prestigious university in India's Arunachal Pradesh state, has chosen Nortel's Wireless Mesh and WiMAX solutions to deliver indoor and outdoor wireless connectivity across its vast mountainous campus area.

With NERIST physically divided into two campuses across a very rugged terrain, opting for higher-bandwidth connectivity through regular cabling would have been an expensive and time-consuming process. Using Nortel's wireless solutions, the Institute can have access to high-speed connectivity across its entire campus as well as complete mobility for its students and staff. WiMAX is used as the last-mile, high-speed broadband access technology linking the two campuses. Users at both campus sites can access the Institute's network infrastructure using the Wireless Mesh network solution. So, while the two campuses may be physically divided by the terrain, the entire campus area is unified by a single secure network that can be accessed from anywhere in the Institute.

Nortel's WiMAX solution delivers many advantages to the Institute. Not only does the solution provide high-bandwidth capabilities across several kilometers, but it is also available from Nortel in the unlicensed 5.8 GHz band. This means that the Institute can use existing spectrum, saving the cost of licensing. The solution provides high-bandwidth capabilities, opening up opportunities for innovative educational techniques like video conferencing, tele-classrooms, webcasts of lectures for distance learning, and mobile desktop/laptop-based video conferencing. Students can access resources wherever they are instead of having to go to a central location, like the library or computer center. Lessons and lectures can be uploaded by teachers, and then accessed by students wherever they are to learn at their own pace.

"NERIST anticipates over 70 percent savings on network operational costs by selecting Nortel's Wireless Mesh Network technology rather than a standard WiFi solution," said Hitesh Lokhandwala, managing director, Nortel India. "Key to the reliability of the solution is the mesh network's ability to dynamically and seamlessly reroute traffic across individual access points with zero disruption. Add to that, the reduced capital expenditure of not requiring network connections to each access point as WiFi does. Also, the range of the mesh solution is typically around five to six times greater than standard WiFi. With all this, the combined Wireless Mesh/WiMAX solution is very beneficial."

Nortel's Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) is a secure, highly scalable solution that delivers low cost wireless broadband for outdoor or expansive indoor areas. The students and staff benefit from an always-on broadband network that gives them the flexibility to connect and work any time, from any place on the Institute's campus. The WiMAX network delivers high speeds giving students and staff an uninterrupted medium for data, voice and video access. In a hyperconnected era, Nortel is enabling NERIST to provide its 1600+ inhabitants with the high-speed, pervasive connectivity they demand.

Nortel Education Solutions for colleges, universities and other institutions of higher education provide secure access to campus resources and enhanced student, faculty and staff interaction using advanced multimedia applications delivered over converged IP networks.