Iceland Embraces Wireless Mesh for Voice and Data Connectivity in Remote Communities

LONDON, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- THE WIRELESS EVENT -- Four remote communities in and around Isafjordur, Iceland have completed their first arctic winter with wireless mesh network from Firetide. The network put new technologies within reach of the communities, enabling advanced communications and encouraging economic development in the farthest territories of Europe. Isafjordur is the capital of the Westfjords, the area of Iceland known for its fishing and tourism industries.

Nyherji, one of Iceland's leading service providers in the field of information technology, deployed a Firetide wireless mesh network and Avaya Communications Manager IP telephony solution to connect the communities surrounding the town of Isafjordur to the Internet and deliver VoIP service. The network consists of four interconnected meshes and enables simultaneous voice and data communications over the same links. The meshes are centrally managed as one network from the city hall in Isafjordur.

"The Firetide wireless network eliminated the need for expensive leased lines, and will pay for itself within three years of the installation," said Valtyr Gislason, IT manager, Isafjordur city. "The system is a good investment as it even worked when covered with snow during the long winter."

Westfjords is challenging environment with harsh winters and difficult terrain. During the final phase of the installation, the deployment team used all-terrain vehicles to make it out of the site during a snow storm. The system that Nyherji designed had to be reliable and easy to install. Firetide's HotPort wireless mesh network automatically redirects traffic if any of the wireless links fail or if line-of-sight is blocked. The system also provides high Quality of Service (QoS), ensuring clear phone communications.

"QoS-enabled wireless mesh made a lot of sense for this project, since the network has to support both voice and data," said Sigurberg Hauksson, project manager at Nyherji. "Our usual solution for wireless links between buildings is a point-to-multipoint system, but it didn't have the QoS needed, so our supplier NoWire recommended the Firetide equipment instead."

"We are glad to have the reliable, cost-effective solution for Isafjordur," said Magnus Gunnarsson, VP of Sales and Business development at Firetide. "Wireless mesh technology enables EMEA regions without infrastructure to get access to broadband connectivity and VoIP, ensuring that even the most remote communities have access to advanced technologies."

Firetide wireless mesh network simultaneously supports voice, video and data and is ideal where traditional cabling is impractical or cost-prohibitive. Municipalities world-wide use Firetide mesh networks to provide broadband connectivity, ensure public safety, and enhance municipal services with wireless accessibility. Firetide is a member of the Avaya DeveloperConnection Program-an initiative to develop, market and sell innovative third-party products that interoperate with Avaya technology.

About Firetide, Inc.

Firetide is the leading provider of multi-service mesh networks that enable concurrent video, voice, and data for municipal, public safety, and enterprise applications. Firetide HotPort mesh nodes and HotPoint access points provide a reliable high performance wireless infrastructure and access solution for video surveillance, Internet access, public safety networks, and temporary networks wherever rapid deployment, mobility, and ease of installation are required. The company's patented AutoMesh flow-based routing protocol optimizes network performance and capacity for high bandwidth and latency sensitive applications. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, Firetide is a privately held company with worldwide product distribution. For more information, visit http://www.firetide.com/.

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R), use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers and Communications-Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com/.

About Nyherji

Nyherji, one of Iceland's leading service providers in the field of information technology, offers complete solutions in the fields of information technology, including consultancy, the provision of hardware and software, office equipment and technical service. The company's mission is to create value for customers with its knowledge of information technologies, business operations, and customer needs. Nyherji's staff consists of 200 employees with considerable experience and expertise in the IT sector and business consulting. http://www.nyherji.is/

About NoWire

NoWire is a leading Nordic wireless distributor, offering solutions in wireless technology, network design, outdoor links, frequency planning, security, antenna technology, microwave links, and public access control. http://www.nowire.se/

Copyright 2007 Firetide Inc. Firetide and Reliable Connectivity Anywhere are trademarks of Firetide Inc. http://www.firetide.com/.