Municipal Network

Paris Departmental Council, France

Objective

The first phase for the Bluwan FTTA trial network in Paris has now been rolled out and has been in operation since January 2010. This phase demonstrates that providing high speed broadband, along with HD television content using Bluwan’s Fibre Through The Air Access solutions, is technologically, economically and environmentally viable.

Requirements

Prove that fixed wireless access and backhaul is possible using 42 GHz spectrum. Demonstrate the high capacity of the system to deliver ADSL2+ bandwidth to all customers in the trial. Further demonstrate that HD content can be side-loaded without impact to Internet services. Test the system’s ability to provide coverage across a wide area (Point to Multipoint) in an urban environment at a significantly lower cost than fibre deployment. Given the stringent requirements on electro-magnetic radiation put forward by the council,
prove that the solution is well within required guidelines.

Solution

The Bluwan FTTA network delivers 30 Mbps broadband to the premises without civil engineering works (typically required by fibre), and with 5-10 x lower cost
than fibre city deployment. The network does not cause any danger of radiation (less than 0.1 volts per metre). The FTTA Access network is backhauled using Bluwan FTTA techology (540 Mbps configured capacity), providing a 16 km  wireless backhaul serving eight sites in Paris that include eight broadband access hot spots with a 15 km² coverage area. Our transmitters in 42 GHz have a range of up to 8 km with higher gain antennas. We extend the reach with Relay Sites. From an electro-magnetic radiation perspective, Bureau Veritas have certified Bluwan’s FTTA solutions to be at 0.1 % of the World Health Organisation’s recommended guideline.

In the coming months, the City of Paris and Bluwan will establish the ‘Internet of the Future’ lab, and Bluwan’s technology will be used to demonstrate high speed broadband networks using even smaller terminals, increasing network density and reach, mobile backhaul and high resolution monument monitoring applications, as well as increasing the number of connected users. This
is planned for completion in the second half of 2011.

Bluwan’s commitment to green technology is in complete compliance with the stringent requirements from the City of Paris, a thought leader in eco-responsible urban initiatives.