Wireless broadband Booming in the Nordic countries
by Ronny Johnsson
The Nordic countries have been in the lead of the telecom business for the last 5 years. The market penetration of mobile telephones for example is the highest in the world and the infrastructure of broadband connections is another area which is booming in the Nordic countries now.
The Nordic Broadband backbone networks are of course built with fibre, but due to the very large geographic area with many people and companies situated in the countryside, there is also a big need for a last mile solution. ISDN and ADSL are natural alternatives but to build with wireless systems looks more attractive to many communities and ISPs due to the flexibility and independence in owning a wireless access system. Furthermore there are many places where no ADSL-stations exist and then wireless access systems are the only practical and economic alternatives.
UpGrade Communication AB, which started in 1987, is a Nordic-based supplier of Wireless Broadband Solutions. The headquarters are in Malmoe in the south of Sweden. The company has 7 branches in Stockholm, Kalmar, Umea, Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki, and Tallinn. UpGrades business plan is to be the main supplier of both mobile and fixed Wireless Broadband Infrastructure products in the Nordic and Baltic countries selling products and services, like site-survey, projecting and maintenance to operators, carriers, ISPs and authorised system integrators.
UpGrades business plan is to also export its wireless concept to other countries in Europe and to offer all the expertise that has been built up through many years of experience. Last year for example UpGrade started activities together with partners in both the UK and Spain.
UpGrade has been projecting wireless networks for or together with internationally very well known companies like Telia, Tele2, ABB, Siemens, Arrowhead and others. With more than 6 years in the Wireless Broadband business, UpGrade has become one of the leading suppliers in the Nordic countries. In many cases UpGrade is working together with local system integrators that take care of the installation and also the after-sales services. Since a year ago UpGrade has been running an Education Centre in Malmoe for all kinds of wireless technical training courses. UpGrade is for example approved by Alvarion (formerly BreezeCom) to run their authorisation courses for Certified BreezeCom Installers.
It is not an easy task to build a wireless infrastructure in the 2.4 GHz frequency band due to it being unregulated. Advanced radio planning is necessary and of course it is important to choose the most suitable products and the most secure solution for the present situation. A site-survey will in most cases be needed. UpGrade has a lot of experience in building wireless infrastructure with all kinds of wireless products for the 2.4-4,4, 5.7, 10, 18-38 GHz frequency bands.
Wireless access networks are in many cases built with products for the 2.4 GHz frequency band through the local ISPs or/and by the local Energy community companies but in those countries where 3.5 and 26 GHz is accepted the selected operators are building there wireless access networks with products using these regulated and more secured frequencies.
Mobile Wireless Broadband, based on WLAN 802.11b standard, is already a reality in the Nordic markets. You will find so called hot spots in different places already today inside airports, coffee shops, gas stations, hotels, banks etc. This is a new area within Wireless Broadband that will expand a lot in the Nordic countries from now on.