AF software features will have to move lightyears ahead for LTU to compete with 450/450i/450m.
AF is very barebones, kind of like a licensed backhaul, and can get away with it because it's just PTP. Cambium has 15 years of adding software features and pulling all of them forward to the new platforms. Sure, it's just a Small Matter Of Programming, but even now every time Cambium adds some features there are some bugs to work out, so trying to bring out a new PMP platform with all those features on day one would be a monumental undertaking. Also, each PTP links is kind of a one-off, other than spares, training and network management systems. You can put in an airFiber or Mimosa link, then decide to use something else for your next link, and that first link will continue working fine. PMP is different (assuming proprietary systems), because once you deploy APs, all the CPEs have to match. And with GPS sync, neighboring towers may have to use the same system. It's a big decision. Yes, the cost is also a big decision, but you don't want to deploy a bunch of PMP equipment and then end up hating it or finding the vendor didn't deliver on the "implemented in future firmware" promises. Has anyone mentioned network transitions? Elevate lets you transition an airMax network to ePMP. Is it fair to assume LTU will do the same? Or is it a forklift upgrade? -----Original Message----- From: Af [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Seth Mattinen Sent: Thursday, December 8, 2016 8:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AFMUG] 450m , No News is Good News? On 12/8/16 6:23 AM, Mike Hammett wrote: > Don't get me wrong, I think LTU will be out next year and I do think > it'll be a big hit, mitigating a lot of the issues we've seen in their > AirMax platform. It has just seemed like it takes a lot to get any of > the groups there to really do what the customers want. Certainly AirMax seems to have some design limitations. Lowly ePMP can do sync on an Atheros-based platform while AirMax just can't seem to get there at the same level. For me it's UBNT's ADD with abandoning things that makes me nervous. Every vendor claims things that I'll believe it when it ships, but UBNT will release something, make some progress, then drop it because it's no longer new enough to raise stock prices or becomes unsexy long term maintenance. Like AirControl, then AirControl 2, then cloud-whatever, then AirCRM, now is it back to AirControl 2 again? I don't even know. I still have some M gear and ePMP Elevate is tempting just to get away from the AirControl dumpster fire. ~Seth
