Fairwaves

Fairwaves (Fairwaves Inc.) was a telecommunications equipment company focused on making mobile network coverage affordable in rural and low-ARPU regions. Its story began in June 2011, when the team set out to create an industrial-grade multi-channel transceiver for use with OpenBTS, an open-source GSM implementation. The resulting hardware, named UmTRX, had its version 1 design completed by October 2011 and was demonstrated as prototypes at the 28C3 conference in Berlin two months later. The company was founded in the early 2010s by Russian telecommunications specialist Alexander Chemeris, and it maintained a strong commitment to open-source engineering. Fairwaves positioned itself as a way to "reinvent mobile networks for those who need them the most," claiming its technology significantly lowered the cost of deploying and operating mobile networks in rural regions. It aimed to help Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) reach up to 1.6 billion new customers. Its product line centered on the UmSITE, described as a complete network-in-a-box in a single tower-mounted base station. The UmSITE integrated functions usually provided by separate GSM components such as BSC, MSC, VLR, HLR and SMSC, and supported GSM 850/900/1800/1900 with dual-TRX and up to 30 concurrent calls. It was offered with 2x3W or 2x10W transmit power, omnidirectional or sectorized antennas, IP backhaul and VSAT optimization, VoIP and SS7 carrier integration, A5/0 through A5/3 ciphering, and GPSDO reference. The companion UmCORE technology provided synchronization across distributed UmSITE installations and integration with existing networks, available locally or as a fully managed cloud service. Fairwaves equipment was designed for ruggedness, high uptime, easy installation, and energy efficiency suitable for solar power, with remote management and configuration. The company targeted several use cases: profitably extending coverage to low-ARPU areas, starting community cellular networks, replacing simple PMR systems with private mobile networks, rapidly deploying emergency mobile networks, and building deeply customized products. It worked with a global network of partners including semiconductor and software companies, service providers, and NGOs. Fairwaves was a winner of the GSMA Connected Society Innovation Fund for Rural Connectivity, a project supporting innovative mobile internet connectivity solutions for unconnected rural communities. At its peak the team consisted of about 10 full-time employees with over 15 years of experience building mobile radio solutions, having previously sold over $100 million worth of equipment to telcos and led $100 million deals in Africa. In 2016 the company's revenue was reported at $800,000. Fairwaves ceased operations after roughly ten years of activity, leaving a legacy in open-source and low-cost rural mobile connectivity.

Fairwaves began in June 2011, when its team embarked on creating an industrial-grade multi-channel transceiver for use with OpenBTS, an open-source GSM stack. The version 1 hardware design, named UmTRX, was completed and ready for manufacturing by October 2011. Two months later, in December 2011, prototypes were demonstrated at the 28C3 conference in Berlin. The company was founded in the early 2010s by Russian telecommunications specialist Alexander Chemeris, and it built its identity around original engineering and a commitment to open source. Fairwaves focused on the problem of rural mobile coverage, arguing that its technology significantly lowered the cost of deploying and operating mobile networks in rural regions. It sought to help Mobile Network Operators roll out networks to reach up to 1.6 billion new customers. Its main product, the UmSITE, was a tower-mounted base station that functioned as a complete network-in-a-box, integrating GSM components such as BSC, MSC, VLR, HLR and SMSC. The UmCORE technology synchronized distributed UmSITE installations and integrated them with existing networks via VoIP and SS7, available locally or as a managed cloud service. The company targeted low-ARPU areas, community cellular networks, private mobile networks replacing PMR, emergency deployments, and custom products. It worked with a global partner network of semiconductor and software companies, service providers, and NGOs. Fairwaves was a winner of the GSMA Connected Society Innovation Fund for Rural Connectivity, which supported innovative mobile internet connectivity solutions for unconnected rural communities. The team at its height numbered about 10 full-time employees with over 15 years of experience in mobile radio solutions, having previously sold over $100 million worth of equipment to telcos and led $100 million deals in Africa. In 2016, Fairwaves reported revenue of $800,000. The company ceased operations after roughly ten years of activity, around the early 2020s. Its open-source hardware and software left a mark on the field of low-cost rural mobile connectivity.

• 2020

  Company ceases operations after roughly ten years of activity.

• 2016

  Fairwaves reports revenue of $800,000.

• 2011

  Team begins creating an industrial-grade multi-channel transceiver for OpenBTS.

• 2011

  UmTRX version 1 hardware design completed and ready for manufacturing in October.

• 2011

  UmTRX prototypes demonstrated at the 28C3 conference in Berlin in December.

Low-cost, open-source, rugged mobile network equipment for rural and low-ARPU areas.

• UmTRX

  Industrial-grade multi-channel transceiver for use with OpenBTS.

• UmSITE

  Tower-mounted base station functioning as a complete network-in-a-box, integrating BSC, MSC, VLR, HLR and SMSC; supports GSM 850/900/1800/1900, dual-TRX, up to 30 concurrent calls, 2x3W or 2x10W TX power, IP backhaul, VSAT optimization, VoIP and SS7, A5/0-A5/3 ciphering, GPSDO.

• UmCORE

  Technology providing synchronization across distributed UmSITE installations and integration with existing networks via VoIP and SS7, available locally or as a managed cloud service.

1. 1Fairwaves is a winner of the GSMA Connected Society Innovation Fund - Fairwavesfairwaves.co
2. 2We're reinventing mobile networks for those who need them the most - Fairwavesfairwaves.co
3. 3A complete mobile network in a single tower mounted base station - Fairwavesfairwaves.co
4. 4Fairwaveswikidata.org
5. 5Fairwavesru.wikipedia.org