Ruckus, Idaq Networks and Siklu build a high-speed “Data Ring Road” around Sheffield

Ruckus Networks, an ARRIS company, has announced its involvement in Sheffield City’s free-to-use, superfast Wi-Fi project. Working collaboratively with Idaq Networks, who run the network, and Siklu, a leader in mmWave radio technology, the project creates a virtual data ring-road around the city, transmitting high-speed capacity between tall buildings, before bringing it down to street level to be used by residents.

The project delivers superfast internet, at 20Gbps, to 293 streets in the city and up to 24,000 users can connect simultaneously. The network is free, and at no cost users or to the council who provided exclusive access to street furniture and buildings to install the network. The network can also be leveraged for other commercial opportunities to help fund the service.

At the centre of the deployment is a unique combination of Ruckus and Siklu technology that helps overcome network interference. High-speed fibre is delivered into one building, the PoP site. Idaq Networks then positioned multiple Siklu radios across a network of tall buildings around the city. The fibre connectivity which is brought into the PoP can then be bounced between these buildings, creating fibre through the air, up to distances of 6km. Siklu radios are then used to deliver these signals down to street level where a high-capacity wireless connection is delivered into a Ruckus Wi-Fi access point, connecting Sheffield’s citizens.