Motorola’s Mesh Network Selected by Osaka Port to Build Reliable Real-Time Network

TOKYO - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) a world leader in wireless broadband communication, today announced that its mesh network, MOTOMESH Solo (6300 series), is to be deployed at Osaka Port’s Yumeshima Container Terminal, which is one of Japan’s five largest ports. The system is scheduled to start operation in October 2009.

Motorola’s MOTOMESH Solo solution is a highly mobile, flexible and scalable wireless mesh network powered by a purpose-built equipment portfolio that offers high speed and reliable communication coverage in the harshest of mission-critical environments. Offering multi-hop connectivity and highly reliable performance via distributed, decentralized packet routing algorithms, each client device acts as a router/repeater where consequently, systems can be constructed and operated easily and cost-effectively. Motorola’s multi-hopping mesh system greatly reduces the need for cable laying. This could cut in half the time to design commission and deploy the network compared to other conventional wireless systems. .

Port operations pose significantly difficult RF environments such as ”container canyons,” where metal containers are stacked high in many rows over a wide area, and are redistributed frequently. In addition, for heavy machinery and loading vehicles that operate in these busy container terminals, improving the efficiency of communications is an important operational requirement that needs to be addressed. MOTOMESH Solo includes radio modules which have been developed specifically for outdoor mobile communication, which enables reliable communication performance via wireless broadband channels, operating in challenging RF environments such as container ports.

“There is an increasing need for robust, reliable and real-time networks at ports to increase efficiency in container terminals due to the long term trend of rising number of containers, especially in Asia Pacific. Motorola’s wireless broadband solution meets the needs of such customers who want innovative solutions to increase efficiencies and robust and reliable wireless networks that will support their business critical applications, so they can stay competitive among global seaports” said Benhur Mesfin, director, Wireless Broadband Asia Pacific, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions.

The MOTOMESH Solo system will be installed through TCM, the prime contractor for this project, and comprises wireless network management software (One Point Wireless Manager), as well as 100 Wireless Modem Cards (WMC6300) and a total of 20 Mesh Wireless Routers (MWR6300) and Intelligent Access Points (IAP6300). This purpose-built wireless equipment will form a mesh network that can flexibly reach all necessary locations, which contributes to an increase in work efficiency via communication coverage throughout the entire container terminal.

Using Motorola’s MEA (Mobility Enabled Access) technology, MOTOMESH Solo can learn and predict vacant channels among a variety of data channels, and make selections at the packet level. This provides a robust, broadband data communication in difficult RF environments and a congested 2.4 GHz band. The system also offers high speed handoffs by enabling multi-hop handover between handsets moving at up to 400 km/h. This system also provides high security, through a multi-layered security solution using the unique MEA security.

MOTOMESH Solo is the ideal solution for industrial locations with harsh environments such as ports, mines, defense facilities, factories, warehouses and railroad control areas. In Japan, this system is increasingly utilized at ports with container terminals. In 2008, MOTOMESH Solo was installed at Mizushima Port (Okayama), Naha Port (Okinawa), Niigata Higashi Port (Niigata) and Kobe Port (Hyogo), where it helps to make terminal operations more efficient.

Motorola also offers a WiFi mesh network MOTOMESH Duo (4300 series), which supports both 2.4 GHz wireless LAN (IEEE802.11b/g) and 4.9 GHz high-power wireless LAN (IEEE802.11j). In addition to its compactness and flexibility, MOTOMESH Duo has outstanding scalability, as it is among the first products to support the mesh de facto standard (IEEE802.11s). This product is well suited for use in local government wireless LANs, disaster prevention networks, initiatives to overcome the “Digital Divide,” surveillance camera networks, campuses, and factories.

About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to high-definition video and mobile devices, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $30.1 billion in 2008. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com.