Close-Haul Communications, Inc. provides affordable wireless
telecommunications services to people neglected by conventional cellular carriers. We build
low-cost cellular access points optimized for open source
software that connect GSM mobile phones to the global telecommunications
infrastructure via the Internet (VoIP). We also enjoy sailing upwind.
Our flagship product, GAPfiller, currently under development, is a low-power GSM Access Point intended to fill coverage holes in cellular networks. Prototype 900 MHz units are being made available to our beta customers. Stay tuned for the GAPfiller product brief.
Why 2G GSM?
We recognize that unlike the latest and greatest 3G/4G alphabet soup (e.g., EV-DO, UMTS, WiMAX, LTE), GSM is neither trendy nor glamorous. However, GSM is ubiquitous, it works, and it will not be going away any time soon. Most people with a cell phone have a GSM phone. According to the GSM Association, of the 3 billion wireless customers that roam the Earth, 82% are on GSM networks. Customers in developing countries account for more than 300 million new mobile subscriptions each year.
Three key features make GAPfiller ideally suited for emerging wireless markets, most of which already have Internet access:
The GAPfiller is specifically optimized for GSM and designed with OpenBTS development in mind. Later in 2010, we will offer GAPfiller development boards for a fraction of the cost of existing hardware. The GAPfiller will be equipped with a 26 MHz TCXO, an integer multiple of the GSM symbol rate, so no more polyphase resampling or oscillator retrofitting necessary.
To request additional information, be notified when GAPfiller will be available for purchase, or to sign up for our mailing list, please contact us. Should you be curious about the inner workings of our twisted minds, we have a blog, Close-Hauled.
Our flagship product, GAPfiller, currently under development, is a low-power GSM Access Point intended to fill coverage holes in cellular networks. Prototype 900 MHz units are being made available to our beta customers. Stay tuned for the GAPfiller product brief.
Why 2G GSM?
We recognize that unlike the latest and greatest 3G/4G alphabet soup (e.g., EV-DO, UMTS, WiMAX, LTE), GSM is neither trendy nor glamorous. However, GSM is ubiquitous, it works, and it will not be going away any time soon. Most people with a cell phone have a GSM phone. According to the GSM Association, of the 3 billion wireless customers that roam the Earth, 82% are on GSM networks. Customers in developing countries account for more than 300 million new mobile subscriptions each year.
Three key features make GAPfiller ideally suited for emerging wireless markets, most of which already have Internet access:
- Compatible with billions of existing GSM handsets: instead of piling up in landfills, discarded GSM phones can have a new lease on life in the developing world.
- Simple and affordable network integration: GAPfiller service requires only an Internet connection and an account with a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) provider. The GAPfiller's VoIP network interface supports the industry standard SIP and IAX2 protocols, obviating the need to undertake complicated, time-consuming, and expensive vendor-specific integrations with GSM Base Station Controllers (BSCs) and Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs).
- Open-source software support: optimized for use with OpenBTS, an open-source GSM network protocol stack with an Asterisk VoIP backend. OpenBTS has the potential to decrease the CAPEX required to deploy, as well as the OPEX to maintain a GSM cellular network by an order of magnitude.
The GAPfiller is specifically optimized for GSM and designed with OpenBTS development in mind. Later in 2010, we will offer GAPfiller development boards for a fraction of the cost of existing hardware. The GAPfiller will be equipped with a 26 MHz TCXO, an integer multiple of the GSM symbol rate, so no more polyphase resampling or oscillator retrofitting necessary.
To request additional information, be notified when GAPfiller will be available for purchase, or to sign up for our mailing list, please contact us. Should you be curious about the inner workings of our twisted minds, we have a blog, Close-Hauled.
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OpenBTS is a trademark of Kestrel Signal Processing, Inc.
