Cisco Announces Metro Area Wireless Products

Just in time to be a factor in what could become the largest municipal wireless deployment ever, Cisco Systems said Monday that it is offering a series of infrastructure products that enable deployment of wireless networks for public agencies that cover entire metropolitan areas.

The company said in a statement that the solution leverages its Aironet outdoor WLAN infrastructure products such as its Aironet 1300 outdoor access point/bridges and its Aironet 1400 outdoor wireless bridge. It also uses its Cisco 3200 series routers with a new mobile interface card that supports wireless local area and wide area networks.

The combination not only support 802.11 wireless LANs, but also other transmission methods such as cellular and satellite connectivity, the company said a statement. It will support uninterrupted connections even in moving vehicles, the company said.

The announcement comes on the heels of media reports late last week that New York City is looking for bids for a city-wide wireless network to support its public safety agencies and employees. Some reports estimated the value of the project at between $500 million and $1 billion.

While Cisco did not mention New York City by name, it did mention that it has provided infrastructure products in other municipalities, including Cook County, Illinois.Cisco's solution uses 802.11a/b/g. However, press reports last week indicated that some vendors, such as Lucent Technologies, are suggesting the best solution is high-speed cellular data solutions such as CDMA-based EV-DO.