Loea Corporation First To Install 'Virtual Fiber' Using Newly Available Spectrum

10/20/2003 8:12:00 AM


WASHINGTON, Oct 20, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- "Last Thursday's FCC adoption of service rules for commercial use of 70-90 GHz upper millimeter wave (UMW) spectrum paved the way for widespread use of Loea Corporation's 'virtual fiber' technology for high-speed communications", said Tom Wetmore, Loea's VP of Sales and Marketing. In September 2001, Loea filed a petition requesting the establishment of service rules for the licensed use of the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands after experimenting with technology it had developed. Wetmore said, "Loea is the first company to develop and deploy communications links using this high frequency spectrum, having provided this technology to federal government users and, in tests, to commercial users."

Wetmore lauded the Commission's decision approving more than 10 GHz of UMW spectrum for commercial use. "By the bold and rapid decision announced at its recent Oct. 16th meeting, the FCC has taken a major step forward by facilitating widespread deployment of high-speed communications throughout the United States to improve economic productivity," Wetmore said. "The strong leadership of the FCC allows companies such as Loea to offer products that will enable both enterprises and service providers to gain flexible, low cost access to high-speed broadband communications without the expense and time delay typically associated with laying new fiber optic cable."

"Loea has proven its technology in field installations for more than two years, deploying multiple high-speed communication links for federal government and commercial customers," Wetmore said. Loea's virtual fiber technology utilizes major portions of the new FCC-approved spectrum to transmit narrow high frequency "pencil" beams at very high speeds without interference. Loea links work in fog and rain with weather availability of more than 99.999 percent at distances of about a mile or more. Loea's use of the new spectrum offers data transmission speeds of 1.25 gigabits per second, the equivalent of 670 T1 lines or 1,000 DSL connections, without fiber optic cable.

Wetmore said Loea's technology provides a quick and practical solution to what the telecom industry calls the "last mile" problem; the linking of fiber networks to business and residential users. According to Dain Rauscher Wessels, fiber connections currently reach just 2% of the 1.6 million commercial buildings in the U.S.

"The telecommunications industry has invested enormous capital to lay fiber, but never solved the 'last mile' problem. As a result, the broadband revolution has not been realized," Wetmore said. "Loea's virtual fiber is a bridging technology that delivers network capacity where and when it's needed. It can link locations in different areas, link within locations or provide connectivity to extend fiber networks."

Loea's fiberless technology was originally developed for military use with passive millimeter wave cameras, which allow planes and helicopters to see through fog. In addition to unprecedented speed, the wireless point-to-point system costs only a fraction of a fiber network, and can be installed in a day. The fiberless links offer a quick, reliable, and cost-effective alternative for increased capacity, back up, and redundancy of government, corporate, and service provider network infrastructures throughout the U.S., according to Wetmore.

Loea's technology is in place at several federal government installations and at the University of Hawaii. It was also deployed to support the live broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003.

About Loea Corporation

Loea Corporation, with its principal office in Hawaii and with offices in California and Massachusetts, is a subsidiary of Trex Enterprises Corporation, which is based in San Diego, California. For more than 25 years, Trex has conducted research for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

SOURCE Loea Corporation

http://www.loeacom.com
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