SkyPilot Networks, a leading provider of carrier-class broadband wireless systems, announced that Costa del Sol Online SL (CDSO)Costa del Sol Online SL (CDSO), a multi-faceted reseller, system integrator and network operator based in Malaga, Spain, has selected SkyPilot equipment to rollout advanced wireless voice, data and Internet access services across Western Europe. CDSO's network operator subsidiary, Bamboo Telecom, is actively deploying SkyPilot equipment to a large rural subscriber base in Malaga, Spain to deliver voice-over-IP (VOIP) and Internet access services. Based on its own success in building out a service provider network based on SkyPilot gear, CDSO is initially reselling this equipment to network operators in other regions of Spain and Holland in preparation for an aggressive expansion plan across new geographies.



"The demand for carrier-grade wireless broadband services in Western Europe is exploding," said CDSO's chief technical officer Alain Duzant. "But in order to meet this demand, network operators and service providers require an extremely reliable and highly cost-effective wireless network infrastructure that supports a broad range of high-performance frequency bands and mesh architecture for failover and load balancing. Plus, with WiMAX showing signs of maturing, any system must be capable of making a simple migration to these new standards. SkyPilot's comprehensive product family addresses each of these critical requirements with an exceptionally easy-to-deploy solution."

Bamboo Telecom's network operation in Malaga performs double duty by providing CDSO with a compelling demonstration center for prospective customers. "The ability to showcase SkyPilot's SkyGateway, SkyExtender and SkyConnector products operating in a real-world network is a major advantage to us. Having built our own network with SkyPilot equipment greatly amplifies our credibility since customers can experience, first hand, how we are delivering wireless voice and data services to our rapidly expanding subscriber base."

SkyPilot's product family includes the SkyGateway, a carrier-class base station that connects the wireless mesh infrastructure to the Internet. Unlike traditional base stations, the SkyGateway provides scalable capacity, load balancing, self-healing failover, and expandable coverage with multiple hops to subscribers.

The SkyExtender increases coverage and performance for the broadband wireless network. When installing the SkyExtender, it automatically discovers the network and self-configures to provide optimal links and modulation rates, greatly simplifying network deployment and expansion.

"A key piece of SkyPilot's product portfolio is the SkyExtender DualBand that features a dual radio architecture," says Duzant. "This is important because it eliminates the interference between subscriber access and the network backhaul. The 2.4 GHz radio provides an 802.11b/g access point with high-speed connectivity to Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, PDAs and wireless VoIP phones. And the 4.9-5.8 GHz radio leverages SkyPilot's Advanced Antenna Array to connect to the high-capacity, redundant wireless mesh backhaul."

The SkyConnectors are cost-effective indoor and outdoor CPE that can be used for either business or residential access. They connect wirelessly to the mesh infrastructure and provide the subscriber with an Ethernet connection. To combat deployment costs, the SkyConnectors are discovered automatically by the network and use visual feedback of signal strength to ensure proper installation.

"We expect our partnership with CDSO to be especially successful because they combine the skills of channel fulfillment, system integration and a network operator into a single organization," said SkyPilot's president and CEO, Bob Machlin. "Wireless broadband services are sorely needed in the numerous rural areas of Spain and the broader Western European marketplace, and CDSO is uniquely positioned to showcase our solutions."