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Vanu Replacing Cell Tower Equipment With PCs

Posted by timothy on from the folgers-commodity-software-crystals dept.

Dwight Schwartz writes "As reported in an article on the ScienceDaily site, researchers from Vanu, Inc. of Cambridge, MA, have successfully tested a system, the Vanu Software Radio(tm), that can replace a cellular tower's room full of communications hardware with a Pentium-based computer running Linux. The system offers the hope of making cellular technology more affordable for small, rural communities." The systems have been tested for the last several months in parts of Texas, with wider adoption planned for the near future.

4 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Finally. by digitalunity · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is actually *newsworthy*. I was starting to have withdrawls.

    This should have a big impact on small towns where expensive cellular equipment isn't cost effective.

    --
    You can't legislate goodness. Let each to his own destiny, by will of his freely made choices.
  2. I'm buzzing all over by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Loads of great ideas that are going to change the world and it's not going to cost barely anything!

    It's like 1998 all over again!

  3. Re:Affordability for rural people! by lanswitch · · Score: 2, Funny

    Cool. Great.
    Now my boss can call me even when I'm on safari...

  4. You know what this means? by TerryAtWork · · Score: 2, Funny

    It means we can have our own phone networks! Is there ANYTHING we can't have? I know! A GIRLFRIEND!

    --
    It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.