Navini Networks
Encyclopedia
Navini Networks was a company that developed an internet-access system based on WiMAX
which was acquired by Cisco
in October, 2007.
in October, 2007 Navini had some 70 customers worldwide.
The company was based in Richardson, Texas
and was privately funded by several investment-funds.
When it was sold in October 2007 for $330 million to Cisco, it had 70 customers all over the world. A Navini customer would be an Internet service provider
providing wireless internet access, mainly in areas where there are only limited wired alternatives available (e.g. Docsis
access via a cable-TV network or DSL
via the telephone network).
and in 2002 it won some national and regional prizes.
Between the formation and early 2003 it attracted $66.5 million from private investors and employed 130 employees.
The main special feature of the Navini product is that it offered a non line-of-sight
wireless access system. In normal Wi-Fi
systems there has to be an unobstructed view between the antenna of the transmitter and the receiver for a good reception of the signals: when the view is obstructed the signal strength decreaes vert fast and the reach of the signal is very small.
By using a technique called spot beaming
, a technique normally used in satellite communications, it was possible to use radio-signals on frequencies that would normally require an unobstructed path between the transmitter and receiver or high-power transmitters.
A Navini system consists of one management-system, one or more base-systems and the user-modems or customer premises equipment
and can manage one or more base-systems. The EMS is a server application to manage the base-systems and end-user equipment. The Navibi EMS is a Java based IP-network management system and could run on a Windows
or SUN
server platform using SNMP.
or GSM-mast in a cellular telephone network
.
The central system consisted of an indoor unit and an outdoor eight element antenna
system.
A single BTS could allow up to 1000 end users connected to it. An end-user could connect to different base-systems, depending on which station gave the best connection at that time, but it wasn't possible to 'hop' from one BTS to another without losing the connection: the system wasn't designed for mobile communication. The Ripwave system is based on the TD-SCDMA
technology and one of the founders of the company, Dr. Xu, wrote the initial drafts for this standard.
The RipWave system was one of the first land-based systems for private use that uses spot-beaming to realise the non-line of sight connection between the CPE and the BTS. Spot-beaming is used in satellite communications to aim a signal from a satellite to a specific area and so increase the signal-strength in that area.
Originally the base-station was sold as the RipWave MX8 system but after the acquisition of the company by Cisco the base-systems were sold as Cisco BWX 8300 series until it was marked as End of Life in 2008. The MX8 was a Navini proprietary protocol
. It was followed up by BWX2300 WiMAX certified systems
The Navini CPE's or modems introduced since September 2007 are based on the IEEE 802.16
standard.The old modems, sold as BWX100 systems are EOL from 18 September, 2009
A CPE consists of a modem, which is in reality a radio tranceiver, and has a built-on antenna. To improve signal-quality it is possible to connect an external antenna to the modem. The Ripwave CPE uses an active antenna
Although the Ripwave technology doesn't support the active handover
of a call from one base-station to another (such as in cellular networks) it does support nomadic use: a CPE isn't fixed to a specific base-station: if the provider allowes it a CPE connect to any base-station in their network or even allow connections from modems of another ISP's.
WiMAX
WiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
which was acquired by Cisco
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
in October, 2007.
Company
In January 2000, Wu-Fu Chen and Guanghan Xu formed the company Navini Networks. They developed a wireless internet-access system. When the company was sold to Cisco SystemsCisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
in October, 2007 Navini had some 70 customers worldwide.
The company was based in Richardson, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and was privately funded by several investment-funds.
When it was sold in October 2007 for $330 million to Cisco, it had 70 customers all over the world. A Navini customer would be an Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
providing wireless internet access, mainly in areas where there are only limited wired alternatives available (e.g. Docsis
DOCSIS
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification is an international telecommunications standard that permits the addition of high-speed data transfer to an existing cable TV system...
access via a cable-TV network or DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
Digital subscriber line is a family of technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ,...
via the telephone network).
Start up
In the first few years, the company won several awards for developing a new internet access-technologies. In 2001 it was awarded the 'Start-Up of the Year' award by KPMGKPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
and in 2002 it won some national and regional prizes.
Between the formation and early 2003 it attracted $66.5 million from private investors and employed 130 employees.
