This morning, Google announced (via the Google Blog) the soon-to-come availability of their experimental fiber-optic broadband network.
"We're planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States."
It seems Google has gotten involved with the FCC's urge for feedback on the Broadband Plan. They open their post with future-looking and hopeful statements about a broadband world that could be. But, many are asking today: are their intentions so benign?
It's no surprise that other broadband providers could be wondering: is this the start of a new competitor in the market? And, if it is, what a competitor they would be. With access to the vast majority of internet users (via their overwhelmingly popular search engine) they could capture the internet world with their message rather quickly.
But, I'm not so sure there is much more to their efforts than just what they say. Google, ever the innovator, wants to move broadband forward. Their blog describes their intent as nearly academic--research, investigation, and trying new ideas. A few years ago, the company introduced wireless broadband to their home town at no charge for the same mission. That venture hasn't been parlayed into anything greater. Not to mention, it's not very much like Google to enter a market inconspicuously (note: their entry into the cell phone market).
So, I for one applaud Google. They invest their own cash into infrastructure and toe-dipping into a market for the purposes of greater good, it would appear--advancing broadband access, improving technologies, and getting our nation back on par with the rest of the world.
When the average consumer thinks of wireless broadband, they consider it synonymous with mobile broadband. Wireless and Mobile devices are so tightly interwoven in our day-to-day lives, we naturally assume that anything wireless implies that it is mobile and vice-versa. In fact, I had to be corrected on numerous occasions when I first joined the Accel Networks team. I had to change the way I thought about wireless broadband.
Or did I? The truth about fixed wireless broadband is that it still shares much of the same benefits associated with so-called "mobile" broadband. Of course, as the name clearly says, it is fixed. It is provisioned for one location and, although the last-mile connection is serviced wirelessly, it functions within the c-store, retail store, kiosk, or what-have-you in much the same way as wired broadband solutions do.
So why not drop the mobile connotations altogether? Well, consider for a moment what mobile broadband effectively accomplishes. I'm at home, pull out my smart phone, pop open a browser. Instantly, I'm assigned an IP address (if one isn't already assigned) and routed to the internet via the nearest cell tower. I slide it into my pocket and drive to my in-laws for dinner, pull it out, and repeat. What's happening? I'm effectively provisioning a connection all over again, and in real-time.
Ask yourself this: how many times does a small business move locations? Tier-2 office spaces offer 1 or 3 year lease options because of the agility that growing businesses need. Even retail is always vying for the better location, and if a high-traffic corner can be had you'll break the most costly lease to get there. Or consider expanding businesses entering new markets, new locations, new strip-malls, emerging communities, etc.
How long does it take to get these new locations online and running when copper cable has to hit the d-box, then the punch panel, before finally getting the POS system onto the company network.
Perhaps "mobility" is not the right term, but the business concepts that come to mind are very reminiscent of mobile applications: agility, flexibility, speed of transition, and of course (as Verizon and AT&T are warring over in advertising today) the ubiquitous nature of the network.
So, the next time you get corrected over the jargon -- mobile vs. fixed wireless -- consider this: fixed wireless broadband is anything but immobilized.
March 17th is the deadline for the FCC to deliver what is being called a "national broadband plan" to congress. Following the Recovery Act in 2009, funding (and awareness over the need) was made available for ramping up broadband infrastructure in the U.S. as part of an overall plan to bolster our economy and remain competitive nationally. By the urging of this blog and countless other activists in the broadband community, the FCC has received no shortage of input on the broadband plan.
Last Friday, another big player joined the mix. The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) filed it's comments with the FCC. What did they have to say? According to their own report to WISPA members and constituents, their focus involved 6 major points:
Many rural communities do not yet have access to broadband (24 million households).
Without access to broadband, the best and brightest young people usually leave for bigger cities causing a “rural brain drain” that negatively affects rural economies.
WISPs who want to extend service to unserved and underserved rural communities need both better access to funding and better access to spectrum.
WISPA suggests several methods of improving WISP funding mechanisms, including the creation of a “Universal Broadband Fund”.
