PacketHop Introduces Broadband Mobile-Mesh Communications Solution for Municipal Governments
PacketHop Communications System enhances municipal wireless networks and mobile workers' productivity - delivering significant ROI to municipalities
W2i DIGITAL CITIES CONVENTION, PHILADELPHIA - Dec. 5, 2006 - PacketHop, Inc., the leader in instant broadband mobile-mesh communications systems, today announced the PacketHop Communications System™ for Municipal Services. The software-based communications system enables municipalities to more efficiently deploy public services and reduce service delivery costs by enabling mobile workers and first responders to exchange information and communicate in real-time - significantly increasing their productivity. PacketHop also enhances municipalities' investment in wireless networks by improving their performance, coverage, range and reliability.
"Deploying broadband communications significantly improves municipalities' ability to deliver services and increases municipal worker productivity - resulting in significant cost savings," said Godfrey S. Chua, research manager for IDC's Wireless and Mobile Infrastructure service. "By expanding the footprint of municipal wireless networks, municipalities will receive even more benefits."
Using the PacketHop Communications System, mobile workers communicate and share information more efficiently in the field among each other, or with colleagues located at headquarters, while accessing the Internet, remote systems and IP-based applications. In addition to providing broadband access for connecting to the Internet, PacketHop provides the Aware™ Applications Suite of server-less multimedia communications applications, including multicast video, GPS positioning, instant messaging and white boarding. The multimedia communications applications enable municipalities, mobile workers and first responders to:
- Share video - Remotely monitor sites, like ports, dams, high crime areas or public transportation, via multiple high-quality video feeds that can be selectively multicast and viewed individually or concurrently over the mobile-mesh, cellular or infrastructure-based wireless networks concurrently;
- Track resources - Track the location of a vehicle or city resources in the field using high-resolution maps and a standard Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;
- Communicate - Share detailed information in a variety of formats - including text, digital photographs, documents, spreadsheets, diagrams and video frames - to communicate more efficiently;
- Visualize instructions - Provide precise, readable instructions or share information graphically (e.g. to annotate a map, blueprint, video frame or other image) to determine plans and collaborate on a course of action.
"The ability to share voice, data and multimedia communications applications significantly enhances the capabilities of mobile municipal workers, from public works to public safety," said Michael Howse, president and chief executive officer of PacketHop. "The PacketHop Communication System delivers instant, mobile broadband communication for a variety of municipal applications, without the limitations of physical infrastructure or servers - enabling municipalities to reliably distribute and share multimedia and data applications in real time. As a result, municipalities save time and money, while improving the delivery of public services and enhancing public safety."
While the municipal wireless network market is growing, the infrastructure-based wireless networks they are based upon have limitations. They offer incomplete coverage, limited range and are subject to failure due to congestion or physical damage. PacketHop overcomes many of these challenges. The company's software, which is based on industry standards including IEEE 802.11, enables mobile devices to create peer-to-peer wireless networks on-the-fly, with or without accessing infrastructure. PacketHop enables mobile workers to communicate and share information outside the coverage area provided by fixed infrastructure, or fill in coverage gaps created by buildings, interference or other obstructions. PacketHop also proactively routes information via the most optimal path between devices - eliminating congestion issues and increasing the total bandwidth, with each additional node improving the networks' performance.
PacketHop supports the 2.4 and 5.0 gigahertz (GHz) bands that are popular among municipal wireless deployments, as well as the licensed 4.9 GHz public safety band, cellular data networks - including CDMA and GSM - and future wide area wireless technologies such as WiMAX. Supporting various networks provides municipalities and their mobile workers with immense flexibility. The 4.9 GHz public safety band - which the Federal Communications Commission dedicated to federal, state and local first responders for handling mission critical communications - provides first responders with the most secure, reliable communications.
For more information regarding the PacketHop Communications System for municipal wireless deployments, please visit: www.packethop.com/products/communications/index.php.php.
About PacketHop
PacketHop is the leader in instant broadband mobile-mesh communications systems. The PacketHop Communications System delivers the freedom to network on-the-fly, and securely operate with or without access points. PacketHop also provides server-less applications including real-time multicast video, GPS positioning, instant messaging, and white boarding, in addition to supporting other Internet-based applications. PacketHop's technology and products are covered by more than 20 issued and pending patent applications. For more information on PacketHop, please visit: www.packethop.com.
PR Contacts:
Kevin Payne
Director of Marketing Communications
PacketHop, Inc.
650.292.9933
kpayne@packethop.com
Joe Roualdes
A&R Partners for PacketHop
650.762.2869
jroualdes@arpartners.com
Europe PR Contacts:
Simon Corbett
Edelman for PacketHop
020.7344.1349
Simon.Corbett@edelman.com
©2006 PacketHop, Inc. PacketHop is a trademark of PacketHop, Inc. The names of other companies and their products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.