Leading mesh network vendor BelAir Networks has formed a technical advisory board consisting of cable system broadband Internet service providers. The goal is to involve these operators into BelAir’s future mesh network development plan.
Planning for mesh networks that would look similar to the mesh at the top of this post.
Once a reality, mesh networks provided by broadband Internet and communications service providers could be used to introduce a substantial broadband cable industry presence into this technology has already begun. This is nothing less than a huge step on the part of cable broadband - more of a rethink with a potential for a significant system architecture shift.
Before we consider why this is so important we need to review what mesh networks are and why they are so important.
In a mesh network - such as the Microsoft-supplied prototype illustration you see just below this graf - peer network nodes can supply backhaul services to other nodes in the same network. The effect is that because all nodes in the network can share the full network, a de facto network is formed because the component parts of the mesh can connect with each other.
As Microsoft’s Networking Research Group notes:
Community-based multi-hop wireless networks is disruptive to the current broadband Internet access paradigm, which relies on cable and DSL being deployed in individual homes. It is important because it allows free flow of information without any moderation or selective rate control. Compared to the large DSL and cable modem systems that are centrally managed, mesh networking is organic — everyone in the neighborhood contributes network resources and cooperates.
To me, such a mesh network could be set up and managed by a broadband service provider over an entire metro area. It could be sold as an additional component of a service bundle, or even marketed as an extended service to multi-location enterprises with need for extensive, two-way graphical collaboration.
Universities, scientific research institutions, advertising agencies and their in-town clients.
“BelAir’s move serves further to underscore that cable MSOs could become a very significant component in mesh networking in North America,” says Sam Lucero, ABI Research senior analyst for wireless connectivity research.
“It’s still early days for mesh, particularly when it comes to cable MSO involvement,” Lucero adds, “but there are good reasons for MSOs to get involved. He predicts real deployment by cable broadband providers within the next 12 to 18 months.