WISPA also suggests several methods of improving access to clean spectrum for WISPs. The availability of clean spectrum positions WISPs to benefit from more favorable funding options.
The FCC’s support and promotion of WISPA’s suggestions in the National Broadband Plan (including this filing) will help revitalize America’s economy.
Not surprisingly, the focus remains on rural broadband access as well as continued talk over the spectrums available to wireless broadband. Whatever the outcome, the most important matter, however, is that the FCC receives enough support and public outcry to make sure that on March 17th, congress indeed sees the great need for change. You can provide your own feedback at www.broadband.gov.
Public Urges FCC to Expand Fixed Wireless Broadband
Over the past year, the issue of the FCC's broadband plan has come up over and over on this blog. One of the most important topics, of course, is the charge to tell the FCC your thoughts on Fixed Wireless Broadband. Well, guess what! They listened.
Tony Bradley of PC World reported just a few weeks ago: FCC Urged to Expand Wireless Broadband Access. Urged how? Via the very request for your input that we shared months back. The FCC has sought input via formal submission, as well as via social media, blogs, etc. The Government, it would appear, is listening to the people.
As Bradley's article notes, however, one of the overwhelming proposals on the table has to do with the availability of spectrum. In April of last year, we reported on Verizon's buy-up of a huge chunk of the 700mz spectrum. But that brings up two dilemmas: do we want only one company dominating the FCC licenses, and even so, is this spectrum enough?
If fixed wireless broadband is indeed the technology that can make broadband ubiquity a reality in the U.S., then shouldn't we have more spectrum devoted to it? That's what some critics are suggesting. However, the Department of Justice is not so quick to meddle where existing media markets are already succeeding. The switch to digital television, after all, went SOOO smoothly, we certainly don't want to endure such a switch-a-roo again.
Nearly three years ago now, my wife and I bought our first home. It's a rewarding experience, and one that is tightly woven into the "American Dream." I was (and am) very proud to be a home-owner. But, for being such a staple of American society, it is really a treacherous process where good advice is hard to find. For example: we're now getting ready to have our first child... there's classes, brochures, DVD's and hordes of mothers who offer their advice. With home buying... there seemed to be an unspoken expectation that we figure it our for ourselves.
One of the major pitfalls we fortunately avoided was in selecting a mortgage. I have banked with the same bank for my entire adult life. They gave me my first checking account, my first car loan, my small business credit when I wanted to strike out on my own... why wouldn't I get my mortgage there, too? I filled out an application, they told me my rate, and that was that. Right? Wrong!
You see, the bank I was with was very good at lending to large property owners with established credit (I'm a farm-kid... it was my dad's bank he used to finance the farm). But that wasn't me. So, where did I turn? If you're an experienced home-owner, you're already shaking your head at me. I called a mortgage broker, of course. He took my information, knew which lenders would suit my situation best, and then shopped them all for the best rate.
In short, I chose the lender that met my needs instead of paying a premium because I didn't meet one lender's needs. It's what we call a customer-centric buying experience.
Accel-Networks is the only multi-carrier wireless broadband provider in the U.S. Why does that matter? In short, Accel is the broker of wireless broadband. But, it's even more customer-centric than that. Whereas a mortgage is an all-or-nothing deal, a wireless network has multiple sites all interconnected. With Accel Networks, each location is matched to the best wireless carrier on a discreet basis, and yet Accel assimilates one network with one SLA managed by one vendor: Accel.
If you're considering wireless broadband for any or all of your applications, don't limit your options. Go with the only provider with a multi-carrier reach.
Last week, the futuristic science-fiction film Avatar and Pandora's data network inspired me to dream of a far-off future broadband network on earth. This week, my feet are planted more firmly on the ground. As a new year and a new decade dawns, what can we expect from wireless in the near future.
Top 5 Wireless Broadband Developments to Anticipate in 2010:
iPhone Tethering. As an avid iPhone user, I have resisted the last several OS updates for fear that they will shut down the slight modifications I've made to enable tethering (the very connection I am using to post this article). In order to keep up with competition (i.e. droid), they'll have to open this feature to their users.
