Monday, December 17, 2007

BelAir Raises $17.5 Million for Metro Wireless Mesh

Monday, December 17, 2007  ,  

BelAir Networks, a start-up based in Kanata, Ontario, announced $17.5 million in financing for its mobile wireless broadband mesh network solutions.



BelAir Networks said it now has more than 300 deployments worldwide, in leading cities such as New York, Minneapolis, the City of London and Toronto, and high-profile venues including Dolphin Stadium and Lincoln Center.



BelAir's portfolio supports Wi-Fi, WiMAX, 4.9 GHz Public Safety and cellular backhaul, and includes its flagship four-radio BelAir200 Wireless Multi-service Switch Router, the three-radio BelAir100T wireless mesh node, the dual-radio BelAir100 Multi-service Node, the single- or dual-radio BelAir100C Multi-service Node featuring point-to-multipoint backhaul, and the strand-mounted BelAir100S.



BelAir also offers the BelAir300 Converged Multi-service Wireless Node, combining cellular, Wi-Fi and wireless mesh on a converged platform.



The new funding was led by new investors Export Development Canada (EDC) and Wellington Financial. Existing investors Comcast Interactive Capital, T-Mobile Venture Fund, Trilogy Equity Partners, Panorama Capital (formerly JPMorgan Partners), VenGrowth Capital Partners Inc., BDC Venture Capital, Ventures West Management, McLean Watson and MMV Financial also participated in this round.

http://www.belairnetworks.comIn Oct


BelAir Networks outlined its strategy and product roadmap for its WiMAX mesh portfolio. The company currently utilizes 802.16d WiMAX radio modules operating in the 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz bands. These modules fit in its BelAir100 and BelAir200 mesh nodes and have been deployed by current spectrum holders for mesh backhaul between nodes. In June of this year, BelAir's module became the first and only FCC-certified WiMAX mesh product.

BelAir now plans to expand its WiMAX portfolio to include 802.16e. The company will deliver 802.16e radio modules for use in both backhaul and access applications. BelAir plans to use Intel's latest 802.16e technology to deliver 802.16e mobile WiMAX basestations. The new 802.16e modules, operating in the 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz bands, will fit in the BelAir100 and BelAir200 mesh nodes as card upgrades. Carrier trials are slated for mid 2007 and general availability is expected in the second half of 2007, in line with widespread adoption of WiMAX-based devices.