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cwu46
join:2002-04-11
Chicago, IL
| reply to zentec
Re: It'll be interesting...
Hi Zentec,
Having operated/deployed/built systems in both licensed and license-exempt bands, I can attest to the fact that license-exempt technology has it's own set of unique challenges. But licensed bands are not exactly a "holy grail" - and writing off license-exempt technologies would be a serious mistake.
In 2002 alone, amidst the "telecom meltdown" - In-Stadt MDR estimated that in North America alone, there were over 1500 independent WISPs w/ aggregate annual access revenues in excess of $250 million. Guess what, over 90% of them were using license-exempt technologies (while the remaining 10% using licensed technologies were going bankrupt)
License-exempt "waste" spectrum today is utilized in wireless broadband networks that provide not just last-mile connectivity, but last 30-50 mile connectivity. WISPs today number in the thousands, as the proprietary BWA PtMP hardware infrastructure for North America in 2004 has exceeded $100 million (which doesn't even count the WISPs that use Wi-Fi), and aggregate North American annual BWA access revenues (again, mostly served by license-exempt technology) have been projected by Jupiter Research to exceed $1 billion in 2005.
As for venture groups and WISPs, I at one time operated a license-exempt WISP in the third largest city in the US (I sold it last year to such a group). It is still running, and growing.
One of my current customers is a major national CLEC, who is looking back into wireless as it has seen Towerstream (another venture funded license-exempt WISP) and several
other WISPs destroy its T1 sales in Boston
If you want to learn more about how license-exempt technology is flourishing, I suggest that you check out WISPA (»www.wispa.org) and perhaps look into the upcoming WISPNOG (»www.wispnog.com) symposium.
-Charles | |
superdog
I Need A Drink
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-13
Lebanon, PA
| reply to zentec
said by zentec  :Several thousand, maybe. But they are not serious players in the ISP industry nor do they exist in major markets. Please don't take this personal, as this is simply a debate on good terms, But You are wrong:). There are quite a few huge WISP's that cover 3 or 4 states and have subscribers above the 10,000 mark. While I would agree with You that the ISM bands are cluttered, it is nothing that proper engineering and a smart mind can't overcome. Every day the amount of people using wireless grows by leaps and bounds!;)
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»www.wavecrazy.net | |
johnscrivner
@mvn.net
 from:
korym
| reply to zentec
I operate a WISP in Southern Illinois that serves several hundred users. We have received federal funding to expand rural broadband in one community. We currently have broadband wireless delivered over unlicensed frequencies for about 17 communities in the area. There are literally thousands of WISPs working hard to continue the expansion of rural broadband. Whether they are venture funded or not does not take away their significance. I am not looking for venture funding myself. I am growing my business with federal funds and with money I am borrowing myself. While I agree a WISP band would be ideal I believe we can do just fine with the newly exapnded unlicensed offerings we will see soon from the FCC and with coordinated efforts to work together through our new trade asssociation, WISPA, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association. WISPA will be working to develop a strategy for best practices and frequency coordination by WISP operators. We believe this will strengthen our position and help our image in the telecommunications industry to prove once and for all that WISPs are significant broadband players.
John Scrivner
WISP | |
korym
Go Wisp's
ExMod 1999-03
join:1999-12-23
Richmond, VA
clubs:
| reply to zentec
NYC, Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego; just to name a few.
»www.wispdirectory.com
»www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/
»www.part-15.org/maps/WISPSearch.asp
There are groups in North Carolina and one out in California investing in WISPs. Feel free to Google them as I've got to get back to work. 
I'm curious about your experience in RF.
Regards,
Kory
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zentec
join:2002-01-05
Monroe, MI
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to korym
Several thousand, maybe. But they are not serious players in the ISP industry nor do they exist in major markets. That's because they can't exist in the RF jungle environments where they share the band with ISM users.
The only way it'll work and become mainstream is to make serious inroads into major markets, and it won't happen unlicensed. Otherwise, it's a fragmented industry with small players. As an aside, maybe that's to the benefit of rural areas where WIPs have their greatest strengths.
These WISPs may be investment opportunities, but please show me a venture capital group that's going to pour millions into a business that could literally be taken down due to the installation of a frequency coordinated industrial RF process. Once that risk is vetted-out, their interest will turtle like a nudist at the north pole.
Notwithstanding, I HOPE WISPs are able to make it work. But my experience in RF tells me that without a license, these ISPs will only be major players in rural underserved markets. Don't get me wrong, that's an important niche to fill and it can be profitable. A license in a coordinated bandplan is a tangible asset that will push the WISP industry even further. Otherwise, it'll be what it is today. | |
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