4G rollouts made available to most major metro areas. Whereas now its still a rare find and something most people don't even know about, 4G will be the talk of techno-toys next Christmas season.
FCC's Broadband Plan. They're due to present the plan to Congress this year, which means we could start to see the new policies and procedures in place before the end of 2010.
The Verizon/Google Home Internet Package. The droid/VZW pair-up is just the beginning. With Google's ubiquitous exposure to the consumer today, and Verizon's extensive network, look for the pair to release a home internet package to rival the Cable providers and--of course--"The" phone company.
3G Enabled Vehicles. Pair this with the prospect of VOIP over wireless networks and you've got the ability for your home phone and internet to follow you wherever you go.
Now, I must offer the disclaimer that these are merely light-hearted and hopeful predictions based on my own personal observation. I don't have an insider track to Google's product release, and I'm not offering competitive investment advice. Just some fun, and hopefully inspiring, predictions on this New Year's Day!
I opened my first office when I was 19 years old. Fresh out of the dorms, all I knew about the internet was that the data jack was bigger than the phone jack. After that, you just plug in and it worked, right? I had grown up in a time when there was one phone company-- "The" phone company. So, naturally, I picked up the phone (my cell, that is) and called to get the landlines installed.
It was a new office. I could smell the paint and the carpet. I felt like I had arrived. There were jacks on the walls, and where there's jacks there's data, right? Wrong. I learned a lesson about the way the world works that day: Buying new is never cheap. You see, whereas "The" phone company had invested their own capital in getting DSL service available to my area, getting it into the building was my cost--and what a cost it was, too.
From the core network to the access network may entail hundreds and thousands of miles of fiber-optic and copper cable. That cost is reflected in the service rates we all pay. But it was the last mile, from the D-Box to my shiny little jacks in my crisp-smelling new office, that caught me off-guard.
Today, there's a better option. Accel Networks proprietary technology puts businesses online in just 3-days. By providing a managed wireless local loop, Accel uses fixed wireless broadband to deliver last-mile connectivity with less headaches, better SLA's, and often times lower cost than wireline solutions. If you can talk on your cell phone from your place of business, then the infrastructure is already there. All you need is Accel's uniquely engineered wireless hardware and your last mile connectivity is established.
FCC Takes Steps to Move Wireless Broadband Forward
As we have discussed several times on this blog, the FCC is drafting a National Broadband Plan which will lay out ways the government can improve broadband service in the U.S. The plan is scheduled to come out in February, allowing plenty of time for feedback on the issue. And, it warrants mentioning that there are no certainties as to how many of its suggestions will ultimately be adopted.
But, there are other measures--policy measures which the FCC does not require congressional approval to make--that are already being put in place. It would appear that the FCC is wasting no time in getting us caught up with global broadband standards. Examples include educating the consumer on wireless broadband, freeing up air-waves for wireless broadband use, and most recently: making it easier to get towers in the air.
"Of the 3,300 applications for new towers or to put a new antenna up on an existing tower, more than 700 have been pending for more than a year..."
That means communication companies like Verizon and AT&T who want to add more coverage are stalled by local and state government bureaucracy. Before any new tower is erected, or even a new antenna is placed on an existing tower, approval must be sought from the local authorities. When those applications are delayed, the expansion of fixed wireless broadband in our communities is slowed.
Under the new policies handed down by the FCC, local agencies will have only 90 days to review and respond to new antenna applications, and 150 days where a new tower is requested. If the agency fails to respond in that time frame, then the wireless carriers can seek a decision from federal courts.
If you've got an idea for how wireless broadband can be expedited across our nation, let your voice be heard. Download the FCC's public notice and follow the instructions found there.
FCC Asks: What's the Impact of Rural Broadband on the Economy?
First and foremost: bravo! Twice in one year we've reported on the federal government soliciting feedback from the business community on its plans for the future (the last time being when the NTIA requested feedback on rural broadband). There's something heart-warming to see government working in such a way.
