Ruckus Wireless, the innovator of smart Wi-Fi technology, announced that Maxisat Ltd., a leading Finnish triple play provider, has selected the Ruckus Wireless smart Wi-Fi system to solve the growing problem of how to reliably distribute digital voice, video and data services throughout subscriber homes.

The Ruckus MediaFlex system is an advanced in-home multimedia solution and the first developed to enable the reliable transmission of digital multimedia content using standard 802.11g Wi-Fi technology.

Maxisat has begun offering the Ruckus MediaFlex smart Wi-Fi system to thousands of broadband customers in Finland. With the Ruckus system, Maxisat subscribers can now enjoy rich multimedia services anywhere in their home over a single, robust Wi-Fi network. Maxisat customers will also benefit from lower installation costs, quicker installation times, and the elimination of disruptive and cumbersome cabling through their homes.

"With Wi-Fi, consumers have now tasted freedom from wires and want that freedom extended to all their multimedia services," said Jari-Pekka Hela-Aro, IPTV development manager for Maxisat. "Ruckus has now made this possible by making Wi-Fi predictable enough to virtually guarantee certain levels of capacity to any corner of the home. This is precisely what carriers and their customers have been waiting for."

Recognized as the second broadband provider to offer IPTV services in Europe (1999), Maxisat is now bundling the Ruckus MediaFlex system as an option with its Maxinetti Multi and Maxinetti Multi Pro services. Maxisat offers over 40 channels of IPTV, video on demand (VoD), voice over IP (VoIP) and Internet access at 8 Mbps and 24 Mbps over ADSL and ADSL 2+ connections to its subscribers in Finland.

The basic package, Maxinetti Multi, includes an 8 Mbps broadband connection, 19 IPTV channels, VoD service, Internet access and VoIP service for euro 49.80. Maxisat's premium package, Maxinetti Multi Pro, includes a 24 Mbps broadband connection, 29 IPTV channels, VoD service, Internet access and VoIP service for euro 75.90. Both packages include a four-port ADSL modem, one set top box and installation. The installation of additional TVs costs euro 50 per hour and takes between one to two hours per TV.

Maxisat subscribers have the option of purchasing the Ruckus MediaFlex system at a flat rate or entering into a longer-term agreement that includes leasing to own the MediaFlex router and adapter on a monthly basis.

"There's no question that a world without wires is what people want IF they can get it," said Rob Mustarde, VP of EMEA for Ruckus Wireless. "Leading broadband providers, like Maxisat, are quickly recognizing that making Wi-Fi predictable and stable enough to run video-grade services is the ideal solution to the last 25 meter triple play problem. We're proving that this is now more than just possible, it's probable."

Broadband providers around the world are embracing the Internet Protocol (IP) and IP networking to offer a range of innovative new voice, video and data services to consumers. While delivering these new services opens the door to new revenue sources and economies of scale for providers as well as more choices for consumers, new problems arise when trying to access or distribute these services around the home. Consequently, providers and consumers now must construct costly, complex and cumbersome computer networks in the home to move IP-based multimedia content around.

Ruckus Wireless has made significant technology advances using adaptive RF techniques, smart antenna arrays and quality of service engineering that enable, for the first time, the distribution of delay-sensitive traffic, such as real-time digital video, over standard Wi-Fi. Heretofore, this has not been possible using conventional consumer-grade Wi-Fi technology designed primarily for data applications.