Nokia and Facebook are working to accelerate the adoption of 60 GHz fixed wireless access technologies to deliver gigabit services for faster connectivity. The 60 GHz band allows high-speed broadband connectivity in urban or suburban areas, complementing existing fiber. Nokia will combine its worldwide delivery capabilities and wireless passive optical network (WPON) with Facebook's Terragraph technology to launch global gigabit broadband trials in 2018 with select customers.
Facebook's Terragraph technology is a 60 GHz, multi-node wireless system that delivers a low-cost solution for high-speed wireless access. Nokia's wireless passive optical network (WPON) technology provides a wireless gigabit drop to the home for broadband access networks. Combining WPON with Terragraph's mesh-routing and multi-hop capabilities allows broadband providers to wirelessly deliver gigabit services over wider areas with high reliability and meet growing demands for ultra-broadband access.
Nokia and Facebook will also work together to accelerate IEEE's 802.11ay industry standard, leveraging Nokia's Wireless PON innovation and Terragraph's efficient TDMA scheduling capabilities. The goal is to create a strong platform and ecosystem for introducing 60GHz Terragraph-certified solutions to the marketplace, and deliver gigabit services to more people, sooner.
Last year, Nokia launched its Wireless PON (WPON) solution, further expanding its fiber-to-the-most-economical-point toolkit. Wireless PON is based on 802.11ad WiGig technology and provides a wireless drop for fiber-to-the-home networks. Access points can be easily mounted on utility poles, street lights or a building facade, and deliver gigabit-per-second speeds to a self-installable WPON Home unit. By using the WPON solution rather than bringing fiber into every home, broadband providers can reduce up-front investment cost and deploy faster.
Click here to learn more about Facebook's Terragraph technology.
