SCIENCE

AzulStar announced that it has chosen advanced Wi-Fi products and technology from Ruckus Wireless to deliver cost-effective wireless broadband access as part of a managed services offering to large apartments, condominiums and other Multi-Dwelling Units (MDU).

AzulStar selected Ruckus 802.11n Wi-Fi products because of their patented adaptive antenna technology that uniquely enables higher speed, higher capacity access. Unlike conventional 802.11 products that use off-the-shelf antennas, Ruckus delivers 2 to 4x increases in signal coverage and interference reduction within a secure, centrally managed network architecture.

"We required a very high performance Wi-Fi system to extend our Fixed WiMAX service to a broader market," said AzulStar Chairman & CEO Tyler van Houwelingen. "In light of the growing number of consumers now using Wi-Fi enabled devices like iPads and smartphones, consistent high-speed wireless has become critical and is now a point of differentiation for apartment complex owners."

AzulStar provides high-speed Wi-Fi broadband service to users up to 30Mbps (megabits per second) everywhere across MDUs, utilizing the Ruckus ZoneFlex Smart 802.11n Wi-Fi system, combined with its own Fixed WiMAX network for Internet uplink. AzulStar previously reviewed and tested other Wi-Fi solutions and, unlike Ruckus, determined they delivered less coverage and slower speeds with no improvement over existing DSL or Cable implementations.

Ruckus Wireless, headquartered in Silicon Valley, was ranked the top telecom company on the 2009 Inc. Magazine 500 list. The company has invented and patented state-of-the-art adaptive beam-forming technology that steers Wi-Fi signals around obstacles and interference.

"Tenants increasingly demand higher speed Internet that supports gaming, video streaming and other types of bandwidth-intensive applications," explained van Houwelingen. "Together with Ruckus, we have overcome the challenges posed by multi-unit residences and can service more customers with the greater speed and reliability they require. Our Fixed WiMAX backbone, combined with Ruckus smart Wi-Fi technology, delivers exceptional broadband service for apartment tenants and owners alike."

AzulStar partnered with Grand Rapids, MI, property firm Eenhoorn, LLC to deploy the wireless broadband service at The Lofts, Eenhoorn's apartment complex in downtown Grand Rapids, earlier this spring. "Our residents are plugged in and on the go 24/7," said Eenhoorn CEO Paul Heule. "They expect hassle-free, dependable access to the Web. Selecting AzulStar as our supplier was an obvious choice given their superb track record in providing reliable and affordable wireless broadband."

AzulStar shares revenues from its service with MDU owners/managers and provides a complete end-to-end solution, including Internet feed, Wi-Fi network installation, and ongoing managed services including around-the-clock network operations/maintenance, customer support and on-rent or credit card billing. AzulStar manages all networks from its centralized Network Operations Center, including detailed reporting on connectivity, bandwidth usage, performance, accounting and a host of other network attributes.

AzulStar already has implemented its combined Wi-Fi/WiMAX broadband service in apartment complexes in West Michigan, and plans to introduce the service to an additional 100 MDUs in the Midwest and Southwest U.S. over the next few years.