LightPointe Launches Enterprise FSO

SAN DIEGO -- LightPointe, a designer and manufacturer of optical wireless products based on free-space optics (FSO) technology, introduced its newest product that provides a new standard for price-per-bit wireless connectivity and simplicity for LANs.

Unveiled at Networld+Interop in Las Vegas, the FlightLite 100 is the first optical wireless product to incorporate fully IEEE 802.af standard compliant Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology to deliver the most cost-effective solution for private network operators who have previously relied on leased copper T1 lines or fiber-optic cable from their local service providers. The FlightLite 100 provides 100 megabits of full-duplex, point-to-point, and Fast Ethernet connectivity. opitmized at a distance of 500 meters. The FlightLite 100 product chassis is based on LightPointes highly successful FlightLite product line, which is deployed in more than 60 countries and is the best-selling enterprise optical wireless product on the market.

The FlightLite 100 is our new entry-level solution for LAN operators who need bandwidth but are forced to accept an insufficient T1 solution from their local service provider or an outdoor wireless solution that cannot deliver full-duplex connectivity, said Lawrence B. Prior III, LightPointe President and CEO. With this new product, LightPointe can now offer an even broader range of connectivity options for LANs. Our customers can select their optical wireless solution, based not only on bandwidth and performance, but also price. And they do not have to wait for a service provider to provision lines.

The FlightLite 100s economic value proposition is compelling: It provides 60 times the bandwidth of a T1/E1 connection and has a payback period of 6 months. After that, the LAN operator is saving the money each month that was previously spent on the T1/E1 lease. For those replacing a fiber lease, the savings are almost immediate. The FlightLite 100 is ideal for private network operators who want Fast Ethernet connectivity, with simple installation and control over their costs structure.

Because the FlightLite 100 incorporates low voltage Power over Ethernet technology, there is no need for a certified to install the system. By using a standard UPS powered PoE mispan hub, the FlightLite 100 also has the added advantage of improved network availability and mission critical data protection during electrical power outages or blackouts.

LightPointe offers the broadest portfolio of optical wireless equipment, with products providing bandwidth from 1.5 megabits to 2.5 gigabits for enterprises and service providers. LightPointe optical wireless solutions provide a flexible, scalable and cost-effective LAN-to-LAN connectivity option and mobile wireless backhaul alternative for the growing bandwidth needs of next-generation networks. LightPointe optical wireless products are protocol transparent and seamlessly integrate into existing networks.

LightPointe Communications Inc.