Bandspeed Unveils Indoor/Outdoor WLAN-SDMA Technology

Bandspeed, a start-up based in Austin, Texas, unveiled its Gypsy wireless LAN spatial division multiple access (SDMA) switch technology for integration into other manufacturer's access points (APs). Bandspeed claims its technology allows WLANs to extend their range up to three kilometers line-of-sight outdoors and provide bandwidth up to six times greater than conventional APs. Indoor WLANs also see an increase in range of up to three times over conventional APs for similar deployments, according to Bandspeed, while maintaining FCC and ETSI compliance . The Bandspeed smart antenna solution differs from other WLAN switches in that a basic level of packet switching takes place at the AP, where up to six independent 802.11 a/b/g sectors converge. More importantly, the sectorized nature of the AP allows it to provide up to 11Mbps coverage near the edge of adjacent SDMA cells. Conventional APs provide progressively lower data rates emanating concentrically from the AP. Typically, 11Mbps is experienced in about half of the coverage area.
http://www.bandspeed.com