Ruckus Wireless today launched its first outdoor wireless systems, the Zoneflex 7762 and 2741.
Using its mesh aerial technology to rebound signals from access points placed across an outdoor space, the system can provide Wi-Fi access without interference from physical obstructions which often hinder other outdoor solutions.
The product can be managed as part of an overall local area network (LAN) both inside and out of locations such as hotel resorts or college campuses. Not only does it provide better Wi-Fi access, it also takes pressure off of the 3G mobile networks.
Ruckus confirmed that the World of Music and Dance (WOMAD) festival in the UK will be using the technology to help run the show across 250 acres of land in Charleton Park.
It will support devices such as VoIP phones, security cameras and credit card machines on stalls which use Wi-Fi for transactions.
Tom McInerney, operations director for Etherlive, which provides technology for the festival, said: "Building a flexible and robust Wi-Fi network on such a large scale, covering a massive outdoor space, supporting a huge number of concurrent users and delivering simultaneous voice, video and data services is a major undertaking, especially when interference people and moving objects in the environment, noise from all sorts of RF devices is everywhere and can't be controlled."
He added: "The outdoor Ruckus network required fewer access points to cover the area but more importantly the beamforming technology is self-optimising and highly adaptive to the RF environment."
The 2741 model, provides 25Mbps over 500 feet to client devices and is available now for 600. The 7762 model, with a higher performance of 50Mbps over 500 feet will be available from August priced at 1,340.
