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Firetide’s tips for successful deployments

April 17, 2007 at 4:37 PM by Esme Vos

Firetide, Inc. and ICEL, partners in the massive deployment of Singapore’s Wireless@SG outdoor-indoor Wi-Fi network, share tips on managing large-scale municipal deployments.Ksenia Coffman, marketing manager of Firetide, told me the deployment, which is expected to be complete in September, will be finished in 10 months‚Äö?Ñ?Æa remarkably fast deployment for one of such size.

She attributes the quick turn-around to the clear business model Singapore had in mind. Singapore’s approach was to manage the deployment across the entire island country by apportioning it into zones, each with its own set of contractors. Beyond providing Internet access, voice and mobility applications with multiple levels of security were called for.

The need for a clear business model tops the list of tips that Firetide learned from the experience, followed by provisions to future-proof the network by including plans for applications that add value to the network.

The Singapore roll-out, said Bo Larsson, CEO of Firetide, “has reinforced the need for flexible, multi-service infrastructure that is capable of supporting not only Internet access, but video and voice ‚Äö?Ñ?¨ with or without mobility.”

Other lessons learned include:

  • Testing and correction must be done every step of the way to identify where and why performance is weak and address the problem to determine if additional nodes or backhaul is needed.
  • Managing the public’s expectations is essential. Singapore has been insistent that, while service will be available in most public places, residents should not expect residential service. Wired broadband is already widely available across the country. Making these parameters clear at the outset, the country has escaped the criticisms many U.S. networks have suffered for failing to provide adequate indoor residential coverage.

    • Click here to read Firetide’s news release.

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