The groundbreaking deployment was conducted in a challenging port environment underscoring the need for wireless lasercomms solutions where traditional fiber deployment is impractical.
Transcelestial’s lasers were used by leading Taiwan telecom provider, Far EasTone in a groundbreaking trial at Taichung Port deliver stable connectivity over water using lasers wirelessly without the need for any fiber cables.
Telecommunications infrastructure often struggles in areas where traditional wired solutions are impractical or impossible.
Transcelestial’s technology is delivered wirelessly through a shoebox-sized device called a CENTAURI, which creates a highly secure invisible laser communications network between buildings, cell towers, and poles without the need for physical fiber cable wires. This technology is particularly suitable for overcoming natural obstacles like water, which can impede other wireless signal solutions such as RF (Radio Frequency) based transmissions like Microwave and mmwave solutions.
Far EasTone faced significant challenges in ensuring high-speed, reliable connectivity across port areas, where physical cabling is not only costly but also susceptible to environmental damage. Their collaboration with Transcelestial and Dbtech aimed to explore alternatives that would leapfrog current constraints using wireless lasercomms technology.
CENTAURI units were strategically placed at key points around a strategic port in Taiwan to create a network capable of stable, high-speed data transmission. The installation process involved rigorous planning, taking into account the port’s unique environmental factors, including its proximity to large bodies of water and high levels of humidity and salt, which are typically challenging for electronic equipment.
The demonstration set out to meet the following objectives:
- Consistent 10Gbps Performance: To achieve and maintain a high-speed data transfer rate of 10Gbps in both directions over 1.5KM.
- Overcoming Water Obstacles: To demonstrate that CENTAURIs could maintain robust performance even when transmitting signals over water.
- Port Environment Suitability: To test the technology’s effectiveness in dynamic, challenging conditions marked by weather variability and potential interference in an area where RF suffers heavy interference due to the nature of the environment.
The following outcomes of the trial were achieved:
- Met the bandwidth demands of Far EasTone’s mobile network operations: CENTAURIs not only achieved but maintained the required 10Gbps performance both ways, thereby exceeding its operations’ bandwidth needs.
- Stable Connectivity Over Water: The trial impressively overcame one of the most significant hurdles—maintaining stable connectivity over water, setting a new benchmark for wireless technology in marine environments.
- Reliable Operation in Port Environment: Despite the challenging conditions, CENTAURI proved reliable, ensuring uninterrupted communication even during adverse weather amidst a challenging port environment.
Encouraged by the trial’s success, Far EasTone, Dbtech, and Transcelestial are poised to continue their collaboration, potentially expanding the use of this technology in other parts of Taiwan and beyond. The next steps include scaling the deployment and integrating feedback from the trial to enhance future implementations.
