Byline: David DeWitte

Oct. 6--A new 14-mile microwave backbone ring activated this week in Cedar Rapids by wireless Internet service provider Dynamic Broadband is a little like a SONET ring without the fiber optic cables, company officials say.

"If one of the towers fell over, you can route the data the other way through the ring," said Dynamic Broadband Chief Technology Officer Mark Lundy. "There's two ways to get the data there, so it's far more reliable." Wireless data links appeal to business clients because the cost to extend fiber optic cables over the last block or two to their business can be costly.

Dynamic Broadband invested in the new system to provide ...