One of the key reasons why we can provide both carrier-class broadband wireless networking AND keep costs low is our use of 802.11 chips. SkyPilot has always used 802.11a chips for the wireless communication link in our 5 GHz products; however, we implemented a WiMAX-like synchronous TDD MAC layer to overcome the deficiencies with running CSMA/CA MAC over long-range point-to-multipoint links (for more information, see our free whitepaper Why Synchronous for Wireless). With our SyncMesh protocol, we have been able to leverage low-cost 802.11a chips yet produce WiMAX-like broadband wireless solutions.
Today, we opened up our protocol to run on standard Wi-Fi devices. The SyncMesh Client firmware converts these Wi-Fi devices into WiMAX-like CPE.
The first devices powered by SyncMesh Client are high-performance and low-cost Wi-Fi devices from Ubiquiti Networks, including the PowerStation, NanoStation, NanoStation loco, and Bullet. When these devices are flashed with SyncMesh Client firmware, they are effectively converted into SkyConnectors through a simple software download. This provides a variety of key benefits. First, service providers have the ability to choose between a variety of outdoor CPE to match their requirements. Second, of course, the price points that Ubiquiti has been able to achieve without sacrificing performance. These 5 GHz CPE have MSRP as follows: PowerStation5 (US$169), NanoStation5 (US$89), NanoStation5 loco (US$69), and Bullet5 (US$59).
With SkyPilot’s SyncMesh Client firmware, available from our distributors with an MSRP of US$99, any of these Wi-Fi CPE can be converted into a synchronous broadband wireless CPE to connect to a SkyPilot synchronous mesh network.
