December 5, 2006

Cognio, the market leader in WiFi spectrum analysis solutions, and EDX Wireless, the market leader in municipal mesh network planning tools, are teaming together to help solve a nagging problem with mesh deployments - interference. EDX’s carrier-class SignalMX will integrate Cognio Spectrum Expert’s information about interfering devices and location, to make modeling outdoor networks more accurate.

The combined solution changes the way wide area Wi-Fi networks are bid, designed, and optimised. With the joint solution, network managers can geo-locate an interferer, classify the type of interference it emits, and then import that information into their network design tool. From there, they can run multiple “what-if” scenarios to optimise the layout of the network around this interference, and determine any coverage gaps. This information is used throughout the life of the network, including deployment and optimisation design processes.

“When designing a wireless network, having the appropriate toolsets for analyzing the RF environment is critical with respect to the cost for design services, as well as the overall design accuracy and efficiency of the network,” said Jonathan Bosanac, Sr. Director of Technology for Wireless Facilities, Inc. a leading network integration and engineering firm. “Cognio and EDX’s integrated tools enhance our modeling capabilities, and increase the accuracy in RF prediction and propagation modeling, especially as it relates to the unlicensed wireless municipal market.”

“We recognize that interference problems in outdoor deployments are issues that can and must be addressed in the planning stages of the network infrastructure,” said Jeff White, executive vice president at Cognio. “The joint venture between Cognio and EDX Wireless teams the Spectrum Experts’ powerful analytic capabilities with the accuracy and flexibility of EDX’s planning toolset. The integrated solution will enable the delivery of optimised unlicensed networks that are easy to deploy and maintain.”

Proactively planning for interference reduces the risks associated with network designs. By having a suite of integrated tools that specifically address this issue, network managers can operate more reliable networks, leading to higher quality of service and customer satisfaction.

“One of the key strengths of EDX tools is the depth to which interference issues are considered during the planning of radio systems. As a leading tool provider to broadband wireless network industries, we know how important this is to today’s network designers,” said Ted Hicks, Executive Director of Product Management for EDX. “Cognio’s industry-leading product line is a perfect complement to EDX’s mature broadband wireless network planning tools. Combining prediction data with real-world information about specific interfering devices is the smartest way to plan networks operating in unlicensed frequencies.”

Spectrum Expert and SignalMX are both immediately available, and an integrated solution will be delivered in Q2 2007.

See www.cognio.com for more information about Cognio.

Click HERE to find out about the capabilities of existing EDX products.