Products
Navini developed a WiMAX wireless internet-access infrastructure consisting of two main parts: the central headend system with the special antennas and the RipWave modems or customer premises equipmentThe main special feature of the Navini product is that it offered a non line-of-sight
Line-of-sight propagation
Line-of-sight propagation refers to electro-magnetic radiation or acoustic wave propagation. Electromagnetic transmission includes light emissions traveling in a straight line...
wireless access system. In normal Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
systems there has to be an unobstructed view between the antenna of the transmitter and the receiver for a good reception of the signals: when the view is obstructed the signal strength decreaes vert fast and the reach of the signal is very small.
By using a technique called spot beaming
Spot beam
A spot beam, in telecommunications parlance, is a satellite signal that is specially concentrated in power A spot beam, in telecommunications parlance, is a satellite signal that is specially concentrated in power A spot beam, in telecommunications parlance, is a satellite signal that is specially...
, a technique normally used in satellite communications, it was possible to use radio-signals on frequencies that would normally require an unobstructed path between the transmitter and receiver or high-power transmitters.
A Navini system consists of one management-system, one or more base-systems and the user-modems or customer premises equipment
Ripwave EMS
At the heart of a Navini based internet access system is the EMS or Element Management System. The EMS ia an Network management systemNetwork management system
A network management system is a combination of hardware and software used to monitor and administer a computer network.Individual network elements in a network are managed by an element management system.-Tasks and operational details:...
and can manage one or more base-systems. The EMS is a server application to manage the base-systems and end-user equipment. The Navibi EMS is a Java based IP-network management system and could run on a Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
or SUN
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
server platform using SNMP.
Base System
The base system is the head-end equipment to which users within the reach connect to. A base-system can be compared to a base systemBase station
The term base station can be used in the context of land surveying and wireless communications.- Land surveying :In the context of external land surveying, a base station is a GPS receiver at an accurately-known fixed location which is used to derive correction information for nearby portable GPS...
or GSM-mast in a cellular telephone network
Cellular network
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area...
.
The central system consisted of an indoor unit and an outdoor eight element antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
system.
A single BTS could allow up to 1000 end users connected to it. An end-user could connect to different base-systems, depending on which station gave the best connection at that time, but it wasn't possible to 'hop' from one BTS to another without losing the connection: the system wasn't designed for mobile communication. The Ripwave system is based on the TD-SCDMA
TD-SCDMA
Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access or UTRA/UMTS-TDD 1.28 Mcps Low Chip Rate , is an air interface found in UMTS mobile telecommunications networks in China as an alternative to W-CDMA. Together with TD-CDMA, it is also known as UMTS-TDD or IMT 2000 Time-Division .The term...
technology and one of the founders of the company, Dr. Xu, wrote the initial drafts for this standard.
The RipWave system was one of the first land-based systems for private use that uses spot-beaming to realise the non-line of sight connection between the CPE and the BTS. Spot-beaming is used in satellite communications to aim a signal from a satellite to a specific area and so increase the signal-strength in that area.
Originally the base-station was sold as the RipWave MX8 system but after the acquisition of the company by Cisco the base-systems were sold as Cisco BWX 8300 series until it was marked as End of Life in 2008. The MX8 was a Navini proprietary protocol
Proprietary protocol
In telecommunications, a proprietary protocol is a communications protocol owned by a single organization or individual.-Enforcement:Proprietors may enforce restrictions through patents and by keeping the protocol specification a trade secret...
. It was followed up by BWX2300 WiMAX certified systems
Customer premises equipment
To get access to a Navini WiMAX base-system the customer uses a special radio-tranceiver: the customer premises equipment or CPE.The Navini CPE's or modems introduced since September 2007 are based on the IEEE 802.16
IEEE 802.16
IEEE 802.16 is a series of Wireless Broadband standards authored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers . The IEEE Standards Board in established a working group in 1999 to develop standards for broadband Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks...
standard.The old modems, sold as BWX100 systems are EOL from 18 September, 2009
A CPE consists of a modem, which is in reality a radio tranceiver, and has a built-on antenna. To improve signal-quality it is possible to connect an external antenna to the modem. The Ripwave CPE uses an active antenna
Active antenna
An active antenna is an antenna that contains active electronic components. This allows the construction of antennas of limited size and / or wide frequency range. Most active antennas use as antenna parts of minimal conducting area, e.g. a small whip, connected to the active component...
Although the Ripwave technology doesn't support the active handover
Handover
In cellular telecommunications, the term handover or handoff refers to the process of transferring an ongoing call or data session from one channel connected to the core network to another...
of a call from one base-station to another (such as in cellular networks) it does support nomadic use: a CPE isn't fixed to a specific base-station: if the provider allowes it a CPE connect to any base-station in their network or even allow connections from modems of another ISP's.