FreeWave Technologies: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:01, 10 December 2012

Template:Infobox company FreeWave Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is a B2B company based in Boulder, Colorado where it manufactures and designs frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and licensed data radios. Its wireless data radios are utilized in industrial, government and defense, scientific, and commercial applications. The U.S. Army is one of its biggest customers. FreeWave partners with leaders in oil and gas, utilities, electric power/smart grid and many other industries. FreeWave radios support a variety of industrial applications, such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), wireless I/O, cathodic protection (CP) and remote monitoring. The company also conducts network design, path studies, and pre-installation engineering services to ensure reliable, error free data-flow under any condition and in all environments. FreeWave is a unique long term radio provider with 100 percent backward compatibility with older products. All radios are manufactured locally in Boulder, Colorado and tested to operate over the temperature range of −40°C to +75°C. FreeWave products come in a variety of shapes and types, including board level, enclosed and small form factor embedded systems that are super ruggedized/waterproof and are UL approved. Frequencies for unlicensed radios include 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 869 MHz, while licensed radios operate within 400 MHz, 700 MHz and 1.4 GHz. For government and defense, FreeWave embedded radios are counted on for mission critical applications, such as unmanned systems, where safety is paramount and lives are at risk.

History

FreeWave Technologies was founded in August 1993 by Jonathan Sawyer and Steve Wulchin. From the beginning, Sawyer and Wulchin aimed to help customers transmit mission critical data via secure, highly reliable licensed and license-free spread spectrum radios. FreeWave has manufactured all of its radios in Boulder, Colorado since the first radio was shipped in 1994. In June 2007, TA Associates led a $113 million investment in FreeWave Technologies. Its largest markets are oil & gas and government & defense (military). In June 2007, TA Associates led a $113 million investment in FreeWave Technologies. FreeWave also began to increase its focus on the utilities markets in 2009 – 2010 with its M2M technology and has continued to increase its presence in the electric power and water/wastewater industries. Today, FreeWave Technologies has more than 800,000 industrial radios and embedded modules in the field.

Accomplishments

In October 2008, FreeWave ranked 26th on Deloitte's Wireless Fast 50 with revenue growth of 112%. FreeWave has been selected for Colorado's Fast 50 for ten consecutive years.

In June 2007 TA Associates, a private equity firm, invested $113 million dollars into FreeWave thus allowing the company to accelerate product development and enhance marketing efforts. A significant portion ($9 million) was given to the employees.

The National Science Foundation's Wireless Field Test Project found the DGR Series the best radios for establishing wireless links to and from data loggers in the field.

In August 2011, FreeWave Technologies announced that its wireless communication technology for government and defense radios had surpassed one million flight hours in the field since the company shipped its first government and defense radio in 1997.

In October 2011, FreeWave’s GXM radio was named a finalist for Plant Engineering’s Product of the Year Award.

In November 2011, FreeWave Technologies’ FGR2-PE radio was awarded the Smart Grid Excellence Award [1]. FreeWave’s I/O Expansion module also was named a finalist for Control Engineering Magazine's Engineer’s Choice Award.[2]

In June 2012, FreeWave Technologies' FGR2-PE radio was awarded the American Technology Award for in the Best Smart Grid and Smart Instruments Category [3]. FreeWave's I/O Expansion Module was also awarded the Smart Grid 2011 Product of the Year Award [4].

In September 2012, FreeWave Technologies' IO Expansion Module was selected as a finalist for the Best Production Technology for the 2012 World Oil Awards [5].

In October 2012, FreeWave Technologies' MM2 Wireless Data Radio was selected as a winner for the 2011 M2M Evolution Product of the Year Award from TMC and Crossfire Media [6].

In November 2012, FreeWave Technologies' IO Expansion Module is named a finalist for Plant Engineering's Product of the Year Award in the Automation & Control Category [7].

Uses

FreeWave radios are used across many industries including oil and gas, military, precision agriculture, golf, water/wastewater and more. For instance, FreeWave radios are used by energy companies to maximize production and reduce operating costs, for mission critical applications within the military, and for environmental monitoring to provide warning of impending natural disasters such as volcanoes.

