What is the Ubiquimesh Project?
The Ubiquimesh Project is a research project for Future Networks, approved by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
This project focus itself in the research and development of intelligent and cooperative interaction, internally and between multiple mesh-networks for both backhaul and access networks, where multiple operators may be present.
Motivation
With the constant evolution of wireless network technologies, these are now able to provide with increasing data rates and wider coverage areas.
Since these technologies are cheaper and easier to deploy when compared with the current cable solutions, they present themselves as a very attractive technologies, facilitating the substitution of the cable backbone technology with wireless solutions. Also, these are perfect technologies for rural areas where there is no cable infrastructure and installing such solution, becomes a less profitable solution.
The IEEE 802.16 standard is one of the solutions, since it supports a wide coverage range (tens of km), point-to-point and point-to-multipoint modes and may also support mesh networks, with subscriber stations that provide multi-hop connection for users and networks, allowing an enhancement of coverage with very low transmitter powers, while supporting very high system capacity.
Scenario
For the backhaul infrastructure, since there is the necessity of covering long distance areas, the Ubiquimesh Project scenario includes the IEEE 812.16 (commonly known as WiMAX) and also the 3G/4G technologies in order to reduce the risks of mobility limitations. Although the mesh mode is yet to be supported by the WiMAX Forum, the research in the field is growing with promising results, along with the increase of user demand.
For the access infrastructure, since the coverage distances are smaller, the use of IEEE 812.11 (commonly known as Wi-Fi) along with the ‘n’ version for increased throughput, is a possible choice.