NTUA is pursuing funding from the U.S.
Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) for a $46M grant that includes a 530 mile of fiber
optic deployment and a 57-site Long Term Evolution LTE 4G network that
would provide broadband throughout 15,000 miles of the Navajo Nation,
which, at 27,000 square miles, is the largest American Indian land base
in the United States.
According to Walter Haase, General Manager of NTUA, “The network is
designed to enable unprecedented applications such as broadband Internet
access, distance learning and telemedicine that will certainly benefit
people here on the Navajo Nation. Using microwave to tie remote sites to
the fiber for 4G technologies is an integral enabler of our overall
strategy to meet and exceed expectations.”
To support NTUA’s application, DragonWave is installing a commercial
pilot network near Fort Defiance, Arizona, in which the Horizon Quantum
is backhauling 700 MHZ LTE base stations.
“As a state of the art 4G backhaul radio, the scalability, spectral
efficiency, and advanced synchronization of the Quantum product are an
excellent fit for our application. Affordable last mile backhaul is one
of the biggest challenges in deploying 4G services in rural America,”
noted Steve Nez, NTUA Communications Supervisor.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with the NTUA on this
innovative network,” said Peter Allen, president and CEO, DragonWave.
“Our work with leading 4G service providers enabled us to create the
industry’s first solution that is truly optimized for LTE backhaul. The
Horizon Quantum offers the industry’s highest capacity, leading spectral
efficiency and lowest total cost of ownership in carrier-grade,
native-Ethernet microwave transport.”
About the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority is the largest multi-utility company
owned and operated by an American Indian tribe. NTUA, a non-profit
enterprise, was established in 1959 by the Navajo Nation Council to
provide electricity, water, natural gas, wastewater treatment, and
photovoltaic (solar power) services to residents throughout the 27,000
square-mile Navajo Nation, which spreads across northern Arizona,
northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. Even as NTUA works hard
to meet the basic utility needs of the Navajo Nation – the region
continues to suffer from the lack of access to electricity and other
basic infrastructure needs. For more information visit:
http://www.ntua.com/.
About DragonWave
DragonWave® is a leading provider of high-capacity packet microwave
solutions that drive next-generation IP networks. DragonWave’s
carrier-grade point-to-point packet microwave systems transmit broadband
voice, video and data, enabling service providers, government agencies,
enterprises and other organizations to meet their increasing bandwidth
requirements rapidly and affordably. The principal application of
DragonWave’s products is wireless network backhaul. Additional solutions
include leased line replacement, last mile fiber extension and
enterprise networks. DragonWave’s corporate headquarters is located in
Ottawa, Ontario, with sales locations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia
and North America. For more information, visit
http://www.dragonwaveinc.com/
DragonWave® and Horizon® are registered trademarks of DragonWave Inc.
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