VSNL rolls out Aperto’s wireless broadband systems

VSNL has completed the deployment of Aperto's PacketWAVE multi-service broadband wireless systems in over 65 cities across India. This is a part of the initial deployment phase with the goal of expanding the network to cover over 200 cities within twelve months.

Aperto has been working with VSNL since 2004 and has been involved in all phases of network design and deployment. VSNL has deployed hundreds of sectors of the PacketWAVE series of products in the 3.3GHz to 3.4GHz band.

"VSNL is a strong believer in WiMAX technology. We have worked with Aperto on our existing wireless initiatives and are looking forward to extending our solutions with Aperto to include WiMAX," said Alin Jayant, Senior Vice-President of Implementation and Planning for VSNL.

"VSNL has the first-mover advantage in deploying and providing high bandwidth and scalable connectivity throughout the Indian subcontinent using our products. It will add our WiMAX Forum Certified products going forward," said Reza Ahy, Chairman and CEO of Aperto Networks.

Aperto's solutions for India are designed to meet the urban broadband needs such as wireless access for business—DSL to multiple-E1 levels, backhaul for Wi-Fi hotspots and cellular base stations and access for cybercafes. The solutions also meet the rural connectivity needs of e-choupal type initiatives, government offices (police station network, land record data), schools, hospital connectivity, remote banking, and tele-medicine.

Aperto Networks announced the setting up of an Aperto WiMAX development centre in Bangalore for accelerating the engineering development and deployment of Aperto's WiMAX Forum Certified and WiMAX-class products. Aperto specifically chose Bangalore because of its talented pool of experienced engineers in the wireless field.

Aperto's networks in India consists of three of the top five service providers (one of them is VSNL), reseller and support partnerships, software development relationships, and local ecosystem partnerships.

"Aperto believes that the Indian market has the potential to be one of the largest WiMAX markets in the world, and we are investing accordingly," said Ahy.