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Verizon Wireless Broadband in Corpus Christi
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Verizon Wireless Broadband Network Speeds Into Corpus Christi, Texas
Customers Can Now Get High-Speed Wireless Internet and E-mail Services, Download Video Clips and Songs
Building on its successful strategy to provide customers superior wireless services, Verizon Wireless has launched its high-speed broadband network in Corpus Christi to better serve residents, businesses and visitors to the South Texas region. Verizon Wireless customers now have access to the latest high-speed business and entertainment services on their wireless phones, laptop computers and other wireless devices.
The multi-million dollar network expansion -- which entailed installing high-tech wireless hardware and software in dozens of wireless transmission sites -- brings high-speed wireless services to Corpus Christi, Robstown, Bishop, Kingsville, Portland, Gregory, Ingleside, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Rockport and Fulton. The expansion is part of an ongoing network investment by Verizon Wireless that has totaled more than $35 billion nationally over the past seven years.
The coverage area extends from the intersection of State Highway 35 and State Park Road 13 to the intersection of US Highway 77 and FM 772 south of Kingsville. The expansion extends from the intersection of FM 624 and County Road 81 in the west to the coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico, including coverage on the northern portions of South Padre Island.
In addition to allowing advanced applications such as BroadbandAccess and V CAST, the network upgrade will further strengthen the Verizon Wireless network in the event of emergencies.
"The expansion of our wireless broadband network gives residents access to the latest high-speed productivity and entertainment applications and services, and our continued investment in the region further strengthens the local network," said Luis M. Cruz, region president for Verizon Wireless. "As hurricane season comes to a close, Verizon Wireless continues to invest in the coastal regions to ensure we remain the most reliable network available."
BroadbandAccess allows customers to connect wirelessly to the Internet, download e-mail and applications, and log into their corporate servers via their laptop at broadband speeds. The technology provides mobile workers full access, productivity and security, just as if they were at their desks and attached via a high-speed wired connection, but with the freedom of true mobility.
This wireless broadband experience is made possible by the Verizon Wireless Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) technology, with typical connection speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps).
The technology was first introduced in Texas in Austin, and now also is available in the Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, Victoria, Laredo, Sherman/Denison, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Bryan/College Station, Tyler/Longview, Wichita Falls, Waco and McAllen/Brownsville metro areas.
The Verizon Wireless V CAST service gives customers access to short video content, downloadable music and cutting-edge 3D games on their mobile phones. V CAST provides current news, weather, sports and entertainment programming on demand. And with access to more than 1.4 million songs, music lovers with a V CAST Music-enabled phone can download and play their favorite songs -- all while on-the-go.
Customers in Corpus Christi can see a demonstration of the new services available by visiting a local Verizon Wireless store at:
* Verizon Wireless Communications Store, 4526 S. Padre Island, Texas, 361-225-2409
* Verizon Wireless Communications Store, 5488 S. Padre Island, Texas, 361-906-2005
* Verizon Wireless at Circuit City, 5425 S. Padre Island, Texas, 361-994-9400 |
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By
Kenya @
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 8:51 AM |
Corpus Christi finishes wireless network
In Corpus Christi, it is now possible to surf the Internet while sitting on your sailboat or dove hunting on the outskirts of town.
The coastal city of 293,000 is boasting that it has completed "the single largest municipal-scale wireless network anywhere in the world," covering 147 square miles.
"It is the largest at this point," said Leonard Scott, business unit manager for Corpus Christi. "Other cities are in the process of deploying their networks, but we're one of the first to get ours completed."
The service won't be free to Corpus Christi residents, though many have had free Internet access while it was being constructed.
City residents must pay for service through an Internet provider.
"We're wholesaling the excess bandwidth to the community," Scott said.
It took 18 months to build the $7 million system, which brings wireless broadband from the bay front to farmland within the city limits. City officials may eventually change their minds on how they provide Wi-Fi to residents.
For visitors, there are free hot zones at the bay front and airport. They can also access the system by paying a daily fee.
"I know a lot of cities are planning on offering Wi-Fi for free," Scott said. "It's going to take time for the market to shake out. But we know the real money to be made is not from Internet services, it is from advertising. The interesting thing is, advertising can be local. If I'm in the vicinity of a specific store, it may alert me to a sale at that store. That's where there's an opportunity to be made."
Though it is a boon for residents and businesses, the network was erected for the city. It allows police and fire department computers to connect anywhere in the city. Police officers can write paperless reports.
It also allows wireless meter reading.
