The Unity Council, officially known as the Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, is a nonprofit Social Equity Development Corporation based in Oakland, California. Established in 1964 during the civil rights movement, the organization was founded by local community members aiming to enhance political representation and improve the quality of life for the Latino community in Oakland’s Fruitvale District.
With a mission to promote social equity and build vibrant communities where everyone can work, learn, and thrive, The Unity Council has evolved into a multifaceted organization offering a range of programs and services, serving 8,000 families (not just Latinos) and the businesses in the district,
In conjunction with the Unity Council, Dalet Access Labs has been selected to “create an Intelligent Infrastructure Economic Zone throughout the Fruitvale area that will offer residents and businesses a wide array of low-latency Gigabit connectivity options.”
As I understand it, Dalet Access Labs is a upgrading their Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform, which is a scalable, self-organizing, small-form-factor edge Public Infrastructure Network Node (PINN) platform that is the backbone for innovation and economic and social development. On the network they provide affordable Broadband, Cybersecurity, IoT, and Managed location-based Services that are sensor-driven and built to handle future growth demands.
The upgrade is using Airvine’s WaveCore and WaveTunnel, and according to them, they “are the first company to develop an Ultra Low-Latency Gigabit-speed wireless backhaul system for indoor connectivity.”
The Unity Council is looking to eliminate the Digital Divide and transform homes, businesses, classrooms, and local government facilities, enhancing economic and innovation opportunities throughout the EEZ. Please read the Unity Council’s announcement here for more information about this project.
Dalet will deploy the WaveCore and WaveTunnel systems to connect 2,600 network nodes inside and outside the 18 buildings, including residences, a public library, a high school, a senior center, and commercial spaces. The WaveCore was designed to penetrate concrete walls and floors with Gigabit-speed wireless links and eliminate the need for expensive drilling to connect areas with Ethernet cabling.
The WaveTunnel is a wireless backhaul system and can link nodes for device connections, security cameras, IoT devices, and every “THING” else, including sensors, that needs connections in “open air” spaces, such as hallways, corridors, and similar areas. The WaveCore is approximately the size of a small pizza box and is installed in pairs, one on each side of a concrete wall or floor/ceiling. The WaveTunnel is of similar size and is easily mounted on ceilings and other interior high points to provide daisy chain connectivity for any floor plan.
“Going with the Airvine WaveCore and the WaveTunnel will enable us to meet the objectives of the Unity Council on a much faster and less expensive basis as we will not have to lay literally miles of cable or drill through concrete barriers to create a fully pervasive network,” said Odion Edehomon, CEO of Dalet Access Labs.
The Dalet-built network will deliver the Gigabit-speed connectivity needed to support applications and services in the following sectors: Digital Health, Smart City and Government, Supply Chain and Public Safety, Autonomous Mobility, and Workforce Development.
The Unity Council in Oakland, California, is looking to eliminate the digital divide and is spearheading an initiative known as the Intelligent Infrastructure Economic Zone (I2EZ) in the Fruitvale neighborhood. The I2EZ is designed to enhance connectivity and foster innovation across various sectors, including homes, businesses, educational institutions, and government facilities. The initiative focuses on empowering marginalized and underserved populations by transforming Fruitvale into a hub for economic opportunity, urban revitalization, and educational advancement.
Key objectives of the I2EZ include:
- Enhanced Connectivity and Innovation: Developing infrastructure to provide greater accessibility and connectivity, thereby stimulating innovation within the community.
- Job Creation and Economic Growth: Generating new business opportunities and employment, contributing to the revitalization of the Fruitvale area and bolstering local economic development.
- Educational Opportunities: Facilitating upskilling initiatives to prepare residents for the global job market and adapt to the evolving technological landscape.
This initiative represents a modern approach to economic empowerment, focusing on integrating technology and infrastructure to create a sustainable and inclusive community development model.
Based on Dalet’s portfolio, most of what they do is Asset Tracking, but they do support IoT Gateways, so I would suggest an App Dev/IoT learning event in the near future.
Edited by
Erik Linask
