Ottawa's DragonWave Inc., a global supplier of next-generation wireless networks, upgraded its product line on Monday to better cope with foul weather.

The AirPair line of wireless networking products now has 11, 13 and 15 GHz in its frequency portfolio and new protection options with the UpMast Radio Switch (UMRS).

These new frequencies will significantly reduce susceptibility to rain and provide considerable improved reach and network availability, the company said.

DragonWave's AirPair Internet Radio delivers high-speed Internet service wirelessly with a rooftop antenna dish combined with a modem.

"At DragonWave, we are committed to helping our customers maximize the return on their network investment by giving them the capability to deploy our AirPair products across a variety of frequency bands," said Peter Allen, DragonWave's president & CEO.

"AirPair is already a flexible and cost-effective radio system and these new frequency options add even more flexibility for operators."

The UpMast Radio Switch (UMRS) complements the industry leading mesh restoration capability of the AirPair product. For single links the UMRS will provide improved network availability at a low overall cost, by enabling radio redundancy with a single modem. This reduces network downtime, eliminating the need for fast response time to climb towers for radio repairs.

DragonWave will showcase its new products at the WCA International Symposium and Business Expo taking place Jan. 18- 20 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, Calif.