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Wireless systems specialist Ruckus launched the first two models in a line of new ZoneFlex T300 Series outdoor 802.11ac access points (APs), the ZoneFlex T300 omnidirectional and ZoneFlex T301n narrow band models.
Their lightweight and compact form factors are among the main features, weighing in at 2 pounds, including built-in BeamFlex antennas.
Both the T300 and T301n are rugged outdoor APs purpose-built to withstand harsh environments, featuring IP-67 water and dust proof plastic enclosures, operating temperatures of from -4 up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit and wind survivability of up to 165 mph.
They also support co-location operation with distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cell radios, and support up to 500 concurrent users per AP and are installed using standard 802.3af PoE switches or PoE injectors.
The APs feature the company’s BeamFlex+ technology, which enables their antennas to adapt to a mobile device’s orientation and location.
All antennas have a property called polarization, which refers to the physical orientation of the wireless signal that each antenna is configured to receive or transmit.
The T300 is an entry-level outdoor 802.11ac access point with an omnidirectional aggregate antenna coverage pattern, featuring a compact form factor and 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE).
The ZoneFlex T301n outdoor AP also features internal narrow beam antennas, which are better suited for very high density venues like stadiums, where radio frequency (RF) energy must be very narrowly focused to maximize capacity.
It can operate as a standalone AP, or be centrally managed by a Ruckus ZoneDirector controller, SmartCell Gateway (SCG) 200, virtual SmartCell Gateway (vSCG), or FlexMaster software.
The T300 and T301n also include mounting brackets, and the integrated antennas in the T301n eliminate the need to buy external antennas.
The APs support the company’s Smart Wireless Services, cloud-based Smart WiFi technologies that include Smart Positioning Technology (SPoT) service, a cloud-based smart positioning location-based service (LBS), the company’s Smart Access Management Service (SAMs) for better enabling public WiFi hotspots and the virtual SmartCell Gateway (vSCG).
The vSCG is a network functions virtualization (NFV) solution for mobile network operators (MNOs), multiple system operators (MSOs), managed service providers (MSPs) and enterprises designed to streamline the creation of highly scalable and resilient cloud-based wireless local area network (WLAN) services.
The T300 carries a price of $1,295 with Ruckus ZoneDirector-managed and standalone availability in North America and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region starting July 1, while the T301n has a price of $1,495 and will be available starting Aug. 1, a company release noted.