Hybrid universal broadband telecommunications using small radio cells interconnected by free-space optical links

• US 20020181444A1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Acampora, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/013,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181444A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25752 Optical arrangements for wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells

Abstract

Diverse communication terminals attach via broadband radio to a communications network at any of typically three hierarchical cell sizes increasing from, typically, a single building to a city to a region. Almost all telecommunications traffic transpires, however, within lowest-level “picocells 1” to and from low cost “base stations 11” that have typically one radio transceiver 111, four optical transceivers 112, an ATM switch 113 and an ATM controller 114. Each local “base station 11” is interconnected to a regional “end office switch 12”, where is realized connection to a worldwide wire/fiber line communications backbone 4, upon a multi-hop mesh network 100 via short highly-focused free-space broadband directional optical links 10. By this free-space wireless broadband access the need for new broadband access cabling the “last mile” to subscriber/users is totally surmounted. Subscriber service is of the order of 20 Mb/s peak rate, and 10 Mb/s average rate.

Claims

1. A telecommunications apparatus comprising:

a communications switch;

a first transceiver, electrically coupled to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the apparatus in a first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum;

a second transceiver, electrically coupled to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the apparatus in a second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is of higher frequency than is the first portion; and

a controller for causing the communications switch to first-route telecommunications traffic between the first transceiver and the second transceiver;

wherein wireless telecommunications are first-routed between a first and a second, higher frequency, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

2. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first transceiver comprises:

a radio transceiver electrically connected to the communications switch for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the apparatus in the radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

3. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a transceiver of free-space optical telecommunications signals electrically connected to the communications switch;

wherein wireless telecommunications are first-routed between radio and optical portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

4. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a millimeter wavelength radio transceiver of millimeter wavelength telecommunications signals;

wherein wireless telecommunications are first-routed between a first radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and a second, millimeter wavelength, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is of higher frequency than is the first portion.

5. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the communications switch comprises:

an Asynchronous Transfer Mode switch that is electrically connected to both the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

6. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first transceiver comprises:

a radio transceiver, wire-connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by radio signals.

7. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the radio transceiver comprises:

a cellular radio receiver and a receive antenna; and

a cellular radio transmitter and a transmit antenna.

8. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a transceiver of free-space optical signals, wire-connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by free space optical signals.

9. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the optical transceiver comprises:

a plurality of optical receivers each receiving free-space optical telecommunications signals over a different free-space optical path; and

a plurality of optical transmitters each transmitting free-space optical telecommunications signals over a different free-space optical path;

wherein free-space optical telecommunications may be maintained over a plurality of different free-space optical paths.

10. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 9

wherein the controller is further for causing that the communications switch should second route telecommunications traffic from the optical receivers to the optical transmitters;

wherein wireless telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and a free space optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between free-space optical paths.

11. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 10 situated in a wireless telecommunications mesh of a multiplicity of identical apparatus

wherein wireless telecommunications in the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are local to a locally-situated first transceiver;

wherein wireless free-space optical telecommunications in the optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are between physically proximately located second, optical, transceivers; and

wherein telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and the free-space optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between the plurality of free-space optical paths all of which paths are in the optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

12. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a transceiver of millimeter wavelength radio signals, wire-connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by millimeter wavelength radio signals.

13. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the millimeter wavelength radio transceiver comprises:

a plurality of millimeter wavelength radio receivers each receiving millimeter wavelength radio telecommunications signals over a different free-space path; and

a plurality of millimeter wavelength radio transmitters each transmitting free-space millimeter wavelength radio telecommunications signals over a different free-space path;

wherein free-space millimeter wavelength radio telecommunications may be maintained over a plurality of different free-space paths.

14. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 13

wherein the controller is further for causing that the communications switch should second route telecommunications traffic from the millimeter wavelength radio receivers to the millimeter wavelength radio transmitters;

wherein wireless telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and a millimeter wavelength radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between free-space millimeter wavelength radio paths.

15. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 14 situated in a wireless telecommunications mesh of a multiplicity of identical apparatus

wherein wireless telecommunications in the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are local to a locally-situated first transceiver;

wherein wireless free-space millimeter radio telecommunications in the millimeter wavelength radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are between physically proximately located second, millimeter wavelength radio, transceivers; and

wherein telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and the millimeter wavelength radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between the plurality of millimeter wavelength radio paths all of which paths are in the millimeter wavelength radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

16. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

at least one transceiver of free-space optical signals, wire-connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by free space optical signals; and

at least one transceiver of millimeter wavelength radio signals, also wire-connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by millimeter wavelength radio signals;

wherein telecommunications external to the apparatus in the second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is hybrid by both free-space optical signals and millimeter wavelength radio signals.

18. The telecommunications method according to claim 17 wherein the first-telecommunicating of the local omnidirectional first-frequency first signal by use of the omnidirectional first-frequency first wireless transceiver comprises;

first-telecommunicating a local omnidirectional radio signal by use of an omnidirectional radio wireless transceiver.

19. The telecommunications method according to claim 17 wherein the second-telecommunicating of the plurality of local directional second signals of the second frequency by use of the associated plurality of directional second-frequency second wireless transceivers comprises:

second-telecommunicating a plurality of local directional free-space optical signals by use of the associated plurality of directional free-space optical transceivers.

20. The telecommunications method according to claim 17 wherein the second-telecommunicating of the plurality of local directional second signals of the second frequency by use of the associated plurality of directional second-frequency second wireless transceivers comprises:

second-telecommunicating a plurality of local directional free-space millimeter-wavelength radio by use of the associated plurality of directional millimeter-wavelength radio transceivers.

21. The telecommunications method according to claim 17 wherein the second-telecommunicating of the plurality of local directional second signals of the second frequency by use of the associated plurality of directional second-frequency second wireless transceivers comprises:

second-telecommunicating both (i) a plurality of local directional free-space optical signals by use of the associated plurality of directional free-space optical transceivers and (ii) a plurality of local directional free-space millimeter-wavelength radio by use of the associated plurality of directional millimeter-wavelength radio transceivers.

17. A telecommunications method comprising:

first-telecommunicating a local omnidirectional first-frequency first signal by use of an omnidirectional first-frequency first wireless transceiver;

second-telecommunicating a plurality of local directional second signals of a second frequency, higher than is the first frequency, by use of an associated plurality of directional second-frequency second wireless transceivers;

converting between (i) the first signal, as is telecommunicated with the first wireless transceiver, and (i) some particular one of a second signals, as is associated with a particular second wireless transceiver, in accordance with a protocol for telecommunicating along a chosen directional path;

while

cross-communicating between the second transceivers so that all second signals directionally telecommunicated by use of any one of the second transceivers is further telecommunicated by use of another one of the second transceivers so as to advance further telecommunicate each second signal, as well as the converted first signal, along a chosen directional path in accordance with the protocol;

wherein, although both first-telecommunicating and second-telecommunicating are of local signals, the omnidirectional first-frequency first signal is immediately converted to a second-frequency directional second signal, and is then further directionally telecommunicated, while the directionally telecommunicated second-frequency signals are still further directionally telecommunicated, along the chosen directional path.

22. A telecommunications apparatus comprising:

a communications switch;

a broadband radio first transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating omnidirectinally externally to the apparatus by broadband radio in a first, radio, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum;

a second transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating directionally externally to the apparatus in a second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; and

a controller for causing the communications switch to first-route telecommunications traffic between the broadband radio first transceiver and the second transceiver.

23. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

an optical transceiver wirelessly directionally telecommunicating across free-space optical links.

24. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the optical transceiver comprises:

a plurality of optical receivers each receiving free-space optical telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space optical path; and

a plurality of optical transmitters each transmitting free-space optical telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space optical path;

wherein free-space optical telecommunications may be maintained over a plurality of different-direction free-space optical paths.

25. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 24

wherein the controller is further causing the communications switch to second-route telecommunications traffic from the optical receivers to the optical transmitters;

wherein wireless telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and a free space optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between free-space optical paths.

26. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a millimeter wavelength radio transceiver wirelessly directionally telecommunicating across free-space radio links.

27. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the millimeter wavelength radio transceiver comprises:

a plurality of millimeter wavelength radio receivers each directionally receiving free-space radio telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space path; and

a plurality of millimeter wavelength radio transmitters each directionally transmitting free-space radio telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space path;

wherein free-space millimeter wavelength radio telecommunications may be maintained over a plurality of different-direction free-space paths.

28. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 27

wherein the controller is further causing the communications switch to second-route telecommunications traffic from the millimeter wavelength radio receivers to the millimeter wavelength radio transmitters;

wherein wireless telecommunications are not only first-routed between the radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and a millimeter wavelength radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between millimeter wavelength radio free-space paths.

29. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

at least one optical transceiver wirelessly directionally telecommunicating across free-space optical links; and

at least one millimeter wavelength radio transceiver wirelessly directionally telecommunicating across free-space radio links.

30. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 22 situated in a wireless telecommunications mesh of a multiplicity of identical apparatus

wherein omnidirectional wireless telecommunications in the first, radio, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are local to a locally-situated radio first transceiver;

and

wherein wireless directional free space telecommunications in the second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum are directionally between second transceivers of physically proximately located apparatus.

31. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the second transceiver comprises:

a plurality of receivers each receiving directional telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space path; and

a plurality of transmitters each transmitting directional telecommunications signals over a different-direction free-space path;

wherein free-space telecommunications may be maintained over a plurality of different-direction free-space paths.

32. The telecommunications apparatus according to claim 31

wherein the controller is further causing the communications switch to second-route telecommunications traffic from the second receivers to the second transmitters;

wherein telecommunications are not only first-routed between the first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and the second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but are also second-routed between the plurality of free-space paths, all of which paths are in the second portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

33. A telecommunications method for and upon a communications mesh network of arrayed nodes, the method comprising:

wirelessly locally radio telecommunicating to a radio transceiver at each node by radio;

wirelessly locally directionally optically free-space telecommunicating between each of a plurality of optical transceivers, co-located with each other and with the radio transceiver at each node, by a plurality of directional free-space optical signals to a plurality of nearby nodes; and

first-routing, at each node, telecommunications to and from the radio transceiver and a selected one of the plurality of optical receivers that is so selected in accordance with a protocol for telecommunicating along a chosen path upon the mesh;

while

second-routing, at each node, telecommunications received at one or more of the plurality of local directional optical transceivers to another one or ones of the plurality of local directional optical transceivers so to establish and maintain optical telecommunications along a path upon the mesh that is chosen in accordance with the protocol;

wherein, by the radio telecommunicating and the optical telecommunicating, and by the first-routing and the second-routing, telecommunications transpires (i) omnidirectionally at each node by radio, and (ii) directionally between nodes upon the path upon the mesh by optics.

34. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the wirelessly locally radio telecommunicating is by broadband radio in a broadband radio transceiver.

35. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the wirelessly locally radio telecommunicating is in accordance with Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol.

36. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the wirelessly locally optically free-space telecommunicating is in accordance with Asynchronous Transfer Mode protocol.

37. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the protocol for the telecommunicating along a chosen path upon the mesh is developed at a node, called an end-office, that is common to all paths.

38. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the protocol for the telecommunicating is implemented at (i) the node, called an end-office, that is common to all paths, and at (ii) all nodes along the path upon the mesh that is chosen in accordance with the protocol.

