UNINET - A HYBRID APPROACH FOR UNIVERSAL BROAD-BAND ACCESS USING SMALL RADIO CELLS INTERCONNECTED BY FREE-SPACE OPTICAL LINKS

A new type of broadband access system is proposed for providing high-q uality, bandwidth-upon-demand telecommunication services to the home a nd office. Communication terminals attach to the network via short rad io links, and users can roam freely within a house or building unencum bered by the availability of wired ''telecommunications outlets.'' Bas ic service is extended through small, high-capacity radio cells; the b ase stations are interconnected via short, highly focused free-space o ptical links in a multihop mesh arrangement; and the need for new broa dband access cabling is totally surmounted. A tiered arrangement of ra dio cells further extends ser,ice to both out-of-building pedestrian a nd vehicular users, and service is universally available, Benefits of the approach are described, and issues involving reliability, availabi lity, capacity, and hand off are identified and addressed, Opportuniti es to refine the basic approach are suggested for further study.