Aviat Networks intros first all-IP 4 Gbit/s trunking radio

SANTA CLARA, USA: Aviat Networks Inc., a leading wireless expert in advanced IP migration solutions, has introduced the Aviat WTM 6000, the industry’s first all-packet trunking radio, designed to support up to 4 Gbit/s of aggregate data throughput.

The WTM 6000 is designed for long distance, high capacity wireless transmission applications, with a compact indoor architecture, superior performance and a highly redundant design to ensure exceptional system availability.

For the first time, the WTM 6000 incorporates the latest packet transport features that have until now only been available in lower capacity microwave systems, such as built-in Ethernet switching, link aggregation and traffic prioritisation and Quality of Service controls. First shipments of the WTM 6000 will commence in initial frequency bands in the early part of 2011.

The WTM 6000 is the highest density wireless trunking solution on the market, being the first system to accommodate up to 16 radio channels in a single sub-rack. With integrated switching and native Ethernet/IP support, the WTM 6000 also provides optional support for NxSTM-1 traffic, enabling operators to maintain legacy TDM services without having to use inefficient circuit emulation.

The WTM 6000 is also the first trunking radio in its class to support 256QAM Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) to enable operators to achieve higher link capacities with smaller antennas, which in turn reduces tower loading and infrastructure costs. The WTM 6000 will be introduced in the 4 to 13 GHz frequency bands to enable paths in well in excess of 50 miles.

Two different solutions are now available for link protection. In addition to the traditional N+1 protection, where one standby radio channel is used to protect up to seven active transport channels, the IP architecture of the WTM 6000 now enables the option for bonding of multiple radio channels together, using Ethernet Link Aggregation, to provide full wire-speed Gigabit throughputs.

In the event that one radio channel fails, the integrated switch can prioritise important traffic to be maintained over the remaining bandwidth. This enables costs savings by eliminating the standby protection channel.

“The Aviat Networks WTM 6000 represents the next-generation microwave solution for high-capacity, long-haul all-IP and hybrid trunking applications, all with fiber-like speeds,” says Shaun McFall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Aviat Networks. “As a leading provider of trunking microwave solutions around the world, we are excited to introduce this major step forward to enable operators to introduce efficient high-speed IP transport into their backbone microwave networks.”

The WTM 6000’s all-indoor design is optimised to efficiently accommodate complex system configurations, and is not restricted by being adapted from a split-mount radio design. A highly compact baseband/transceiver module eliminates cable interconnections and optimises available rack space for additional networking equipment. This makes for easy installation and commissioning and simplified maintenance.

The innovative Branching Unit (BRU) design provides easy, cost-effective system expansion through the addition of radio channels.