Motorola Solutions 802.11n Mesh Network Enhances Municipal Services in Stratford

Festival Hydro and Rhyzome Networks deploy municipal services network to help city promote conservation and bridge the digital divide.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – The Motorola Solutions business of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that its outdoor 802.11n mesh wide area network (MWAN) solution based on the award-winning AP 7181 access points was selected by Festival Hydro, the local utility company, and its independent affiliate Rhyzome Networks to deliver enhanced municipal services in Stratford, Ontario.

KEY FACTS

* By the end of 2010, the 802.11n mesh network will leverage approximately 400 mesh nodes to provide high-speed mobile wireless access across the city’s 15 km sq. area.
* Managed by Festival Hydro and Rhyzome Networks, the wireless infrastructure will enable remote collection of smart meter data from homes and businesses to promote energy conservation while the remaining capacity will be used to offer mobile, high-speed Internet access to businesses, residents and visitors.
* The city plans to save more money by providing mobile access for municipal workers and supporting other public works activities through the same network.
* The municipal services network recommended by Motorola Solutions leverages AP 7181 mesh access points, which maximize the performance of 802.11n in challenging outdoor RF environments.
* The network was planned using the BroadbandPlanner network design software and is being managed with the One Point Wireless Manager to offer advanced visualization of all network elements through a single Google Maps view.

SUPPORTING QUOTES

Mayor Dan Mathieson, City of Stratford
“Promoting energy conservation and stimulating economic growth are top priorities for Stratford and key components of our Smart City initiative. By choosing a managed services model, we are able to deploy a world-class solution that meets our objectives, but which would otherwise be cost-prohibitive, especially in today’s challenging economic climate.”

Bill Zehr, president, Festival Hydro
“The Green Energy and Green Economy Act introduced earlier this year by the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure sets specific demand reduction and conservation goals on electrical distribution companies like Festival Hydro, the utility owned by the City of Stratford. The wireless technology developed by Motorola Solutions will enable us to quickly deploy smart meter technology to businesses and residents, allowing Festival Hydro to track energy use in real-time, provide more accurate billing and help customers reduce their energy consumption over time.”

Paul West, business development manager, Rhyzome Networks
“We’re excited to be one of the first service providers to leverage the latest 802.11n mesh technology from Motorola Solutions to deliver connectivity to the city, its businesses and residents. The municipal services network we deployed in Stratford gives us the capacity and coverage we need to deliver reliable, high-speed mobile Internet access to customers and help promote the economic viability of the City.”

Scott French, MSSI vice president, Wireless Mobility Sales, Motorola Solutions
“Mesh technology from Motorola Solutions is field-proven in municipalities across the world, serving as a cost-effective alternative and complement to traditional wired connectivity approaches. We are excited to work with the public private partnership of the City, Festival Hydro and Rhyzome Networks take advantage of municipal services networks to enable public utility, public safety and community relations initiatives that help save money, create revenue and attract new business.”

SUPPORTING RESOURCES

Case study: Stratford becomes a ‘Smart City’ with Motorola wireless solutions
Website: 802.11n Mesh Wide Area Network
Blog: Wireless Insights
Twitter: www.twitter.com/motwireless

Motorola Solutions delivers seamless connectivity that puts real-time information in the hands of users, which gives customers the agility they need to grow their business or better serve and protect the public. Working seamlessly together with our world-class devices, the wireless network portfolio includes indoor wireless LAN, outdoor wireless mesh, point-to-multipoint, point-to-point networks and voice-over-WLAN solutions. Combined with powerful software tools for wireless network design, best-of-breed security, management and troubleshooting, Motorola Solutions delivers trusted networking and access anywhere to organizations across the globe.