FreeWave Technologies today introduced the WavePro WP201 shorthaul and Wi-Fi platform, the first announced product in the company’s series of Sensor-2-Server (S2S) solutions that are designed to address needs in the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) space.

Deploying sensors in remote areas is a key component to many IoT solutions, but getting relevant information from these sensors can be challenging when they are not near an existing network. FreeWave Technologies’ WavePro WP201 can help customers effectively extend the range of their systems in a cost-effective manner, according to Brad Gilbert, FreeWave Technologies’ direct or product management.

“What we’re really looking at with this product is [providing] shorthaul capabilities, where you’re trying to work in a point-to-multipoint network, drop in sensors very quickly, drop in smart applications on tablets or other communications devices, pull those to a central point—using that point as an aggregation point—and then moving it to another location,” Gilbert said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications.

“Depending on how far away, we see that as being shorthaul communications—1 to 5 miles is our target on that length—and getting it to someplace where you can now take action on it. Run it into your IP systems, run it into your business processes or use the bandwidth available for using services such as VoIP, video surveillance or video monitoring.”

Each WP201is a flexible device that has two Wi-Fi radios: a 2.4 GHz version that typically supports the point-to-multipoint connectivity needed between the sensor and edge-of-the-network aggregation point—known as the closehaul, typically ranging less than a mile—and a 5.8 GHz version that supports high-speed point-to-point connectivity that supports the data transport into the core enterprise network, Gilbert said.  

“The 5GHz radio is really ideal, because the FCC allows you to go up to 200 watts on a point-to-point link, so you can easily get the distances that we’re talking about,” Gilbert said.

“We do have the capability of doing point-to-multipoint [communications] over long distances with our existing products—our FGR2s and GXM products. This one is really looking at bringing higher speed, so we can enable these features that our customer base is asking for.”