Posted by Brian Eichenser on January 6, 2011
Comsearch’s recent 10th Annual iQ·link® User Conference in Dublin, Ireland, was a big success, based on what attendees told us.
For those who aren’t familiar, CommScope offers a whole range of innovative spectrum management and wireless engineering solutions under the Comsearch brand. (Basically, we help bring sanity to the “wild west” of radio frequency management and simplify planning for those rolling out microwave radio network links.) One of those solutions is the iQ·link microwave backhaul/fixed network design and management tool, for which I am responsible.
The iQ·link User Conference is a two-day event we host every year, bringing together the iQ·link community of users to learn more about the product, share best-practices, provide input into the development direction of the product and meet with other industry peers. We did something new this year that was a big hit. For the first time, we brought in experts from two radio equipment manufacturers, to present on their adaptive modulation radio solutions.
Again if you’re not familiar, adaptive modulation radios automatically adjust the capacity and modulation of a microwave link to maximize throughput in good conditions, while maintaining high priority voice traffic during challenging transmission conditions. Comsearch recently won a Wireless Backhaul Distinction Award from 4GWE and Crossfire Media for upgrading iQ·link to include comprehensive support for adaptive modulation radios.
We invited the adaptive modulation radio vendors to present at our User Conference to offer additional learning and support to iQ·link customers for this innovative technology. And I must say, our users loved it! Getting access to the radio vendors and really getting a chance to learn both how the radios work and how iQ·link can help support them during network design seemed to be a real benefit. I am really proud of that since growing the skills and capabilities of network designers, and adding value for them, is part the iQ·link mission.
The iQ·link community continues to expand—this year’s User Conference was our largest turn-out yet with over 40 attendees—and I hope we can continue to innovate together over the next year.
Thanks again to the radio reps and all the users who participated this year.
Were you at the conference? What did you think of this approach?
And if anyone out there has questions regarding the implementation of adaptive modulation into microwave design, please feel free to contact me. I’m more than happy to help you out if I can.
About the Author
Brian Eichenser
Brian Eichenser is the director of software products at Comsearch. With over 20 years of experience in the field of spectrum management, spectrum sharing and fixed network planning, Brian is responsible for the development direction of Comsearch software products, including iQ·link and iQ·clearXG, which are offered globally. Comsearch has been providing innovative spectrum management and wireless engineering solutions to the global market for fixed, mobile, and broadband wireless applications for over 30 years.