SFOWetNet

for
Muni Wireless Symposium

by
Milt Gregory
Sunrise Wireless
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 SFOWetNet
Broadband network that covers the central
and northern portions of San Francisco
Bay and services marine users

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 The Initial Idea

In 2004 a commodities trader colleague

asked if it would be possible to trade from
his boat

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 System Objectives
To provide broadband communications and Internet
access to all users of San Francisco Bay.

Users include the whole spectrum of Bay users from

ferry commuters to commercial vessel operators to
pleasure boaters to public safety vessel operators to
individual marine biologists on the Bay performing
research.

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 User Groups
• Ferry commuters
• Recreational boaters
• Commercial vessel operators
– Ferry operators
– Dinner cruise operators
– Other maritime (tugs, barges, dredges etc)
• Public safety vessel operators
• Itinerant users
– Merchant marine crewmembers
– Cruise ship passengers

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 High Speed Ferry

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 Recreational Boaters

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 Public Safety and Maritime Vessel
Operators

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 Two RF Networks
• WiMax
– Commercial vessels
– Public safety vessel operators
• Wifi
– Ferry passengers
– Recreational boaters
– Itinerant users

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 Network Evolution
• Initial experimental network operational in late
2006
• Washington State Ferries project intervenes in
2006
• WSF project design and deployment 2007 and
2008
• SFO system rebuilt in 2009 and new sites added
in 2010
• Operational testing currently underway
• First commercial operation mid-July 2010

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 Washington State Ferries Public
WiFi System
• Provides WiFi availability to 25,000 passengers a day
• Full system route overage except San Juans
• 12Mbps onto the boats
• 75 route miles of seamless coverage with wind and tides
– 16 ft tides
– glassy water to wind ripple to 6 in chop to 3 ft waves
• 100+ backhaul miles (microwave and fiber)
• 15 shoreline access and relay points in addition to the 11
terminals (41 points of presence)
• 300+ radios
– 200+ access points
– 100+ OTW and backhaul radios

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 Large WSF Ferry
(460 ft long, 2500 passengers, 200+ autos)

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 WSF Terminal

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 Typical WSF Shoreline Access Point

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