Case Study: CableFree FSO (Free Space Optics) Gigabit Wireless Links for Campus Sites

Closeup: CableFree FSO Installed Tamworth

Case Study: CableFree Gigabit FSO Installed for Corporate Customer in Tamworth, UK

CableFree FSO Installed Tamworth
CableFree FSO Installed Tamworth

A CableFree Free Space Optics solution has been installed for a corporate customer in Tamworth, UK by CableFree partner Flexnet.  The FSO link provides a secure, full 1Gbps connectivity between two sites on an industrial park.

The link is installed between two industrial buildings on the park, comprising an FSO transceiver at each end, mounted on the exterior of the buildings.

FSO a preferred solution over Fibre Optics, Digging & Leased Lines

This case study is fairly typical for industrial parks where there are no options for trenches, ducts for fibre cabling, and landlords generally do not allow digging across the land, making wireless solutions a preferred solution.  Wireless is fast to install and causes no disruption to the land between the end points.

Installation Photo Album

Economics of FSO: Far cheaper than Fibre Optics or Leased Lines

The economics of FSO are tangible with typically 70% or higher saving compared to fibre or digging, and no ongoing cost compared to leased line circuits from telecom providers.  Compared to Microwave, FSO does not require a Frequency License to operate.  An FSO system is a one-time purchase which financially counts as a material asset for the customer, can be depreciated against tax, and moved if required to other locations.  Some CableFree customers have enjoyed using their FSO links for over 10 years, which represents an outstanding Return on Investment (ROI) compared to other options.

Flexible and Fast to Install

Unlike Fibre Optics, FSO can be moved at any point, if premises are re-located. Just the two optical transceivers need to be moved, with re-installation typically taking a few hours.  Conversely, fibre optics cannot feasibly be moved.  Free Space Optics is far quicker and simpler to implement, with an installation typically taking hours, not days or weeks to complete.  No digging permits are required to install from landowners or local government.

Free Space Optics remains a valuable solution for corporate LAN-LAN Point-to-Point (P2P, PTP) connections requiring no frequency licenses, permission, planning, or ongoing license costs.  Free Space Optics is highly secure, with no risk of tapping or interception of the signal, and does not suffer frequency interference or saturated spectrum.

FSO: Key part of the CableFree Wireless Range

FSO (also described elsewhere as Optical Wireless, OW, Fiberless Optics, Infrared, or Laser Link) is a key technology in the CableFree range of products which includes Microwave, Millimeter Wave (MMW), MIMO Radio, Carrier WiFi and 4G/LTE technologies.  Free Space Optics is an excellent solution for short 1Gbps links in busy city centres.  CableFree FSO includes carrier class features including Automatic Transmit Power Control (ATPC) which dynamically increases power during “fade” periods to ensure highest uptime and link availability, and UNITY options for long links which combine FSO with Radio or MMW for fully resilient networking.  CableFree products are installed in over 70 countries since 1996.

For Further Information

CableFree has over 21 years experience with real-world deployment of FSO for mission-critical applications, with thousands of commercial deployments worldwide. For further information on Applications and Solutions for the range of CableFree wireless networking products please Contact Us

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