Facebook’s Terragraph is bridging the last mile gap in Alaska

Facebook-led Terragraph is a technology designed to bridge the last mile gap between the subscriber and the service provider’s closest fiber node. Terragraph's fixed wireless service delivers multi-gigabit-speed data using 60 GHz unlicensed millimeter wave spectrum. The technology works by using its transmitters, which are typically deployed on street lights or rooftops, to create a distributed network. It can extend a fiber network wirelessly through these nodes to provide last-mile connectivity. In the US, Alaska Communications has deployed Terragraph using Cambium equipment and is delivering high-speed internet with speeds up to 1 Gbps to more than 6,500 homes in Anchorage. The service, which is called AKXinternet, requires the installation of a small radio on the rooftop of a home, plus interior wiring to connect the radio to the modem and then the network must be configured. On its website, Alaska Communications estimates that this will take about two hours to complete an installation. With the lengthy installation process, I’m skeptical about Terragraph’s ability to generate traction with service providers, unless they have a good fixed-wireless access business case. However, the solution seems to be a good fit for wireless internet service providers, especially if it can deliver 1-Gbps speeds in areas where fiber is non-existent.

[Sue Marek is a contributing editor at Fierce.]