FreeWave Technologies

FreeWave Technologies, Inc.
Private
Industry wireless, RF Communications, M2M, IoT
Founded 1993
Headquarters 5395 Pearl Parkway, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301
Key people
 Kim Niederman (CEO), Scott Allen (CMO), Patrick Lazar (VP, Engineering), Karl Kunz (CFO), Ken Granader (VP of Sales)
Products Wireless M2M networking and communication solutions
Revenue Undisclosed
Number of employees
 Undisclosed
Website www.FreeWave.com

FreeWave Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is a B2B company based in Boulder, Colorado, where it manufactures and designs industrial, secure machine-to-machine wireless networking and communications solutions. Its wireless solutions 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.

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.

Uses

FreeWave's wireless M2M solutions 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.

Its wireless M2M networking and communications solutions serve a wide variety of applications in industries, such as electric power, oil and gas, water/wastewater and more.

WavePro WP201

FreeWave’s WavePro™ WP201 series short haul and Wi-Fi platform delivers secure collection, control and transport of Voice, Video, Data and Sensor (VVDS) information, and is a critical component of FreeWave’s Sensor-2-Server™ communication solutions. The platform is designed to serve three wireless networking tiers:

  • Long Haul: (or the Distribution Layer) are wireless links from 5 miles, and greater and are typically implemented using high speed, PTP microwave systems.
  • Short Haul: (or the Aggregation Layer) are wireless links from 1 to 8 miles that are easily implemented using high speed, 2.4GHz or 5GHz radios with directional antennas to create point-to-multipoint (PMP) networks for data and information aggregation, or PTP links that provide network ingress/egress points.
  • Close Haul: (or the Access Layer) are PMP networks with wireless links operating from a few feet to a couple of miles to transport VVDS data.

WaveContact

WaveContact is FreeWave Technologies' wireless I/O solutions for industrial M2M and IoT applications in remote hazardous locations. Made up of two components—the WaveContact 10i and the WaveContact Data Concentrator 50i—the WaveContact product family is certified for both Class 1, Division 1 and Class 1, Division 2 hazardous locations.

  • WaveContact 10i EndPoint
  • WaveContact 50i DataConcentrator

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 City.

  • 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
  • WaveLine 10i

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

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 waterproof unit, and the newest product "The Tower Replacement" module.

  • Battery-powered waterproof unit
  • Board level CP
  • Line marker
  • Rectifier monitoring enit
  • 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

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

See also

References

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