NetStumbler.com

UK’s largest free municipal wireless network, Norfolk Open Link, is now up and running. Kurt Frary, Open Link project manager for Norfolk County Council, claimed that the pilot system is “the first network of its type to tackle both urban and rural areas at once.” The East of England Development Agency financed the project, whose free broadband coverage has now extended to council employees and the general public from the original plan that limits it to local businesses. The network is placed atop the County Hall and is supported by a “pre-WiMax” 5.8GHz connection for backhaul and between-the-mesh nodes connectivity. Norfolk Open Link believes the project is not in any way competing with private sector services. “We’re not selling a service and we’re not competing with telcos, because it’s an outside wireless network,” Frary stressed. Under the plan, council employees and businesses that agree to give full feedback on their use will get 1Mbps in connection speed, while the remaining users will be restricted to 256Kbps.
Via [news.zdnet.co.uk]

EarthLink is looking to clinch a contract for a 23-square-mile wireless network in Pasadena, California. The Pasadena deal, if it pushes through, will be the ISP’s fourth muni-wireless contract in the state — the company is likewise running similar projects in Anaheim, Milpitas and San Francisco. Earthlink launched its first Californian network in Anaheim, which became operational in late June. It also has ongoing WiFi projects in Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Via [wirelessweek.com]

AirMarget has released Vo-Fi Analyzer, an application that can assess a wireless network’s capacity to support all the voice calls made by enterprise employees through a WiFi handset. The software enables a network architect to spot weak coverage spots, packet latency that could cause dropped calls and IP PBX problems. Vo-Fi Analyzer is being used by AT&T to monitor actual calls, conduct heavy voice traffic simulation and evaluate the network’s fitness to deal with the tasks. It is sold for $17,500, with optional call-manager analysis software starting at $7,500, and is compatible with a broad range of certified WLAN adapters.
Via [networkworld.com]