39. The telecommunications method according to claim 33

wherein the protocol for the telecommunicating is implemented collectively at (i) the node, called an end-office, that is common to all paths, and at (ii) all the arrayed nodes of the mesh, including both those nodes that are along the path upon the mesh that is chosen in accordance with the protocol and those nodes that are not along this path;

wherein arrayed nodes of the mesh that are not along the path do not become involved in actively implementing the communications protocol until, and unless, the path changes, as will be the case when and if the wirelessly locally radio telecommunicating by the radio transceiver changes to a new node, at which time even then only those nodes that are newly along a new path upon the mesh that is chosen in accordance with the protocol will become involved;

wherein the protocol for the telecommunicating is kept upon all the arrayed nodes of the entire mesh, but is at any one time actively implemented by only those nodes that are along a telecommunications path.

40. A telecommunications apparatus, called a base station, located within a multi-hop free-space optical telecommunications mesh consisting of a large number of identical base stations geographically dispersed, each base station of the mesh comprising:

a communications switch;

a first transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating locally externally to the base station;

a plurality of optical transceivers, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly directionally telecommunicating externally to the base station by an associated free-space directional optical link; and

a controller for causing the communications switch to route (i) telecommunications traffic telecommunicated with the first transceiver to one of the plurality of optical transceivers, and (ii) also optical telecommunications traffic received at one directional optical transceiver to another directional optical transceiver for further free-optical optical transmission, all to the consistent purpose and end that telecommunications traffic to and from the first transceiver should be routed through a selected co-located directional optical transceiver and then through the further directional optical transceivers of whatsoever number of other base stations as are required until reaching a particular base station called an end office;

wherein radio and free-space optical communications upon the mesh support telecommunications between, on the one hand, (i) a first transceiver of a base station and, on the other hand, (ii) a particular base station called the end office.

41. The base station telecommunications apparatus according to claim 40 wherein the first transceiver comprises:

a radio transceiver for wirelessly telecommunicating locally externally to the base station by radio.

42. The base station telecommunications apparatus according to claim 40

wherein the controller is causing the communications switch to route (ii) optical telecommunications traffic received at one directional optical transceiver to another directional optical transceiver for further free-optical optical transmission through the further directional optical transceivers of whatsoever number of other base stations as are required until reaching a selected optical transceiver of a particular base station called an end office;

wherein radio and free-space optical communications upon the mesh support telecommunications between, on the one hand, (i) a first transceiver of a base station and, on the other hand, (ii) a optical transceiver of the particular base station called the end office.

43. The base-station telecommunications apparatus according to claim 42 located within a radio and multi-hop free-space optical telecommunications mesh of a large number of identical base stations geographically distributed wherein the particular base station called the end office comprises:

an end-office communications switch;

a connection between the end-office switch and a communications backbone external to the system to which backbone other end-offices also connect;

a plurality of end-office transceivers, electrically connected to the end-office communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the end-office in order to (i) receive across free-space telecommunications links the telecommunications traffic received by all the radio transceivers of all the base stations, and (ii) transmit across the free-space telecommunications links telecommunications traffic received from the communications backbone to a particular radio transceiver of a particular base station; and

a controller for causing the end-office communications switch to route communications traffic between, on the one hand, the wired connection to the external communications backbone and, on the other hand, the plurality of end-office transceivers;

wherein both (i) radio, and (ii) free-space telecommunications across free-space telecommunications links, are bi-directional between the end-office and each radio transceiver of all base stations.

44. The base-station telecommunications apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the end office'"'"'s plurality of transceivers comprise:

optical transceivers for wirelessly optically telecommunicating externally to the end-office in order to (i) receive across the free-space optical telecommunications links the telecommunications traffic received by all the radio transceivers of all the base stations, and (ii) transmit telecommunications traffic received from the communications backbone across the free-space optical telecommunications links to a particular radio transceiver of a particular base station;

wherein the controller is causing the end-office communications switch to route communications traffic between, on the one hand, the wired connection to the external communications backbone and, on the other hand, the plurality of end-office optical transceivers;

wherein both (i) radio, and (ii) free-space optical telecommunications, are bi-directional between the end-office and each radio transceiver of all base stations.

