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Lindsay Broadband and Incognito Software have announced a strategic partnership to develop intelligent Wi-Fi and WiMAX broadband wireless systems. The unique software and hardware solution provides an innovative way for broadband service providers to deploy high-speed Internet and VoIP services over wireless networks instead of more costly physical infrastructures, especially in rural or remote areas.

Incognito’s provisioning software, Broadband Command Center, will automatically activate Wi-Fi and WiMAX customer premises equipment (CPE) for high-speed data and VoIP access. The software will cut deployment and operations costs by eliminating manual configuration of CPE -- performing “on-the-fly” subscriber lookup, service verification, and generation of device configuration files.

Lindsay Broadband will supply the “deep hybrid mesh” wireless hardware and architecture, including indoor Wi-Fi customer premise modems and outdoor-hardened wireless mesh access points, which can be powered by existing cable hybrid-fiber coaxial (HFC) networks. Each wireless mesh network will consist of a series of radio nodes that overcome topography challenges using a wide variety of externally mounted RF antennas.

The new solution provides a breakthrough combination of affordability and performance -- giving rural cable operators the ability to add high-speed data and VoIP services through automated device provisioning and captive portal hotspot services, all on a common wireless infrastructure. For cable operators with bidirectional HFC networks, the solution enables service extensions into business parks or areas outside their licensed service footprint.

Dave Atman, president of Lindsay Broadband, said, “A large number of small communities, both inside the cable franchise footprint and beyond, are not being served with high-speed data and voice services due to the high cost of two-way plant upgrades. Our solution lets the network operator forego the upgrades with new high-performance wireless overbuilds at a small fraction of the cost.”

According to Stephane Bourque, founder and CTO of Incognito Software, “Our jointly developed solution will introduce advanced provisioning to the Wi-Fi and WiMax environment, enabling wireless network operators to completely automate the task of bringing customers online. This provides substantial savings in administration and support costs while delivering the high-speed Internet and VoIP services that customers now require.”