Yes, indeed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asking for comments from for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and economic development programs around the nation. As congress prepares to hear a bill next February on the FCC's famed Broadband Plan, the commission is going to dig deep for some hard numbers to back up their proposed needs for the nation.
Specifically, the FCC is asking about what does exist and what would be required. Can people access broadband at libraries and community colleges? If so, are they. And if not, what level of broadband is needed in a rural community in order to actually attract new business--and thereby jobs--to that community? What bitrates are required? Redundancy? And, on the docket we also find the question: is wireless broadband a viable solution?
As we consider how to get broadband access to the rural areas of the United States, there's an obvious economic incentive to go wireless--no, not just the stimulus money. It's less expensive to implement, faster to get live, and easier to build redundancy. But, I dare say that the FCC already knows all of that. What they want to know is, after it's implemented, live, and redundant--will it meet the demand? With ever-increasing speeds, network coverage, and security, it's safe to say "yes." What many fail to realize is that this is not your average air card anymore.
In early November, AT&T took legal action against Verizon for what they call misleading advertising which allegedly made false claims about AT&T coverage. You have probably seen the ads in question (an example shown below). In a recent ad campaign, Verizon has taken their longstanding emphasis on network coverage to a level of direct comparison. The popular "can you hear me now" campaigns implied Verizon's general advantage over their competitors. But, the "there's a map for that" campaign directly references AT&T coverage maps, and the slogan cannot be mistook as anything but a spoof on recent iPhone advertising--a popular product of the AT&T network. But did they go too far?
First, let's understand what is at the heart of this issue. Is Verizon posting inaccurate or false claims about AT&T? Not exactly. And AT&T doesn't claim that they are. The injunctions sought are on the basis, not of technical accuracy, but of a misleading presentation. The maps displayed only depict 3G coverage, not overall coverage. The map of AT&T coverage has notably less color than Verizon's. "Through the use of a coverage map in [Verizon] ads, they suggest through all white or blank space, not only that AT&T doesn't offer 3G coverage but no coverage at all," spokesman Mark Siegel said in an interview. "That's misleading and that's why we filed the lawsuit."
Misleading. That is the root issue. After Wilt Chamberlain's famed 100-point game in 1962, a no-name teammate reportedly said in an interview, "Wilt and I teamed up to score 101 points that game." The teammate had hit a free-throw. Accurate? Yes. Misleading? Indeed. Now, AT&T must now show a federal judge that Verizon misled in much the same manner--by not presenting all the facts. My mother taught me that a partial truth is not necessarily truth.
But, the other questions is the question of intent. Wilt's teammate intended to mislead. But what Verizon will try to demonstrate (or should, in my non-expert legal opinion) is that they did not launch this campaign with the intent to mislead. In Verizon's ads the company does clearly mark the maps as "AT&T 3G Coverage" and "Verizon Wireless 3G Coverage." The courts will have to answer the question: could the viewing audience surmise by these maps that AT&T has no coverage outside the colored regions?
With both companies having invested heavily in their market share, advertising, and in their respective network infrastructures, there is no doubt that much is at stake. Truthfully, I'm pleased to see the improvements that such fierce competition has spurred in our nation's Tcom markets, as well as the due process by which any party can be assured of "fair play" in business competition. I'm anxious to see the decision (and as split as I am on the issue, glad it's not mine to make).
There's been plenty of talk on Capital Hill and all throughout the blogosphere about the economy, the stimulus, and broadband. But a recent survey coming from the UK revealed a totally different side to this debate than I had ever seen before. Could you imagine real estate sales being affected by broadband infrastructure? I can.
According to a survey from ISPreview.co.uk, broadband speeds could help or hinder home sales. According to the article, "from 721 respondents to our latest monthly survey reveal that 75% of readers would not buy a house, even a lovely one, if the best broadband ISP speed it could achieve was just 1Mbps." This presents a not-so-obvious connection among seemingly unrelated economic trends.
