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Carlson’s White Space Broadband Radio: RuralConnect®

RuralConnect named the Best Wireless Design of 2011 by Electronic Design Magazine!

Outdoor Client Unit

RC_IP_Rack_fronta1sm

Indoor Access Point / Base Unit

Carlson's new UHF base station
omni antenna

Available in the U.S. only under FCC-granted experimental license

Carlson is proud to announce the new, faster and more affordable RuralConnect Generation II, with four times the speed of its predecessor. This new TV white space device offers speeds up to 16 Mb/s—all the throughput necessary for today's broadband needs.

In addition to all the advantages of using UHF spectrum, RuralConnect also features higher modulation and greater reliability thanks to its proprietary system of equalization.

Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) Advantage

RuralConnect offers non-line-of-sight (NLOS) performance because of the superior propagation characteristics of UHF signal. Using vacant TV channels, RuralConnect brings wireless broadband to locations that are too rugged or remote for microwave.

Able to penetrate foliage and travel over hills, UHF signal brings broadband where it's never been before. Imagine telemedicine, distance learning and residential connectivity to last-mile locations.

Five Times the Range of Wi-Fi

The range that TV white-space technology offers is far superior to Wi-Fi, as shown by this path study conducted in a rural location in Vermont:

Area coverage using microwave (5 GHz) and
UHF TV spectrum (470 MHz) in a 25 mile radius of propagation.
Areas in red show best coverage.

RuralConnect® Feature Set

Software Defined for User Control

With RuralConnect, you are in complete control. This software-defined radio offers user-configurable data rates, modulation rates, and channel bandwidths.

Flexible Configurations

RuralConnect can be used in an array of network configurations, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, with priority routing support for voice, data and video traffic, with Ethernet and RS-232 via USB interfaces also available.

Multiple Applications

With a feature set this complete, RuralConnect is an ideal choice for a wide variety of applications: broadband wireless Internet access, IP video surveillance, VoIP networks, remote monitoring of equipment and more.

Interference-free, High Throughput, Low Latency

Advanced receiver technology mitigates interference from nearby high-power cellular TV signals. Breakthrough equalization algorithms resist fading and allow for higher throughput and very low latency.

Remote Management and Diagnostics

An embedded web server provided with the access point model includes online diagnostics that can be accessed from any radio in the wireless network or through the Internet. This powerful tool can be used to detect potential problems before they affect user traffic.

Read About RuralConnect in Action

TV White Space Demo a Success

Rural Broadband Spotlight: Community-Driven Innovation in Vergennes, MI

RuralConnect IP Takes 2nd Place in Best Product for Utilities

Big Steps forward for Super Wi-Fi

Keep up with RuralConnect news at our blog.

Currently Available Only Under FCC-Approved Experimental License

The RuralConnect device is intended for use as a Part 15 TV band device (TVBD) for fixed wireless operations in compliance with rules adopted by the FCC (See the official FCC release). By law, TVBDs must be certified by the FCC before they can be imported into or marketed within the United States.

The FCC has not yet certified this TVBD and nor has it finalized its certification procedures. In addition, the FCC has not established the geolocation database by which TVBDs can register their locations. TVBDs have been deployed under FCC experimental licenses in multiple communities since March 2010.

Under FCC rules, the RuralConnect device may not be sold or leased, or offered for sale or lease, or imported, shipped or distributed for the purpose of selling or leasing or offering for sale or lease, until the FCC certifies this TVBD. Accordingly, a conditional sales contract between manufacturers and wholesalers or retailers is permitted under FCC rules provided that delivery is contingent upon compliance with the applicable equipment authorization and technical requirements. In addition, this TVBD may be offered for sale solely to business, commercial, industrial, scientific or medical users for TVBDs that are in the conceptual, developmental, design or pre-production stage prior to equipment authorization by the FCC.

The purchaser is hereby informed that the equipment is subject to the FCC rules and the equipment will comply with the appropriate rules before delivery to the purchaser or to centers of distribution.