Ruckus & Siklu: Deploying Smart Cities Leveraging mmWave Wireless for Wi-Fi Backhaul

As we work with cities to deploy public Wi-Fi, a consistent challenge is the lack of available backhaul, the process of getting data from an end user to a node in a major network such as the Internet or a proprietary network.  Since Wi-Fi is only as good as its backhaul, Wi-Fi network must address this issue in order to meet user expectations. This challenge is increased in more dense areas because backhaul requirements also increase with more Wi-Fi devices.

In a perfect world, fiber would be readily available anywhere we need it.  As we mount a Wi-Fi access point, a strand of fiber would be available and perfectly located for us to simply plug it in.  Unfortunately, this is not a reality and, in fact, seems to be a rarity since fiber is not typically abundantly available. The next best option is to simply run new fiber strands wherever it is required. However, this isn’t always a viable alternative for several reasons:

• First, laying new fiber can be expensive since it often requires streets or sidewalks to be dug up which is a costly method. In addition, digging up streets is disruptive and impacts people, traffic and other things.
• Second, obtaining the necessary permits required to dig up city streets can be time consuming, political and expensive. The result is that laying new fiber can drastically drive up the cost and increase the time of implementation.

We have seen Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) help in some cases with new fiber installs.  Cities can streamline the permits and ease access rights in exchange for a service, such as free public Wi-Fi.  However, PPPs do not fit every situation so this may not be a viable option. In cases where fiber is not an option, Ruckus has established a partnership with Siklu.

Siklu is the leader in mmWave wireless technology. The Siklu mmWave technology provides reliable, interference-free, high-capacity transmission of Wi-Fi backhaul in short ranges. Siklu’s technology provides multi-gigabit backhaul capacity into environments where fiber is not available or feasible to install. It provides a perfect solution for fiber-like backhaul capacity without the costs or time associated with running new fiber. It is ideal to support the backhaul requirements for any Wi-Fi deployment, including dense, outdoor Wi-Fi networks that require high performance backhaul.

The joint Ruckus and Siklu solution combines Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi along with Siklu’s mmWave wireless backhaul. It is ideal for highly dense Wi-Fi environments, such as dense smart cities, where future-proof multi-gigabit bandwidth is a requirement. This includes Wi-Fi deployments not only in cities, but also Wi-Fi deployments in campuses, stadiums, convention centers and other high-density locations. In addition, it is ideal for temporary Wi-Fi connections such as concerts or sporting events where a multi-gigabit Wi-Fi solution is required for a temporary period of time.

For additional information on the joint Ruckus/Siklu solution, check out the joint Ruckus & Siklu solution brief. For additional information on Siklu’s, visit Siklu Wi-Fi backhaul products