"It means you can get information from anywhere around the city," Scott said. "We saw this is as quickly becoming new infrastructure for cities and counties. We're one leg up with economic development."
According to the Web site, MuniWireless.com, 306 cities and counties across the United States either have running networks, are in the process of deploying wireless systems or are in serious discussions.
Eight greater Northeast Tarrant County communities provide hot zones or some form of Wi-Fi service: Bedford, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Haltom City, Keller, North Richland Hills, Roanoke and Southlake.
Granbury's wireless network provides free access for city departments and for some city employees from home. Residents can buy Web access. Burleson is also planning a network, and Arlington has had discussions about building one.
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By
Kenya @
Tuesday, December 05, 2006 8:25 PM |
Participating at today’s ribbon cutting ceremony officially launching Corpus Christi’s city-owned wireless broadband network, Tropos® Networks, the market leader for metro-scale wireless mesh network systems, announced that Corpus Christi has built the world’s largest multi-purpose Wi-Fi network. The ceremony marks the final phase of the project, bringing coverage to more than 100 square miles of the city with multiple applications and public and private users, including residents, businesses, visitors, public safety officers, utility workers, and all departments of city personnel.
Tropos teamed with prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide the Tropos MetroMesh Wi-Fi networking system to Corpus Christi’s wireless broadband network.
Initially begun to create a cost-effective and efficient automated meter reading (AMR) system for gas and water services, the wireless broadband network unveiled today supports a multitude of cost saving applications in all city departments as well as community broadband wireless services for its residents and businesses. These include vehicles equipped with mobile computer systems for police, fire and other public safety officers, mobile desktops for field supervisors and managers, and open access for residents, businesses, and visitors to city resources. The metro-scale Wi-Fi network provides coverage to 90% of the city’s population of about 277,000 residents across more than 100 square miles of the city.
“The infrastructure that makes possible the twenty plus applications that we are showcasing today is the Tropos Networks MetroMesh Wi-Fi networking system,” said Leonard Scott, Business Unit Manager, Municipal Information Systems Department for Corpus Christi. “The metro-scale mesh network and its innovative multi-application support advance communications for city employees, businesses and residents.”
Multi-Use Capability Key to Corpus Christi’s Success
The foundation for the multi-purpose Corpus Christi network is the multi-use capabilities of the Tropos MetroMesh™ architecture. MetroMesh enables multiple user groups to run and manage separate, secure networks on a single metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh infrastructure. MetroMesh’s multi-use capabilities are implemented in the MetroMesh OS and Tropos Control. When combined with Tropos MetroMesh routers, the multi-use capabilities allow each group of users on the Corpus Christi Wi-Fi mesh network to have its own virtual network with its own address space, security encryption mechanisms, access control and classes of service, all administered independently from other user groups. All aspects of each virtual network are centrally monitored and managed using the Tropos Control element management system.
“As the city broadened the scope and diversity of users and applications, our metro-scale MetroMesh systems enabled them to do so without compromising the integrity of the network,” said Ron Sege, president and CEO of Tropos Networks. “Now, thousands of city workers, residents, visitors and business can benefit from the pervasive broadband network thanks to the multi-user innovations of our metro-scale, MetroMesh system.”
Public Technology Institute (PTI) provided early planning and consultation on the network. Northrop Grumman provided design, installation, integration and support services.
About Tropos
Tropos® Networks is the market leader in delivering metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network systems. Our systems have been selected to unwire more major league cities than all competitors combined and are installed in 30 countries. The patented Tropos MetroMesh™ architecture delivers the ultimate scalability, high capacity at low cost and great user experience demanded by carriers, municipalities and network users. Our unique expertise includes high-performance mesh software development, mesh RF engineering, metro-scale network planning, deployment and optimization, and navigating the municipal approval process. Tropos Networks is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, please visit www.tropos.com, call 408-331-6800 or write to info@tropos.com.
Tropos is a registered trademark of Tropos Networks, Inc. Tropos Networks, MetroMesh, PWRP, AMCE and Metro-Scale Mesh Networking Defined are trademarks of Tropos Networks, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder(s).
About PTI
The Public Technology Institute is a national member supported organization based in Washington, DC. As the only technology organization created by and for cities and counties, PTI works with a core network of leading local government officials– the PTI membership – to create technology research, best practices, consultancies, and pilots, to promote development initiatives and enhance educational programming. Officials from PTI member governments participate in Councils and Forums that address specific technology areas. Through partnerships with the technology industry, federal agencies, and other governmental organizations, PTI shares the results of these activities and the expertise of its members with the broader audience of the more than 30,000 cities and counties across the United States.
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