45. The base-station telecommunications apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the end office'"'"'s plurality of transceivers comprise:

millimeter wavelength radio transceivers for wirelessly millimeter radio telecommunicating externally to the end-office in order to (i) receive across the free-space millimeter radio telecommunications links the telecommunications traffic received by all the radio transceivers of all the base stations, and (ii) transmit telecommunications traffic received from the communications backbone across the free-space millimeter radio telecommunications links to a particular radio transceiver of a particular base station;

wherein the controller is causing the end-office communications switch to route communications traffic between, on the one hand, the wired connection to the external communications backbone and, on the other hand, the plurality of end-office millimeter radio transceivers;

wherein both (i) radio, and (ii) free-space millimeter radio telecommunications, are bi-directional between the end-office and each radio transceiver of all base stations.

47. The communications system according to claim 46 wherein the multi-hop mesh of optically-free-space-telecommunicating base stations is further of base stations that are additionally radio-telecommunicating, and wherein each of these radio-telecommunicating and optically-free-space-telecommunicating base stations further has, in addition to its communications switch, its plurality of optical transceivers, and its controller:

a radio transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly communicating by radio externally to the base stations;

wherein the controller is further causing the switch to route communications traffic between the radio transceiver and the optical transceivers.

50. The communications method according to claim 49

wherein the end-office-switching of the information is between the end-office communications switch and a selected one of a plurality of directional optical first transceivers;

wherein the wirelessly-optically-telecommunicating of the information is through the selected one of a plurality of directional optical first transceivers into free space, and onto a mesh of a multiplicity of free-space directional optical telecommunication first transceivers;

wherein the further wirelessly-telecommunicating of the information is optically in free space upon the mesh through successive selected ones of the multiplicity of directional optical telecommunication first transceivers;

wherein the base-station switching, in a switch at the selected base station node, is of the information between the optical first transceiver at this selected base-station node and a radio second transceiver that is co-located at this selected base-station node along with the optical first transceiver; and

wherein the wirelessly-telecommunicating of the information is from the radio second transceiver to a radio-telecommunicating device in the local geographical region of the selected base-station node.

46. A communications system comprising:

an end-office having

a communications switch,

a hardwired connection between the switch and a communications backbone external to the system to which communications backbone other end-offices also connect,

a plurality of optical transceivers, electrically connected to the communications switch, for telecommunicating externally to the end-office optically through free space, and

a controller for causing the communications switch to route communications traffic between (i) the hardwired connection to the external communications backbone and (ii) the plurality of optical transceivers; and

a multi-hop mesh of radio-telecommunicating and optically-free-space-telecommunicating base stations each having

a communications switch,

a plurality of optical transceivers, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the base station by free-space optical links, and

a controller for causing the communications switch to route received optical communications traffic from a receiving to a transmitting optical transceiver to the purpose and the end that telecommunications traffic at any individual base station will be free-space optically communicated though whatsoever number of base stations is required until telecommicatively connecting to the end office and to the communications backbone;

wherein free-space optical communications upon the mesh are variably routed from one base station to another.

48. A communications system comprising:

an end-office having

a communications switch,

a hardwired connection between the switch and a communications backbone external to the system to which communications backbone other end-offices also connect,

a plurality of optical transceivers, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the end-office optically through free space, and

a controller for causing the communications switch to route communications traffic between (i) its hardwired connection to the external communications backbone and (ii) the plurality of optical transceivers; and

a multi-hop mesh of free-space optically-communicating base stations each having

a communications switch,

a radio transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating by radio locally externally to the base station,

a plurality of optical transceivers, electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly communicating regionally externally to the base station by free-space optical links, and

a controller for causing the communications switch (i) to route telecommunications traffic between the radio transceiver and the optical transceivers, and (ii) to route received optical communications traffic from a receiving to a transmitting optical transceiver, to the purpose and the end that local telecommunications traffic at the radio transceiver is free-space optically communicated step-wise regionally through the optical transceivers of whatsoever number of base stations are required to and from the end office, and upon the communications backbone;

wherein radio telecommunications local to one base station are free-space optically telecommunicated upon the mesh until ultimately communicatively interconnecting to the communications backbone.

