Mesh Networking Soars to New Heights

(PRWEB) February 19, 2005 -- Mesh Networking and community wireless broadband reached new heights with a world first for Locustworld MeshAP PRO when a Shadow microlight aircraft flew over Lincolnshire UK and successfully tested air to ground mesh networking and voice over broadband. South Witham broadband (Lincolnshire UK) joined forces with Make Me Wireless (Australia) and using LocustWorld MeshAP PRO and Asterisk VoIP equipment, seamlessly created air to ground voice communications at 2000 feet with the 16 node South Witham community broadband network. This was the first of a number of test flights to establish that ground to air mesh networking is feasible. The ground and airborne nodes not only meshed but provided air to ground Voice Over Broadband communications using the open source Asterisk IAX protocol to South Witham Broadband’s Network Operations Centre via their Asterisk server which is located in another village some 5Km away from the test area.

The tests were the idea of Roy Eddleston following a request from Make Me Wireless to look at the feasibility of using Mesh to gather weather data in the Australian outback using light aircraft. Roy is a LocustWorld Qualified Service Partner and also runs his own IT consultancy company, Cedar Consulting, in the UK, he is set to join Make Me Wireless and move to Australia this month.

Simon Steele, Director of Make Me Wireless said “Roy is joining us in Australia to help develop our Mesh offerings. We discussed that we had been approached about airborne Mesh and the next thing we knew he had liaised with Ofcom, the UK telecommunications regulator, sorted the aircraft, pilot, and arranged the test flight.

We are very excited about the possibilities of airborne mesh here in Australia and are delighted with the results of the tests. We are receiving a great deal of interest in LocustWorld Mesh technology and Roy’s skills in wireless broadband delivery and Mesh networking in particular will be a great asset to the company, and to promoting and delivering wireless broadband throughout Australia�

Roy and the team at South Witham Broadband– winner of the recent ABC Best Network category in the CANdo Awards are looking forward to further tests but had to admit that it was one of the more unusual and off the wall things they have done with Mesh!

Roy Eddleston commented “I have to thank SWBB and the pilot Brian Barrass for their help with the project. It has been a lot of fun as well as a technical challenge. We used the microlight because of its composite hull as we needed to keep all the equipment including antennas inside the aircraft to comply with UK regulations. Future testing both here in the UK and in Australia will focus on antenna design, flight patterns, QOS, and in the interim trying to beat the great British weather!�

Locustworld Mesh was chosen for the tests because of its inbuilt IPSEC security features and its ability to lock on to multiple ground or air targets (nodes) at the same time which will be a major benefit when installed at airfields with multiple light aircraft using the airfield. The system is currently used at a number of sites around the world for mobile communications where Mesh is installed in both commercial and emergency service vehicles.

Contacts & Notes for editors:
Roy Eddleston has 25 years experience in ICT, and a background in radio communications, he has worked in the UK and abroad and has spent the last three years in wireless networking. Roy is a mentor for the community broadband network (CBN) helping community groups build and deploy their own sustainable wireless broadband networks and bridge the digital divide where major carriers find it uneconomical or technically imposable to deliver a service.
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Make Me Wireless (http://www.makemewireless.com) is an innovator of wireless broadband solutions specializing in fixed and mobile wireless solutions. The company provides products and consulting services having a focus on using wireless mesh technology from LocustWorld. You can visit Make Me Wireless at the Australian Wireless Summit on 1-2 March in Sydney. More information at http://www.acevents.com.au/wireless2005.

Helen Anderson
South Witham Broadband
Tel: +44 (0)1572 768382
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A not-for Profit- limited company based in South Witham, Lincolnshire, South Witham Broadband operate a community wireless broadband service based on innovative Mesh network technology to five surrounding villages, an area of 20 sq
miles and now have over 130 users connected. The company provides Email, FTP, Web and VOIP servers and a local community WAN based on Locustworld Mesh at 11Mb/s.

Helen Anderson
SOUTH WITHAM BROADBAND LTD
http://www.wireless.southwitham.net/
01572 768382