LandWarNet 2011: LGS develops next-generation 4G solution
LGS Innovations is preparing to bring the next-generation variant of its Wimax 4G Readily Deployable Network (RDN) into service by the beginning of 2013 at the latest, company executives have revealed.
Speaking to Shephard at the LandWarNet conference in Tampa on 27 August, VP business development and sales Daniel Bigbie said the '4G Long Term Evolution' (LTE) would follow on from evaluation of the Wimax 4G variant at the US Army's Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) at Fort Bliss, New Mexico in October.
According to the company, the RDN comprises a range in excess of 10km and uses WiMax technology to provide wireless voice, video and data transmissions.
The RDN he said, could be set up in 10 minutes to provide voice, video and data capabilities for up to 80 different users operating smartphones. He added that LGS was working on an agreement with Motorola to use Android handsets for the NIE.
LGS employees have already been on site at Ft Bliss for a couple of weeks now ahead of the forthcoming NIE, Bigbie explained. 'This is a new technology for consideration for the NIE,' he urged.
'For an army deploying into a hostile territory, this capability has become very valuable for instant communications to augment what they already have,' Bigbie explained. 'The army has a set of problems to solve right now and they cannot wait until 2013 [for such technology].'
'Normally, an army will have SATCOM [satellite communications] capability but they do not get voice, video and data over a handheld [device] with larger radio systems. Wimax 4G satisfies size, weight and power requirements and flexibility on devices,' he continued. However, he warned that such a capability did not reduce the need for SATCOM.
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