By Tim Sanders

WiNetworks is one of a new breed of emerging WiMax service provider companies that are leveraging rather unique business models coupled with WiMax technologies. Today's interview is with Mr. Effi Atad, CEO, WiNetworks. His responses reveal an interesting play based around enabling broadcast network operators and satellite firms to leverage terrestrial WiMax in order to deliver a full quadruple play of voice, data, video and eventually mobile wireless services.

In his words expect to see Mr. Atad's vision of where WiMax and his firm can lead. WiNetworks is a very interesting example of the numerous ways that WiMax can leverage unique business models in formats that terrestrial wireline technologies simply cannot address.

Tim Sanders: When was WiNetworks founded and was the company always positioned to offer hybrid WiMAX products? 

WiNetworks was founded in 2002 with the sole mission of offering a hybrid WiMAX product to DBS operators in order to turn their one way broadcast network into a full triple play and mobile ready offering.  WiNetworks specializes in seamlessly integrating the broadband wireless standard of WiMAX with the DBS infrastructure to create economical and functional advantages for broadband Operators.  The company's mission is to take WiMAX one step beyond the broadband access market to a sophisticated, low investment solution allowing one way broadcast network operators to become full Multi-Service Operators (MSO's).

Tim Sanders: Please tell us about your products, how they are positioned and what industry comprises your largest segment of current customers? 

WiNetworks solutions, based on innovative and patented Hybrid WiMAX DVB (HWDV") technology, allow one-way broadcast operators (DBS, DVB-T, MMDS and One-way Cable) to extend their existing infrastructures (e.g., dish on the roof, existing coax wiring, etc.) and offer a complete bundle of attractive "Triple Play" and "Mobile Ready" services including Internet access, telephony, Video on Demand, interactive TV services, and mobile services to handsets, laptops and PDAs.  The IBC exhibition in Amsterdam during September 2005 saw the premier launch of our solution to the broadcast and satellite industry.  Of course, the most benefits of our solution are aimed at the Satellite, or DBS operators, but there are many benefits and opportunities for other one-way broadcast operators such as DVB-T, MMDS and One-way Cable. We invite spectrum owners and Telcos to learn about this opportunity and to partner with DBS operators.

Tim Sanders: How many customers do you have and where in the world specifically are they? How many are actively delivering service with your WiMAX based hybrid products? 

We are expecting our first commercial deployment to be announced within the next couple of months and will make an official announcement at that time. We already have commercial deployments in Europe and Asia Pacific and dozens of field trials worldwide.  Announcement will be made separately with each of the customers when feasible.

Tim Sanders: What current spectrum frequencies are your products currently designed to operate in, for example 3.5 GHz, 2.5 GHz, 5.8 GHz or others? What is the timeline for your various spectrum products to be launched?

We are currently operating on the 3.4-3.6GHz spectrum, with plans to support the 2.5-2.7Ghz spectrum this year.  We are also developing support for other spectrums per requirements of large customers.

Tim Sanders: Which WiMAX standard is your technology currently operating in---802.16d or 802.16e or both? If both, do you anticipate that your systems would all be able to operate in both mobile and fixed configurations? If so, why is mobile capability important to your market positioning? 

WiNetworks has invested over 2½ years in integrating the world of DVB and WiMAX.  The beauty of our product is that it is fully operational in both standards.  WiNetworks products are currently working in 802.16d as that is the current standard.  Our products are designed to be compliant with the mobile standard of 802.16e and will be available by the end of the year. Since the standard has now been approved, the operator will be able to support 802.16e over existing deployed base-stations and CPEs, this ensures future-proofing of today's installations.  The ability to deliver fully integrated fixed and mobile connectivity services will provide DBS carriers with an advantage over CATV and Telcos, and ensure a long-term, future-proof solution.

Tim Sanders: How does your solution solve the truck roll problem in the broadband wireless industry? Can customers self-install your solutions in all cases---if not all what percentage do you project being able to self-install? 

Our solution was designed to be installed as part of the DBS installation process.  The DBS service engineer can easily install our equipment as it is snap-on and plug & play variety, therefore adding zero cost and complexity to the installation (similar to self-install units) while providing much better performance and 10x the coverage.

Tim Sanders: It appears that your products are designed to attach to existing MMDS Cable, DBS and DVB-T customer antennas but is actually a separate access system from say a satellite reception TV service is this correct?

Our systems were designed to be very cost effective and as such, can work either way, depending on the best fit and lowest cost for customer or operator. Some DBS providers require a tight integration with their existing installed base in order to provide true interactive TV, support of Video on Demand and more.

Tim Sanders: Is your product line designed to deliver all three aspects of the triple play across the WiMAX network or to only operate the return path for various aspects? For example, would a satellite TV Company use its existing satellite technology to deliver both video, data and voice on the downlink and the WiMAX products from your firm to handle the return elements using terrestrial wireless?

