Route I-270, Maryland’s busy technology corridor.
Benefits:

25. Bechtel - FSO: A Viable Solution
“Optical wireless is a mature and reliable approach for broadband access. FSO systems offer a viable solution toward building optical connectivity in a cost-effective, quick, and reliable manner in certain situations. FSO systems have been engineered to provide performance comparable to other access technologies, offering high capacity and availability, lower cost per Mbps/month when deployed,
and rapid deployment in less than an hour. FSO systems can have a wide range of applications ranging from telecommunication backhaul
networking to being a viable last-mile alternative, and should
be considered when conditions permit.”
Bechtel Telecommunications analyzes free space optics technology, along with other leading-edge technologies, in its laboratories. In December 2002, the Bechtel Telecommunications Technical Journal published an article entitled “Free Space Optics: A Viable Last-Mile Solution.” The report, written by Vaidyanathan Ramasarma, concludes that “Optical Wireless is a mature and reliable approach for broadband access. FSO systems offer a viable solution toward building optical connectivity in a cost-effective, quick, and reliable manner.”
On our agreement with Bechtel:
“We are pleased to add the SONAbeam™ product line to our approved portfolio of available network products,” said Jake MacLeod, Principal Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Bechtel Telecommunications. “FSO systems provide high bandwidth at a fraction of the cost of fiber optic cable. Additionally, the time for deployment is drastically reduced when compared to placement of fiber optic cable. We believe FSO technology will provide specific solutions for short haul, high-capacity communication links in both private and public sectors. In particular, FSO technology can be utilized in emergency restoration of communications systems.”
fSONA has signed a Global Procurement Agreement with Bechtel
Bechtel Telecommunications Technical Journal, December 2002

26. Organization of American States
“Since installation of the fSONA equipment in mid-June, the system has not undergone any problems. During the extended weather stress of Hurricane Isabel in September, the system performed flawlessly, without a single dropped data packet. Congratulations for your great team and products that represented for us a magnificent solution.”
The Organization of American States is located in Washington, DC. OAS is made up 35 member states from the Americas (including Canada and the US) and is the region's premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and action.
Before SONAbeam, OAS was connected to the General Secretariat building and data center (from which they access the Internet) over a T1 line which was proving inadequate for their needs. Because they wanted to increase the use of videoconferencing, webcasting, voice over IP and other bandwidth intensive technologies, it was imperative that they find an inexpensive, robust solution for connecting the campus network.
ITD had the technical assistance and expertise of The Presidi0 Corporation, the consultant contracted for the GSB renovation, to evaluate commercial packages and assess feasibility of putting together a solution.
FSO's advantages may be summarized as the following
Non-recurring expense: The GS/OAS owns the hardware so it is not a recurring expense, like a leased line. It can manage the resource directly and freely.
Security: It is a secure connection that is practically impossible to tap. The narrow beam is not easy to intercept and if interrupted for more than a few seconds, it will shut itself down automatically, alerting network administrators.
Upgradibility: It can be upgraded quickly to higher bandwidth or newer features when they become available. Products can go up to 2.5 Gbps, and potentially much higher.Integration: It integrates transparently with the GS/OAS network.
In addition, PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) adopted the same product to connect its office in our 1889 F Street building to their headquarters.

27. Indy Racing League Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Find a reliable, high-speed wireless connections that can be easily transported and installed at each race
SONAbeam™ 155-E is lightweight, compact and provides high-speed transport at up to 155Mbps
In addition to the ease of installation, SONAbeam products are immune to EM interference
Solution:
Benefits:

28. Education

29. Dublin City University
Goal:
Replace failing radio that was only available 80% of the time due to rain outages
SONAbeam™ 155-M was installed at 2.7km. They now plan to link the whole campus.
In addition to increased availability, SONAbeam™ is able to provide a very high-speed network that always provides full bandwidth.
Solution:
Benefits:
Dublin City University wanted to replace a failing radio that was only available 80% of the time with something that was more reliable and provided higher speed services. Working with Dimension Networks, a reseller partner of fSONA, they selected the SONAbeam 155-M. The 155-M was installed at 2.7 km and provides Fast Ethernet capacity at full duplex speeds - a huge improvement over their prior solution. The link has been working so well, they plan to use FSO to link up the rest of the campus to high speed network. As well, they also plan to use the FSO endpoints to deliver Wi-Fi service to students with laptops.

30. University of Toronto Goal: Solution: Benefits:
Connect two remote offices, one permanent and one temporary at Gigabit speeds
SONAbeam™ 1250-S and SONAbeam™ 155-S
High capacity connectivity at a cost-effective price. The University will also have a SONAbeam on hand to use for temporary capacity requirements/disaster recovery once the temporary link at the remote office is no longer required.
Solution:
Benefits:
OISE (temporary link) Ontario Institute for Study and Education

31. University of British Columbia
Goal:
Have a link on hand for disaster recovery and special events
SONAbeam™ 155-E
Solution is lightweight and portable for temporary links. UBC also tested the SONAbeam™ 155-E through windows and was very pleased with the results.
Solution:
Benefits:
UBC bought a SONAbeam for their disaster recovery program and special events. They set it up to test how the link would work through windows in preparation for the University President’s Council link.

32. Healthcare

33. Health Insurance Partners, NY
Goal:
Bridge LAN’s of two recently merged healthcare companies at Gigabit speeds in Lower Manhattan on-budget and on-time
Solution:
SONAbeamTM S Gigabit
The Health Insurance Partners (HIP) network needed to join the LAN networks of two healthcare networks who had recently merged their operations. Because healthcare information requires the use of large data files, the network needed to provide Gigabit level speeds that would match the LAN speeds both companies were accustomed to. The only technology other than FSO that can provide such high speeds is fiber and fiber can be very expensive. HIP was quote $1.18 million dollars to run fiber between the two locations. For $55,000 dollars, including installation costs, HIP was able to have a SONAbeam 1250-S Gigabit system installed to operate through the windows of each office. Plus the install was completed within one week.
Benefits:
Immediate ROI (fiber quoted at $1.18 million)
Gigabit speeds
Rapid installation (one week)