Smart BeamForming on WiMAX Demonstrated

Navini Networks says that it has demonstrated Smart beamforming on the Ripwave MX mobile WiMAX platform. Navini is also applying the idea of beamforming to MIMO, delivering what is called Smart MIMO. Navini's combination of Smart beamforming and Smart MIMO is called "Smart WiMAX" and is an industry first.

"Smart beamforming is the key technology in the WiMAX standard that changes the RF game, enabling performance superior to other wireless technologies (3G et al) and Navini has been a leader in beamforming for several years," explains Sai Subramanian, VP, Strategic Marketing and Product Management for Navini Networks. "Many of the largest 'personal broadband' networks in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas already use Navini's beamforming, which is enhancing commercial service delivery inside homes and offices."

"Beamforming and MIMO are complementary," continues Subramanian. "Beamforming enhances the performance of both MIMO A and B and provides crucial uplink performance that MIMO does not. Furthermore, beamforming makes MIMO practical. Without beamforming, MIMO B performance in many situations is suboptimal at best and non-existent at worst. Smart MIMO takes away that uncertainty allows MIMO B to work in all situations. From Navini's perspective having both (beamforming and MIMO) is always better."

The Smart beamforming demonstration also elegantly showcases the success of Navini's Mobile WiMAX software upgrade strategy. The Ripwave(R) MX8 platform is exactly the same (down to the last bolt) platform as the one that is currently deployed in hundreds of sites around the world with Navini's pre-mobile WiMAX software. "Our customers can rest assured that Navini is delivering on the promise of a seamless Mobile WiMAX upgrade as we had previously announced," added Subramanian."

Posted to the site on 18th January 2007