The Problem: Delivering Today’s Digital World to Yesterday’s Apartments
Over 20 million households in the US live in “MDU” (Multi-Dwelling Unit) buildings. As of 2021, property owners offered Internet to only 16 percent of these units. Buildings constructed before the year 2000 likely use outdated in-building wiring, relying on twisted pair and running g.x technology at single-digit Mbps rates. This highlights the evident need for retrofitting digital connectivity in aging MDUs. Even structures equipped with forward-thinking CAT 5 wiring have only a 1Gbps backbone, which fails to meet today’s digital world demands.
Everyone sees the benefit of upgrading the network infrastructure of these buildings.
Expanding, upgrading, and extending the network reach of these properties can:
- Add value to the property itself.
- Be able to support newer Wi-Fi APs running Wi-Fi 6 or even Wi-Fi 7 soon, with Gigabit capacities.
- Offer seamless connectivity throughout the property, not just the apartments but also common areas, parking structures, and more.
- Enable deployment of IoT devices for doors, HVAC, security cameras, and more as IoT applications explode.
For owners and managed service providers, upgrading and owning the network infrastructure paves the way for additional revenue – yet often at a cost that exceeds the budget. Typically, upgrading an entire property by installing new wire or fiber happens in one shot, resulting in a huge bill that will only gradually be offset by increased revenue. This major CAPEX investment will take years to recoup.
Retrofitting Connectivity in Aging MDUs
Until 2023, the only available solutions for this type of infrastructure upgrade involved laying new Ethernet or fiber. However, Airvine’s introduction of the WaveTunnel system has transformed the landscape for retrofitting digital connectivity in aging MDUs. Operating in the 60GHz band, this system supports multi-gigabit connections today and promises up to 20Gbps performance in the future. Using breakthrough technology to shoot 60GHz beams through walls and around corners, the WaveTunnel facilitates straightforward deployments that circumvent the need for extensive rewiring.
The WaveTunnel system operates in the 60GHz band and supports multi-gigabit connections today, with the promise of 20Gbps performance tomorrow. Built on breakthrough technology that propels 60GHz beams through walls and around corners, the system enables easy installations. These capabilities deliver massive data rates typical of mmWave systems and allow operation on a non-Line of Sight (NLOS) basis, which is unprecedented. This significantly reduces installation time and cost.
What You Get
The WaveTunnel system has been created with three simple goals: Deliver low latency multi-gigabit connections wherever you need them, do it as simply as possible, and ensure airtight security.
When you can meet these three core objectives, the benefits are numerous:
- Upgrades can be installed in days. The average WaveTunnel node is installed with a screwdriver and a Smart Phone in 15 mins or less. No highly skilled technician is required.
- When you upgrade your Wi-Fi infrastructure, the same teams doing that job can also, with minimal additional time and effort, install the WaveTunnel backbone. No need to schedule two jobs (backbone install and Wi-Fi install) with all the scheduling headaches entailed. One team, one job, one time.
- Each WaveTunnel node can act as a distributed Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF). No special room with HVAC and power for switches, routers, and gateways. Each node has 4 PoE out ports for devices to connect.
- No construction, no asbestos issues, and no wires. WaveTunnel nodes blast right through most interior walls.
The benefits are clear for tenants, property owners, and managed service providers. How to get there has been slow, expensive, and restrictive – until now. WaveTunnel by Airvine.