Cisco launches metro area wireless solution for public sector

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: July 9, 2004 4:55:43 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Cisco launches metro area wireless solution for 
public sector
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com

Cisco launches metro area wireless solution for public sector

by Chris Talbot
<http://www.integratedmar.com/ecl-usa/story.cfm?item=18466>

Cisco Systems  has released a new solution that allows the company and 
its channel partners to build metropolitan-area broadband wireless 
networks for connecting various public services agencies.

The goal of the Cisco Metropolitan Mobile Network solution to create a 
metro-wide wireless network that connects some or all public sector 
agencies in a given area that allows them to share resources and 
communicate with each other more effectively. According to Ann Sun, 
senior manager of wireless and mobility marketing at Cisco, the public 
sector has a need for real-time, mobile access to applications and 
tools, which could lead to increased productivity and responsiveness of 
city personnel.

Built to be scalable, secure and standards-based, the Metropolitan 
Mobile Network solution uses several different Cisco products, 
including the Aironet Series Outdoor Access Point/Bridge and the Cisco 
3200 Series Router with new integrated Wireless Mobile Interface Card, 
which supports 802.11b and 802.11g in both LAN and WAN environments. 
However, the solution is also technologically scalable so that it can 
incorporate future wireless technologies, such as 802.16 (also known as 
WiMAX).

"There's been over the last couple of years a lot of interest, mostly 
driven by public safety, homeland security and other initiatives, but I 
think what a lot of public sector agencies are looking at now is 
enhancing communications and interoperability, in particular, between 
different agencies," Sun said.

As with the private sector, the public sector has been cost-conscious 
and is looking to improve operational efficiencies and increase the 
presence of public sector agencies at an affordable price. According to 
Cisco, the Metropolitan Mobile Network solution is meant to be a 
cost-effective solution, and it's currently being used in pilot and 
trial deployments in locations like Cook County, Ill. and the City of 
Westminster.

The public sector is looking to extend its network to the edge and the 
outside and mobile environment, Sun said.

"I think in particular this makes sense because they do have so many 
workers who are mobile, who are moving around during their day, and 
they need that access to resources and the applications. And to be able 
to communicate between different agencies is really important," Sun 
said.

Sun added that the launch of the Metropolitan Mobile Network solution 
is very relevant to Cisco's channel partners, as it will be the 
partners that drive it to the end customers. The idea behind the 
solution is to have a single integrated network infrastructure for 
public sector agencies. From a Cisco perspective, integration means 
having the same type of reliability and security that those customers 
are familiar with in their current operating environments, she said.

The solution would be capable of providing a video feed to police cars, 
fire trucks and ambulances on root to an incident so they're better 
prepared when they arrive, but it also allows those mobile workers to 
collaborate and respond effectively at the scene of the incident, Sun 
said. It allows for enhanced communications, collaboration and 
prioritization between the different agencies.

For the channel, the solution offers the opportunity to provide a 
value-add around the integration, design and deployment aspects, Sun 
said.

"A lot of our channel partners are like consultants for these different 
public sector agencies, and they're looking at what can they pull 
together to provide them with a complete solution, whether it's 
additional software, it's custom hardware or those professional 
services offerings that partners have available," Sun said.


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