Thursday, July 5, 2007

Hybrid solutions aren't just for automobiles

As covered in an entry last week, here at NextPhase, we firmly believe that the future of telecommunications is all about hybrid solutions, leveraging the very best of various wired and wireless technologies to to deliver flexible, scalable, cost-effective services that allow 'any time, any place, any device' creation, consumption and collaboration of content.

It was interesting to read today that Nortel Networks seem to feel the same way, too. They've announced their plans for creating what they're calling the "Unwired Enterprise", and it is all about integrating WiFi technologies into their existing product base.

Just like Moore's law, technological advances are going to keep squeezing ever more bandwidth out of copper, fiber and precious radio spectrum (both licensed and unlicensed), but at the rate that demand for connectivity continues to grow, it is going to take smart integration of all these various technologies to be able to deliver the goods!
Nortel Networks announced its plan for creating the "Unwired Enterprise," which involves integrating WiFi into existing wired infrastructure. Nortel said it will bring to market WiFi products based on the 802.11n draft specification once it's ratified as a standard. The idea is to combine WiFi and mesh systems, switches and routers embedded with wireless capability and a unified network management platform. For instance, Nortel will integrate WiFi functionality directly with the Ethernet switch, as opposed to offering stand-alone equipment like a wireless access point or a router.

Nortel's seriousness in the business can be measured by the fact that the vendor plans to build products in-house by upping its R&D spending. Previously, the company had outsourced its WiFi equipment to OEMs.

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