Now, although these are largely UK respondents, a sampling of US buyers would likely show similar trends. Working from that assumption, there are a few alarming insights to be gained. First, the simple fact that this trait of a home is not something the seller can fix. Thanks to HGTV and the like, we're all becoming familiar with concepts like home-staging, flipping, fix-ups, etc. But if you're in a rural area with no broadband access, or even an urban area with poor access, your options for making your house more marketable are slim in this area.
Second, and perhaps more alarming, is the standards which we in the U.S. hold. Note that 75% of readers in the UK would NOT buy the house with 1 Mbps. That's nearly 250 Kbps faster than our current "standard" for broadband in the U.S. But, to the UK consumer, that is an unacceptable downstream speed. Now, there are a lot of factors to consider in setting the bar for what constitutes broadband speed, but the fact remains, other nations have set the bar considerably higher than the U.S. How far away are we from catching up?
As we consider the future of broadband infrastructure in the U.S., we have to think of the ripple effects that a lack of broadband can have on a community. Businesses cannot compete. Education is hindered. And, homes can't sell. And, without question the technology that can most quickly deliver broadband to rural communities is fixed wireless.
Will Wireless Broadband be Taking Over the Air Waves?
After the digital switch, that grand fiasco that forced the upgrade of every household in America to a digital television signal, Verizon snatched up the 700mz spectrum in an FCC auction to beef up their coverage on the wireless broadband scene. Now, the FCC is talking about reclaiming even more of the spectrum currently devoted to television broadcast and dedicating it to wireless broadband (see FCC Considers Shifting Some TV Airwaves to Broadband).
What's the motivation? Well, it's two-fold -- and I'm not sure which is more important. First, there's money to be made. By reclaiming licenses on certain ranges of the spectrum (currently offered to free broadcast networks) and then reselling those to the more lucrative broadband industry, it's estimated that our government could add over $60 million to their coffers.
Second, however, is the infrastructure that it would augment. As a nation, we still lag behind other developed countries in our ability to provide fast, reliable broadband to everyone everywhere. There's no doubt, especially for rural areas, fixed wireless broadband is the answer. In catching up, the projection is that our businesses will be more competitive. Our small business markets will be strengthened (underpinning a strong economy all around). And, our dear old friends like Verizon and AT&T will have more goodies to hock.
What are the costs to you? Well, there are few drawbacks to the idea of being more efficient and more targeted with our airwaves. There's only so much of a spectrum that can be used, so it makes sense to put those waves to good use in the most needed area: broadband. After all, you can watch tv on the internet now! In the WSJ's article (cited above) there is some talk about converting all free broadcast television to paid subscription. It will be a shock for some at first, but when you think about it, on par with most other forms of modern communication.
What do you think? Would you pay for TV (if you don't already) in the interest of seeing more of America reached with broadband connectivity?
To some, a broadband network means nothing more than a Cat5 cable that goes into the wall, and from there, who knows. All they know is when they're plugged in, they're online. But to the network admin, the CIO, the IT managers, the directors of information systems, and the like, that Cat5 cable is no more of the broadband network than the speedometer needle is of your car.
And since 2004, it's hard to have a conversation about an enterprise broadband network without mentioning the PCI-DSS. You see, as that yellow cable runs from your tower to the jack in the wall, there's little risk that any data will be hijacked by ill-willed intruders. But what about on the journey that packet of data takes from your office to the headquarters, hundreds of miles away? How many switches and routers does it hit? How many different networks does it traverse--from Time Warner to Verizon to the local Bell company?
Among other things (lots of other things) the PCI-DSS has put requirements in place which make it your business to know how that data is handled. Because, after all, are we really talking about the average user sending a mundane email to his aunt about Thanksgiving dinner? No, we're talking about company financials emailed to the accounting department for projections and analysis. We're talking about payroll and health benefits being sorted out by managers at locations across the country. And, of course, we know that those Cat5 cables also plug into credit card terminals, point-of-sale computers, and the ATM in the lobby.
This year, Accel Networks once again received a PCI Compliance renewal--the proverbial "nod" and "atta-boy" from the PCI and Visa CISP. Our fixed wireless broadband networks are not only built for quick deployment and cost-effective rural broadband, but we back it up with a layer 2 broadband network that you can take to the bank (literally, with cardholder data).
