The world of Wireless Backhaul saw many new developments this past week. Tropos proved that wireless could go anywhere, even to the center of the earth, when it deployed a wireless communications network in a mine for PCS Phosphate Company. The broadband network provider reported that its equipment could broadcast vital mining data including live monitoring, real-time video feeds and mining management software.

Bluegiga released two new Wi-Fi modules, the Bluegiga WF111 and the Bluegiga WF121. The surface-mounted modules, according to Bluegiga, work well for embedded applications that need reliable long-range Wi-Fi connectivity. The WF111 provides a connectivity solution for devices running Linux, while the WF121 allows developers to incorporate applications in a matter of hours using Bluegiga’s BGScript programming language.

In hospitality news, the Renaissance Suites Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., installed a new wireless network in partnership with XETA Hospitality. The new network will allow guests to benefit from faster connectivity speeds as well as added stability. The wireless network will work in the hotel’s lobby as well as within its common areas.

From North Carolina, we travel to Hong Kong, where CSL Limited, a leading mobile operator, has partnered with ZTE Corporation to expand its LTE (News - Alert) coverage. ZTE will deploy a series of new base stations, allowing CSL to run LTE in the 2600 and 1800 MHz bands. The service should greatly enhance indoor broadband coverage for Hong Kong residents.

Ittiam touted the upcoming release of its 802.11ac MAC and 802.11acPHY solutions, which will be available in 2012 and 2013, respectively, as part of a strong R&D investment. Additionally, Ittiam announced that its Wi-Fi Silicon IP had achieved high sales volume thanks to its installation in system-on-a-chip applications for customers in Japan, China, Israel and the United States.

Finally, RFaxis released a white paper discussing the challenges of deploying radio frequency front-end technology. This paper, which is the first in a three-part series, will discuss the challenges associated with dual Wi-Fi/cellular mobile handset designs and how the RF CMOS device from RFaxis can help manufacturers to meet those challenges.

Spice up your summer by subscribing to the Wireless Backhaul community newsletter or by following the Wireless Backhaul community on Facebook (News - Alert) or Twitter. You can also find numerous webinars, e-books and white papers on the community home page.