Air2Lan Partners With MeshNetworks

Air2Lan Friday formed a strategic
partnership with MeshNetworks to
develop an IP-based wireless network that allows Net roaming access nationwide.

The wireless Internet access provider formed the alliance to leverage its
next-generation wireless national rollout scheduled for completion in three
years. Air2Lan launched its first wireless services in Jackson, MS, in May.

Jai Bhagat, Air2Lan chief executive officer, sees a future dominated by the
wireless Internet. He said MeshNetwork’s ability to bring voice, data and
video services is essential to the evolution of its wireless service portfolio.

“Our vision is to create technologies making high-speed Internet access as
ubiquitous as wireless telephone access,” Bhagat said. “By combining
Air2Lan’s strength in intra-campus broadband wireless access technology
with MeshNetworks focus on mobile broadband solutions, we believe we can
make this a reality.”

MeshNetwork utilizes patent-pending technology originally designed for use
by the Department of Defense. Quad-Division Multiple Access technology
allows customers connect to the Net from any location covered in the
service area, like a cellular phone allows roaming access.

Masood Garahi, MeshNetwork chief executive officer, is confident its
products are a perfect fit for Air2Lan’s national rollout in 2003.

“The beauty is you can use the QDMA anywhere, whether you’re connected to
the Internet or are part of an Intranet,” Garahi said. “In fact, that’s how
it was originally designed by the military, QDMA was used by soldiers and
deployed around the world to have an instantaneous connection with each
other during battlefield conditions.”

Garahi said the company is currently scaling the technology to include
Internet browsing over the Web. It also plans to develop a system that
would also allow users to access Web pages with streaming audio and video
sources.

MeshNetworks has secured more than $20 million in series A and B funding
from investors, enough to see the company through to its scheduled product
demonstrations with Air2Lan in 2001, Garahi said.

Get the Free Newsletter!

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

News Around the Web