49. A communications method comprising:

bi-directionally wire/cable-communicating information between a communications switch at a particular, end-office, site and a hardwired connection to a communications backbone which backbone is external to the end-office site and to which other end-office sites also connect;

end-office-wire/cable-switching the information between the end-office communications switch and a selected one of a plurality of wireless first transceivers, co-located at the end office with and electrically wire/cable connected to the communications switch, where the selected one of the plurality of wireless first transceivers at the end office is so selected in accordance with the information telecommunicated;

first wirelessly-telecommunicating the information through the selected one of the plurality of wireless first transceivers into free space, and onto a mesh of a multiplicity of free-space wireless communication transceivers;

further first wirelessly-telecommunicating the information upon successive links in free space upon the mesh, and through successive selected ones of the multiplicity of wireless first transceivers as are each located at a geographically separated mesh node, the successive selections of which ones of the wireless first transceivers are invoked for telecommunication upon the mesh, and the direction of the telecommunication of the information upon the mesh, all being in accordance with the information, until a mesh telecommunications linkage is ultimately made with a wireless first transceiver at a particular selected, base station, mesh node;

base-station-wire/cable-switching, in a switch at the selected base station mesh node that wire/cable connected to the wireless first transceiver at this selected base station mesh node, the information between the wireless first transceiver at this selected base-station node and a wireless second transceiver that is co-located at this selected base-station node along with the first transceiver; and

second wirelessly-telecommunicating the information with and through the second transceiver to a telecommunicating device in the local geographical region of the selected base-station node;

wherein communications and telecommunications have transpired by, inter alia, wire/cable-communicating at the end-office, first wirelessly-telecommunicating over free-space mesh network links between the end-office and the selected base station node, and second wirelessly-telecommunicating at the selected base station node to the telecommunicating device.

51. A hybrid telecommunications system where both

(i) omnidirectional telecommunications, and

(ii) directional telecommunications, transpire upon at least some of a multiplicity of communications paths between a corresponding multiplicity of end-users and a cable-based communications backbone, the system CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

each of the multiplicity of end-users telecommunicates, via an omnidirectional telecommunications signal, with the system at a one of a plurality of system cells that are upon each of a plurality of hierarchical system cell levels, an end-user that proves unable to telecommunicate with the system through a system cell located at a lowest system cell hierarchical level attempting to communicate with a system cell at a next higher system cell hierarchical level and so on until telecommunications access to the system is finally obtained;

where IF omnidirectional telecommunications access to the system is successfully achieved at a system cell that is upon the lowest system cell hierarchical level THEN, starting from this particular lowest-hierarchical-level system cell where the telecommunications access has been so achieved, telecommunication then transpires by directional telecommunications signals directionally across directional telecommunications links organized as a mesh until a particular, end-office, system cell is reached which end-office cell is, nonetheless to being upon the lowest system cell hierarchical level, communicatively connected to a cable-based communications backbone, whereupon telecommunications with the end user that has been in part (i) omnidirectional, and in part (ii) directional, is summarily, at this end-office system cell, communicatively joined to the cable-based communications backbone; and

ELSE IF, upon such times as omnidirectional telecommunications access to the system is not achieved at the lowest system cell hierarchical level but is instead achieved only a higher system cell hierarchical level, THEN, system cells upon these higher hierarchical system cell levels being directly communicatively connected to the cable-based communications backbone, the telecommunications with the end user that has been omnidirectional, is summarily, and at this higher-hierarchical-level system cell, communicatively joined to the cable-based communications backbone;

wherein upon telecommunications upon at least some of the multiplicity of communications paths between the corresponding multiplicity of end-users and the cable-based communications backbone are (i) in part omnidirectional and (ii) in part directional.

52. The hybrid radio and optical telecommunication system according to claim 51 FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

omnidirectional telecommunications are by radio, with an omnidirectional radio telecommunications signal.

