ACADEMIA

Alvarion announced the multi-million dollar project with PLDT to provide carrier-grade Wi-Fi access starting with over 3,000 hot zones around Manila's metropolitan area, and continuing to other major areas around the Philippines. Installation has begun on the first phase and the entire project is expected to be completed in two years. PLDT is the largest telecommunications company in the Philippines providing the largest and most diversified range of telecommunications services.

PLDT is revolutionizing its customers' surfing experience with the roll-out of Wi-Fi zones located in key cities in the Philippines. This Wi-Fi Zone Project provides access to a premium, high-speed Wi-Fi service in over 3,000 public areas such as cafes, bars and clubs, car dealerships, salons, shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas. In order to make this solution visually appealing around the city, Alvarion designed graphical sleeves applied to the Wi-Fi units that make it environment friendly and camouflage it with the surroundings. For a minimal fee of P150.00 per month, PLDT myDSL subscribers get unlimited access to the premium Wi-Fi Zone service using one username and password in all of the 3,000 Wi-Fi zones nationwide.

Alvarion's WBSn solution was chosen by PLDT amongst the vendors who participated in a field trial performance test. These tests were conducted in busy streets, parks, restaurants and office buildings connecting handheld devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. Alvarion passed the criteria that included the capability in reaching long distances, operating in Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS), overcoming dense urban obstacles such as trees and solid structures, and penetrating inside public buildings such as museums and libraries.

Network planning and carrier-grade advanced Wi-Fi technology allowed Alvarion to strategically place one base station in a tactical location that would provide connectivity inside malls and buildings and cover distances of up to 500 meters while overcoming obstacles in both Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Non-Line-of-Sight conditions. PLDT required at least 1 Mbps throughput at a 500 meter Line-of-Sight distance from the base station. Alvarion outperformed this requirement with up to 20 Mbps throughput at 500 meters in a Non-Line-of-Sight, urban environment.

"With Alvarion's advanced technology, professional network planning and experienced engineers, we were able to offer PLDT exactly what they needed in a Wi-Fi solution," states Hezi Lapid, President and CEO of Alvarion, "We have enabled a nationwide network of carrier-grade Wi-Fi hot spots that will give PLDT's customers strong Internet connection anywhere they are, delivering a fantastic user experience no matter where the customer may go."