Employing 75 people in Ottawa and with sales offices around the world, BelAir Networks has taken advantage of Ottawa’s telecom strengths to build world-leading Wi-Fi, WiMAX and Public Safety networking technology

Founded in 2001, BelAir Networks Inc. is the leading provider of mobile wireless broadband mesh network solutions that deliver video, voice, data, and high-speed internet access throughout cities, campuses, apartment buildings, recreation areas, hotels and resorts. 

A wireless mesh network is created by deploying nodes throughout the coverage area. These nodes provide broadband network connectivity to users while also interconnecting with each other to form a resilient ‘mesh’.

With a family of seven products, BelAir Networks has about 400 networks deployed worldwide. The company’s product awards include a Frost & Sullivan 2006 Technology Innovation Award in the field of carrier-class wireless mesh network infrastructure.

BelAir Networks employs the majority of its 75 people at its Ottawa headquarters with sales people located across the US and abroad.

Why Ottawa

Ottawa is a leading international technology centre boasting world-class strength in telecommunications research, development and manufacturing. Nortel, Research in Motion, JDS Uniphase, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems and Mitel all have a major research and development presence in Ottawa. BelAir Networks draws from Ottawa’s extensive telecom knowledge base and human resource pool in the wireless area.

BelAir Networks also takes advantage of a strong outsourcing ecosystem in Ottawa. There are many individual consultants as well as specialized companies such as Fidus Systems Inc., Mapleworks Technologies Inc., Macadamian Technologies Inc. and bitHeads Inc., that can do circuit board layouts, industrial design, and build product software and hardware prototypes.

Ottawa is also home to the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC), an Agency of Industry Canada, and the primary federal lab for research and development (R&D) in advanced telecommunications.

As a Canadian company, BelAir Networks can take advantage of several tax incentive and financial support programs such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program which is designed to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct R&D in Canada that will lead to new, improved, or technologically advanced products or processes.

The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises like BelAir Networks.

Business advantage

In December 2007, BelAir Networks became the new worldwide wireless mesh node market leader based on revenue, according to Dell’Oro Group’s recently released Q3 2007 Wireless LAN quarterly report. With continuous quarterly revenue improvement, BelAir Networks enjoyed 70% growth from 2006 to 2007.

Following the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2007, the city’s new Wi-Fi network played a critical role in supporting recovery efforts.  The network, comprised of BelAir Networks’ wireless mesh nodes, is run by USI Wireless in a public-private partnership with the city. In the hours and weeks following the tragedy, emergency personnel used the new network to transfer electronic maps and logistical information to the field and to support video cameras used to monitor, coordinate and streamline rescue and salvage efforts. Family and first responders were also able to communicate effectively when cellular services were disrupted.

In 2007, Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida received PC Magazine’s SMB Award in recognition of its powerful wireless mesh network. Using only 29 wireless nodes from BelAir Networks, the network covers over two million square feet from the 78,000-seat stadium and bowl to the 22,000 space parking lots. The multi-service wireless network provides the largest point-of-sale network in the world, as well as coverage for fans’ mobile phones and other devices, staff and security connections, and WiFi in the press box.

Future Growth Plans

BelAir Networks began as a start-up in Ottawa and is now an established medium stage technology company, number one in its marketplace.

The company’s expectation is to continue on the same 70% growth trajectory year over year. BelAir Networks’ focus in the near future will be on the US because of the high priority placed on homeland security in that country.

Contact information

BelAir Networks Inc.
Toll-free: 1 877 235-2471
www.belairnetworks.com