Alcatel-Lucent and Casema, cable operator in the Netherlands, has tested Universal WiMAX in the Netherlands. Casema is the first operator in the Netherlands to conduct verification testing for WiMAX, and it used the most advanced version, Universal WiMAX 802. 16e-2005.
The trial has been designed to test several applications in the framework of the “Smart Homes” project, which is subsidized by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affaires and is designed to improve the overall welfare of the community by leveraging advances in telecommunications technology in three critical areas. Those areas are videoconferencing and telemedicine for welfare and care, video surveillance for security, and broadband Internet access to enhance general communications.
The WiMAX pilot network was deployed by Alcatel-Lucent in January in the southwestern part of the country and complies with the latest mobile WiMAX standard (IEEE 802.16e-2005).
“The deployment of this WiMAX pilot network plays a key role in accelerating the realization of the ‘Smart Homes’ project. Very soon, our existing broadband customers will be able to enjoy broadband services no matter where they are as they travel around the country,” said Mirko Mensink, Director Strategy from Casema. ”We selected Alcatel-Lucent because its solution complies fully with the WiMAX Rev-e standard and because of its demonstrated commitment to provide operators with the most advanced solutions to help them meet their customers’ needs. The facts that Alcatel-Lucent’s solution is available now and can be easily integrated into our network were also important factors in our decision.”
Alcatel-Lucent provided a complete WiMAX solution that operates in the 2.5 GHz frequency band, including base station equipment, wireless access controller, operation and maintenance center, customer premises equipment (CPE) – including WiMAX fixed CPE and PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) cards for laptop computers – to deliver Internet broadband access when on the move. The company also provided its WiMAX engineering expertise and integration services.