This month at our Dublin warehouse, we unboxed Edgecore Networks' MLTG-360 Metrolinq, a Terragraph-Certified Product. Terragraph technology was developed by Facebook and ecosystem partners like Edgecore to solve last mile connectivity issues.

Global IP traffic is due to increase threefold over the next 5 years and the number of devices connected to the internet is expected to double in that time. Access to high-speed broadband connectivity is limited by poor last mile connections, with more than 1 billion people relying on outdated last mile infrastructure*. Fiber to the home is cost-prohibitive and slow to deploy in some markets, due to factors such as costly right of way permissions, trenching etc. As Edgecore's MLTG-360 distribution node can be mounted on existing street furniture, and Terragraph technology operates on the 60 GHz unlicensed band, it is faster to deploy than new fiber infrastructure, providing fiber-like connectivity at a fraction of the cost, making it ideally suited for applications such as fixed wireless access, smart city, small cell backhaul, and outdoor Wi-Fi.

How it works

Terragraph-certified products leverage the 802.11ay standard to enable the delivery of multi-gigabit connectivity wirelessly, allowing for the quick roll-out of fiber-like wireless networks. They are able to form a resilient multi-node mesh network, allowing for built-in signal re-rerouting to ensure high availability and reliability. Their time-division Multiple Access (TDMA) protocol enables unprecedented scalability, high throughput and low latency in unlicensed, multipoint networks. Edgecore Terragraph-certified products implement phased array antennas to retain the highly directional signal required for 60 GHz, while make it steerable to communicate over a wide area.

We'll delve deeper into these features a little later, but first let’s see what it looks like out of the box.

MLTG-360

MLTG-360 is a Terragraph certified distribution node (DN). The MLTG-360 has 4 radios, supporting 360º coverage, and each radio is equipped with a 256-element beamforming phased array antenna, supporting up to 1.8 Gbps bi-directional throughput.

MLTG-360 is a Terragraph certified distribution node (DN). MLTG-360 has 4 radios, supporting 360º coverage. Each radio of MLTG-360 equipped with a 256-element beamforming phased array antenna, supporting up to 1.8 Gbps bi-directional throughput. In addition, MLTG-360 supports advanced mesh solution to establish a robust wireless network. Resilient mesh can be easily constructed between multiple MLTG-360 to construct the wireless network with high availability. MLTG-360 provides fiber-like connectivity at a lower cost than fiber which is ideal for fixed wireless access, backhaul of Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.


MLTG-360 provides fiber-like connectivity at a lower cost than fiber which is ideal for fixed wireless access, backhaul of Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.

Noise & License-free 60 GHz

The 60 GHz mmWave band offers unparalleled performance by combining both the benefits of unlicensed band operation with no interference. The vast bandwidth and unique signal-absorbing nature of the band limits interference and simplifies network planning, while the unlicensed nature of the spectrum helps to further minimize costs.

Resilient Mesh Network

The inherent flexibility of the multi-node mesh network ensures high network resiliency and service availability in large variety of deployment scenarios, leveraging on the self-configuring and self-healing capabilities. The advanced mesh architecture simplifies planning, overcomes range and LoS limitations and enables efficient and low-cost expansion of the network footprint.

Time-division Multiple Access

TDMA enables the allocation of different numbers of time slots per frame to different nodes. Thus, bandwidth can be supplied on demand to different nodes by concatenating or reassigning time slots based on priority. Since TDMA technology separates nodes according to time, it ensures that there will be no interference from simultaneous transmissions.

Beamforming Technology with Phased Array Antenna

Beamforming technology means the distribution node communicates with the client node with a narrow and steerable beam. The narrow antenna beam is electronically steered towards each client node without affecting latency and ensures spatial interference immunity and higher uplink capacity for longer range due to high antenna gain.

Edgecore's MLTG-360 Terragraph certified distribution node provides 4 radios (supporting 360º coverage), with each radio being equipped with a 256-element beamforming phased array antenna, supporting up to 1.8 Gbps bi-directional throughput.

For more information about Terragraph, visit our product page here or get in touch with an expert here to discuss your next project.

*Source: Facebook Connectivity at terragraph.com.