Early in my career, I was working on a major account sale with a relatively new product to market. The building design and construction industry had been (and still is, to a large part) plagued by huge design files and geographically dispersed design teams. We had the solution, or so we thought. After unveiling a revolutionary web-based project management and file repository solution, we couldn't believe the reaction. I think I know how comedians feel when they get booed off stage.
You see, these guys weren't designing Aunt Jane's new sun room, or even the new shopping mall on the outside of town. Big contracts in architecture are big buildings--precisely the kind of buildings that make the top of the list of terrorist targets. Or, worse yet, government buildings with intense security requirements.
"Store our design files on the internet?" they scoffed. "Are you crazy?"
Indeed, it would seem, we were. We neglected to realize that these users relied on VPN and firewalled tunnels, not because they didn't know any better, but because even email was unsecured. The DOD had even banned USB drives for a period of time. What they needed was a broadband network that never touched the Internet. A layer 2 broadband network.
Architecture is just one example, though, and frankly one of the less strict when it comes to security standards. For retail and hospitality establishments, especially the c-stores that dot our rural landscape, passing credit card data from point-of-sale to central nerve centers must also be accomplished without ever touching the network layer (Internet). Where can you find a PCI-Compliant broadband network that can connect even the most remote of locations with broadband speed?
Accel Networks fixed wireless broadband solutions offer the security of layer 2 isolation. What's more, our solutions have been CISP certified and are PCI-Compliant. When you face challenges of both network access and security considerations, no other solution has you covered like Accel Networks.
I remember talking with a programmer one time about a simple web app I had created with my limited, self-taught knowledge. "Not bad," he said, "But all your logic is in the application layer." I nodded as if I knew what the heck he was talking about. Why should I care? It worked.
What I didn't know then was that back in 1977, some geeks, perhaps even bigger geeks than this guy who droned on about my application layer, got together and defined not one, not two, but seven layers to a computer network. Today, the work of this group, the Open System Interconnection (OSI) initiative, is the standard for network architect. The OSI Seven Layer Model describes, you guessed it, seven layers that any network must have: Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, Data-Link, and Physical Layers.
So, what is layer 2? Layer 2 refers to the Data-Link layer. This is the layer of the network where data is transferred across the "Physical Layer"--cables, airwaves, routers, and LAN cards--from node to node in a Wide Area Network (WAN). So what, you might ask. I can send data from my computer to my sister's computer via email. What's the difference?
The difference is that, as you'll notice, the layer above Layer 2 is the Network itself. And, a subset of that network is something we all know and love: the Internet. WAN transmissions that remain on layer 2 never go to the internet. That email you sent your sister, however, did (provided you're not also office-mates with an Exchange server). If your data was a letter, Layer 2 describes your inter-office mail--no stamp, no postal worker, and it never leaves the building.
Finally, why do I care? Wireless broadband may seem like old hat to many of us. With a smart phone, tethering, and hot spots all over the city, we might not think twice about what layer our laptop is on when surfing the web on a layover at the airport. But what if instead of your laptop, it was a retail store's server... and instead of surfing the web, it was sending daily transaction reports or even credit card data for payment processing. Still think the layer is irrelevant? A layer 2 network means that cardholder data never hits the internet (a big no-no for PCI Compliance).
Accel Networks fixed wireless broadband services deliver broadband connection to your remote locations, not just for internet browsing, but for Layer 2 network purposes such as point-of-sale and other sensitive company data. Proving once again, "this ain't your average air card."
In a recent article from Telephony Online: Fixed wireless broadband solutions: Five quick wins for the downturn, writer Rich Karpinski built on a strong point that what we all need in a down economy is quick sales. Look for opportunities with short sales cycles, he advises, to shore up the short term numbers.
