Networking vendor Belkin is touting the “MultiBeam” technology at the heart of the five new consumer-grade wireless routers is launched this month into the Canadian market.
The technology addresses the fact that today’s consumers are putting more and more pressure on their wireless routers as the number of WiFi devices in our homes proliferates said Greg Milkovich, Canada country manager for Belkin.
“The new antenna-less technology allows for greater performance at a distance,” said Milkovich. “In today’s home there’s multiple devices using the wireless network – the television, game consoles smartphones – and the taxing of the router is greater than it has been before. This new technology allows for a much greater experience, with enhanced downloading. The days of standard e-mail and surfing are gone.”
Belkin’s new line of 801.11n routers starts with the entry-level N-150, priced at $39.99 with wireless speeds of up to 150Mbps. At the high end is the $129.99 N750DB, a dual band router with speeds of up to 300Mnps and 450Mbps, two USB ports for printer and media sharing, and tools for video-sharing and self-healing network problems.
“The dual band trend is huge and it will continue, and our new line addresses that with a number of dual band solutions,” said Milkovich. “Dual band is like a multi-lane highway.”
The new offerings are available through Belkin’s retail and channel partners, although retail is the primary route to market. Malkovich added while these are consumer offerings, the upper-end of the line has security and other features from the small and home office (SOHO) market, such as printer sharing, file sharing and back-up. Security is pre-configured with the password provided in the box, and to help with set-up the router arrives with the cables already connected to it
With lots of speculation around the strategy of Belkin’s competitors, particularly the future of competitor Linksys as parent company Cisco Systems restructures, Milkovich said Belkin is focused on growing its leadership position amidst any opportunity that may arise.
“We’re putting a big focus on working with the channel and partners to make sure they have strong margins and a support network to help them get positive outcomes for their customers,” said Milkovich, “We feel we’ve been best in market with our proprietary technology and the support and programs we offer. We can offer a lot to partners and are very committed to the channel.”
Follow Jeff Jedras on Twitter: @JeffJedrasCDN.