LTER uses FreeWave at several sites such as Trout Lake, Alaska, Luquillo, and Niwot Ridge. Denver University uses the radios to beam images from their mountain-top observatory. NCAR’s Marshall Test Site uses FreeWave in a complex weather measurement system. Denver International Airport uses the radios in a 30 mile weather link to that Marshall Test Site. BMW Oracle Racing uses FreeWave radios in the America's Cup. The National Geographic Society sponsored two expeditions to the top of Mount Everest in which FreeWave was used as a life-line to remotely communicate the vital signs of the climbers to their base camp.

Products

Supported Interfaces: RS232/RS422/RS485/TTL.

FreeWave Technologies provides reliable, robust and high quality wireless solutions. Its frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) radios offer solutions for a wide variety of applications in industries, such as electric power, oil and gas, water/wastewater and more.

Serial Radios

FreeWave serial radios support users in locations across the world ranging from the Middle East to Mount Everest, Permian Basin to the Amazon Rainforest, and from Antarctica to New York.

FGR2
FGR-115
FGR09
FGRSR
MM2
Ranger Series
869 Series (for Europe only)
Cellular Bridge

I/O Radios

FreeWave’s wireless I/O is the basis for remote process automation, process optimization and condition-based monitoring. Wireless I/O combines remote measurement, remote control and instant data communications with very reliable wireless networks. By integrating Wireless I/O into small field networks, medium plant operations and large SCADA systems, users have wireless sensor measurements, physical control and communications between remote controllers from a single device.

FGR-IO
I2-IO
IO Expansion

Ethernet Radios

FreeWave’s wireless Ethernet solutions are designed for harsh environments.

FGR2-PE
FGR2-P
HTplus
MM2 Ethernet

Embedded Radios

These FreeWave radios are a reliable solution for embedding within Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) products.

MM2
MM2 Ethernet

Cathodic Protection Radios

FreeWave offers the needed hardware and integrated solutions for the cathodic protection markets. Its cathodic protection remote monitoring solutions offer form factor flexibility in: board level, line marker, self-contained rectifier kit with solar panel and battery backup, a battery operated water proof unit, and the newest product "The Tower Replacement" module.

Battery Powered Waterproof Unit
Board Level CP
Line Marker
Rectifier Monitoring Unit
Tower Replacement Module

Traffic

These FreeWave radios are designed for traffic control applications.

T-9
T-24

Licensed Radios (1.4 GHz and 400 MHz)

FreeWave Technologies licensed band radios have applications wherever licensed radios are preferred ranging from oil and gas to municipalities and beyond. Serial

LRS 140
LRS 455

Government and Defense

FreeWave Technologies’ military and ISM band radios are designed for a high level of performance and security standards in rigorous conditions known to the government and defense industries. Embedded Radios

L-Band (MM2-M13 and P Series)
MM2 EX
MM2-UHF
MM2-9X5W
Q Series
3400 series (3.4 GHz)
F Series
F Series – Narrow band
Spartan Series

Software

FreeWave Tool Suite is a free program and provides a simplified way to set up and manage networks. The software is secure and user-friendly, allowing users to control multiple frequencies and networks within a single system. Storage is centralized, so users have access to diagnostic data, reports and more.

FreeWave Tool Suite

Miscellaneous

Amplifiers
Antennas
Cables
Filters
Kits
Mounting Systems

Legacy Products

DGR

External links

References

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 In October 2012, FreeWave Technologies' MM2 Wireless Data Radio was selected as a winner for the 2011 M2M Evolution Product of the Year Award from TMC and Crossfire Media [http://www.m2mevolution.com/topics/m2mevolution/articles/299219-2011-m2m-evolution-product-the-year-awards-winners.htm].
-In November 2012, FreeWave Technologies' IO Expansion Module is named a finalist for Plant Engineering's Product of the Year Award [http://www.plantengineering.com/index.php?id=2171&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=82462].
+In November 2012, FreeWave Technologies' IO Expansion Module is named a finalist for Plant Engineering's Product of the Year Award in the Automation & Control Category [http://www.plantengineering.com/events-and-awards/product-of-the-year.html].
 ==Uses==