The WiNetworks hybrid solution is unique in the fact that it is integrated directly with the DBS programming and infrastructure allowing a totally integrated WiMAX and DVB solution. The WIMAX infrastructure can handle full quadruple-play of voice, video, data, and mobile.  However it is most economic to run only the VoD service over WiMAX while the multi-channel TV should continue to use the existing satellite path.

Tim Sanders: If the above configuration is accurate how is the latency issue on downlink voice handled? Can VoIP products work in environments where the latency is over 150 milliseconds?

We recommend to have the VoIP work over the WiMAX guaranteeing minimum latency and the highest quality voice experience.

Tim Sanders: Your website cites the use of a mesh type "roof-hopping" technology. Has the WiMAX Forum" specified a product profile to use mesh technology? Or is this some other type of mesh or not mesh at all? 

WiNetworks patented Mesh is a one-hop relay solution. Today, the activity of the IEEE802.16 task force is to define mesh and relay networks. WiNetworks is part of this effort and is already ensuring that every WiNetworks standard SS or MS (CPE) built today, will be able to work and function in a WiNetworks mesh based network once the standards are finalized.

Tim Sanders: If you are using a true mesh system, how do you compensate for the cross talk that older mesh systems used? Do you use some special type of optimum routing map that maps multiple routes but settles on an optimum one for general use? Also, how do you deal with bottleneck issues where a single house is the only connection to a larger subdivision of homes for example? 

The WiNetworks mesh approach is a centralize mesh solution managed from the base station. The "relays" are automatically activated and managed from the base station according to the needs and performance of the network.  The relay function as the coverage extension (in case of no connection between the SS or MS to the base station) and as the performance booster (keeping the networks modulation higher than direct connection).  By strategically placing the mesh network devices, the operators can be ensured of the best coverage results while eliminating all the obstacles mentioned above.

Tim Sanders: For MMDS providers building a terrestrial wireless network that would re-fixture their existing networks seems simple enough. After all they have installers and field service capabilities. However, broadcasters typically do not---how would they operate a terrestrial network? Does your firm have the capability to teach them the myriad aspects of successful terrestrial service delivery?

Since our solution is designed to be added on to the existing DBS infrastructure, the DBS installation crews can easily install the quadruple play equipment at their customer premises.  Being an all wireless IP network, operating a WiMAX network is not as complex as running a Cable or Telco network. There are thousands of Wireless ISPs that provide municipal and regional services by a simple tower raising and linking to incumbent points of presence (POPs). It is the choice of the DBS operator whether to use partners, or to do it themselves.  WiNetworks has facilitated many partnerships to create the best business case possible.  We believe that DBS operators have a captivating offering with a large customer and installed base, and partnering with a spectrum owner brings a winning business case for both.  WiNetworks has provided partnering with operators, and will be more than happy to further assist broadcasters in finding the right partners for their business case. 

Tim Sanders: For MMDS and Broadcast customers who typically operate in defined geographic areas, the product seems pretty straightforward, however, Satellite providers who do have field installation infrastructure, have customers peppered all over the world in some cases, would they typically build out a single geographic area at a time? What if they don't hold terrestrial licenses in 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz? Is the business case for 5.8 GHz strong enough in heavily forested markets to make the product viable?

In order to provide good quality of service, we recommend the use of licensed spectrum.  The strength of the DBS operator is their national network.  As mentioned before, the advantage of the DBS operator lies in its large customer base, and it will be advantageous for the operator to partner with spectrum holders in order to build out their network.

Tim Sanders: What is the business model for a challenging environment, particularly rural environments?

All DBS Operators will need to create their own roll out plan according to their own business strategy.  By using a WiMAX wireless network, single geographical areas and rural areas can be covered quickly and feasibly, unlike their cable / Telco counterpart.

Tim Sanders: What is involved technically in setting up the equipment?

WiNetworks solutions are built with plug & play units attached to the existing CPE (customer premise) infrastructure.  Various types of WiMAX base stations can be used at the POP (Point of Presence), and our WiNMS Network Manager can be used at the DBS Headend/NOC.

Tim Sanders: What is your company's outlook for business in the US and abroad during the next five years?

WiNetwork's aim is to be the major supplier of DVB and WiMAX systems for DBS operators globally.  Our focus is on broadcasters in Europe, USA and Asia Pacific, and we look forward to the world-wide WiMAX implementation and the future of mobile-WiMAX which will deliver a quadruple-play bundle to customers. 

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Tim Sanders is founder of TheFinalMile, Inc., a broadband wireless consulting group and a frequent contributor to WiMax.com.  His experience came from running a multistate Wireless ISP. He can be reached at tim@thefinalmile.net or 828-505-0702.