53. The hybrid radio and optical telecommunication system according to claim 51 FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

directional telecommunications are optical, over directional free-space optical links.

54. The hybrid radio and optical telecommunication system according to claim 51 FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

directional telecommunications are by millimeter wavelength radio, over directional millimeter wavelength radio links.

55. A hybrid telecommunications system where both

(i) radio telecommunications, and

(ii) free-space optical telecommunications, transpire upon at least some of a multiplicity of communications paths between a corresponding multiplicity of end-users and a cable-based communications backbone, the system CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

each of the multiplicity of end-users telecommunicates, via a radio telecommunications signal, with the system at a one of a plurality of system cells that is upon each of a plurality of hierarchical system cell levels, an end-user that proves unable to telecommunicate with the system through a system cell at a lowest system cell hierarchical level attempting to communicate with a system cell at a next higher system cell hierarchical level and so on until radio telecommunications access to the system is finally obtained;

where, upon such times as radio telecommunications access to the system is successfully achieved at the lowest system cell hierarchical level, then, starting from a particular lowest-hierarchical-level system cell where this telecommunications access is so achieved, telecommunication then transpires across free-space optical links organized as a mesh until a particular, end-office, system cell is reached which end-office cell is, nonetheless to being upon the lowest hierarchical system cell level, communicatively connected to a cable-based communications backbone, whereupon the telecommunications with the end user that have been (i) in part by radio, and (ii) in part by free-space optical, are summarily, and at this end-office system cell, communicatively joined to the cable-based communications backbone; and

where, upon such times as radio telecommunications access to the system is not achieved at the lowest system cell hierarchical level but is instead achieved only a higher system cell hierarchical level, then, system cells upon these higher hierarchical system cell levels being directly communicatively connected to the cable-based communications backbone, the telecommunications with the end user that has transpired by radio, is summarily, and at this higher-hierarchical-level system cell, communicatively joined to the cable-based communications backbone;

wherein upon at least some of the multiplicity of communications paths between the corresponding multiplicity of end-users and the cable-based communications backbone telecommunications are (i) in part by radio and (ii) in part by free-space optical links.

56. The hybrid radio and optical telecommunication system according to claim 55 FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

the radio telecommunications are omnidirectional, by an omnidirectional radio telecommunications signal.

57. The hybrid radio and optical telecommunication system according to claim 55 FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

the free-space optical telecommunications are directional, by directional free-space optical telecommunications links.

59. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 58

wherein the collective base stations of each of the multiple sets of plural geographically-localized first-tier telecommunications base stations collectively provide radio telecommunications to the majority of the user devices that are within a medium-size geographical area including the small-size geographical areas that are local to each base stations of the set;

wherein most of the radio telecommunications in each medium-sized geographical area is through the first tier base stations, rather than through the second-tier station.

60. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 59 wherein the first-tier telecommunication stations comprise:

radio station bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband radio signals.

61. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 60 wherein the free-space broadband communications-network comprises:

a network of optical transceivers for communicatively interconnecting by free-space optical signals that are of different frequency than are the radio signals.

62. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 59 wherein the second-tier telecommunication stations comprise:

radio stations bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband radio signals.

63. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 58 further comprising:

a multiplicity of third-tier stations each within a large-size geographical area subsuming a plurality of medium-sized geographical areas where are located the second-tier stations, each third-tier station

bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating again by the broadband free-space first signal with any user devices within the large-size geographical area which user devices are not otherwise telecommunicating with neither the first-tier telecommunication base stations nor the second-tier stations, and

communicatively interconnecting these user devices to the communications backbone;

wherein any individual user device can, and most commonly does, wirelessly telecommunicate through a first-tier telecommunications base station within a small geographical area local to the device, or alternatively, through a second-tier telecommunications station within the medium-size geographical area, but still can, further alternatively, wirelessly telecommunicate within the large-size geographical area through a third-tier telecommunications station in order to communicatively interconnect with the same communications backbone.

wherein communications with and between user devices within the network access system preferably transpires at a lowest system level of the first-tier stations, but can if necessary transpire to and through second-tier stations telecommunicating to user devices within a medium geographical area, or even to and through third-tier stations telecommunicating to user devices within a large geographical area.

64. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 63

wherein the collective base stations of each of the multiple sets of plural geographically-localized first-tier telecommunications base stations, and the collective second-tier telecommunications stations, collectively provide telecommunications to the vast majority of the user devices that are within a large-size geographical area including the medium-size geographical areas that include the small-sized geographical areas that are local to each base stations of the set;

wherein most of the radio telecommunications in each medium-sized geographical area is through the first tier base stations, and a lessor amount is through the second-tier station, and a still lessor amount is through the third-tier station.

65. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 63 wherein the first-tier telecommunication stations comprise:

radio stations bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband radio signals;

wherein the second-tier telecommunication stations comprise;

radio stations bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband radio signals;

and wherein the third-tier telecommunication stations comprise;

radio stations bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband radio signals.

58. A broadband free-space network access system for providing broadband telecommunications services to stationary and mobile user devices comprising:

multiple sets of plural geographically-localized uniquely-identified first-tier telecommunication stations called base stations,

each base station bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating by a broadband free-space first signal with a plurality of user devices within a small-size area geographically local to the base station,

each set of plural base stations providing in combination broadband free-space wireless telecommunications to most, but not necessarily all, of the user devices that are within a medium-size geographical area that includes the small-size geographical areas local to each base station of the set;

a free-space broadband communications network for communicatively interconnecting, by free-space second signals that are of different frequency than are the first signals, the multiple sets of plural geographically-localized uniquely-identified first-tier telecommunication base stations to a communications backbone; and

a multiplicity of second-tier stations each within a medium-size geographical area, each second-tier station

bi-directionally wirelessly telecommunicating again by the broadband free-space first signal with any user devices within the medium-size geographical area which user devices are not otherwise telecommunicating with first-tier telecommunication base stations, and

communicatively interconnecting these user devices to the communications backbone;

wherein any individual user device can, and most commonly does, wirelessly telecommunicate through a first-tier telecommunications base station within a small geographical area local to the device in order to, after communicating further across the free-space broadband communications network, communicatively interconnect with the communications backbone;

but

wherein any individual user device can alternatively wirelessly telecommunicate within the medium-size geographical area through a second-tier telecommunications station in order to communicatively interconnect with the same communications backbone.

67. The broadband radio network access system according to claim 66 wherein the free-space broadband communications network comprises:

a network of optical transceivers for communicatively interconnecting by free-space optical signals that are of different frequency than are the radio signals.

68. A communications system comprising:

a mesh network telecommunicatively interconnecting a multiplicity of communication switches by and upon free-space telecommunications links; and

means for establishing virtual communication paths upon the mesh network between ones of the multiplicity of communication switches.

69. The communications system according to claim 68

wherein the mesh network is telecommunicatively interconnecting the multiplicity of communication switches by and upon free-space optical telecommunications links.

70. The communications system according to claim 68

wherein the mesh network is telecommunicatively interconnecting the multiplicity of communication switches by and upon free-space millimeter wavelength radio telecommunications links.

71. The communications system according to claim 68

wherein the means for establishing virtual communication paths upon the mesh network between ones of the multiplicity of communication switches is so establishing the virtual communications links in form of a tree, the virtual communication paths from the multiplicity of communication switches focusing to a root node communication switch called an end office.

72. The communications system according to claim 71

wherein the means for establishing virtual communication paths upon the mesh network between ones of the multiplicity of communication switches is located at the end office.

73. The communications system according to claim 71

wherein the means for establishing virtual communication paths upon the mesh network between ones of the multiplicity of communication switches is distributed between the end office and some other ones of the multiplicity of communication switches.

74. The communications system according to claim 71

wherein the means for establishing virtual communication paths upon the mesh network between ones of the multiplicity of communication switches is distributed between among all the multiplicity of communication switches.