Not bad advice. Not bad at all. But Rich then goes on to cite five areas where he believes that fixed wireless broadband providers can find surprisingly short wins. Here's where the content gets shaky. First, three of the five suggestions entail video streaming over wireless broadband. Not to knock our own product, but the bandwidth demands of video streaming, particularly to meet the real-time requirements of the security applications he suggests, may leave prospective buyers uncertain about wireless. Can it do it? Sure can! Can it be a quick sale? With doubts and preconceived notions looming, not sure.
Second, four of the five suggestions entail selling into some form of state, federal, or local government. I don't know about you, but I've never thought of government sales and quick sales in the same sentence before. Government procurement is one of the slowest known to man.
So, where should the wireless industry turn for the quick sell?
Stick with commercial. Non-profit and government sales are rarely quick. And, the resources that often go into a government sale might mean lower profit margins in the end.
Not only that, but c-stores also have another key attribute: the need for quick-launch solutions. So, where else do we find that demand? Construction sites. Incubator Office Space. Just to name a few.
Everything is Bigger in Texas: Including the Rural Broadband Challenge
Texas is a massive state. Second in size only to Alaska, Texas is over a quarter million square miles. And, while it's also second in population in the U.S. with over 24 million people in the great state, 75% of its population reside in the 60,000 square-mile region of booming metropolises like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio that dot Texas' Eastern portion.
What remains outside of these large cities and towns reaching inward from the Gulf Coast is an expanse that many simply call "West Texas"--as if it were a small sliver of the larger state. In reality, West Texas spans 3x the square mileage of East Texas and is dotted with nearly 2300 rural settlements, called Colonias, characterized by poverty and lack of basic infrastructure.
In the 630-mile drive along Interstate 20 from Dallas to Juarez, you can expect to see no more than one city along the way that boasts more than 100,000 in population. A handful of others dot the trail with a few thousand souls. But for the most part, a whole lot of small towns.
So, if you're ever so inclined to make this drive, think of two things: first, that your A/C is fully charged! Second, when you want to swipe your card at the gas pump... how does anybody get broadband out here? Or, when the officer stops to help you with a flat tire, does he even have email back at his station? How many stores, companies, and even government agencies in this remote part of our country go without the high-speed connectivity many of us take for granted?
The Texas DIR recently tapped into Accel Networks' unique fixed wireless broadband service to provide at least one solution to this problem. Via partner RealCom Solutions, state and local government agencies have special discounted prices for what could be the only broadband solution viable in many areas. More than that, however, commercial applications rely on Accel everyday, too. Point-of-sale, convenience store registers, ATM's, pay at the pump, and just about any retail that requires cardholder data transfer needs not only broadband, but PCI-compliant broadband.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and when it comes to spanning hundreds of miles with a data network with consistent througput and broadband speeds, Texas' size is not always in its favor. Accel Networks is glad to help.
Accel Networks Partners With Texas Department of Information Resources to Supply Broadband to State and Local Agencies
Accel Networks ("Accel") announced a contract today with the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) that will allow Accel to offer wireless broadband services to state and local government agencies at a discounted rate. The contract is designed to reduce costs and streamlines the procurement process by providing DIR customers with pre-negotiated discount rates that do not require a standard open-bid process.
"There's a tremendous need for the wireless broadband services we provide all across Texas," commented Mark Gianinni, CEO of Accel Networks. "We're very pleased that it will now be easier and more cost effective for state and local agencies to work with us."
Accel provides broadband connectivity for data networks with fixed wireless broadband services that employ multi-carrier reach. Many of the locations across Texas—particularly those in rural areas—are limited in their access to traditional terrestrial network broadband service such as DSL or frame relay. "This new contract will open new, cost-effective broadband options to government agencies who might otherwise have had limited or no broadband service options," said Mark Gianinni.
A local telecom agency RealCom Solutions (Dallas, TX) is named as the exclusive agent/reseller on the contract. RealCom Solutions will provide all pre and post sales support for DIR customers. "Through our relationship both with Accel Networks and Texas DIR, we can bring local, hands-on support for the government agencies in need of such a service," commented Charlie Bogart, CEO of RealCom Solutions. "Our Master Agency has had momentous expansion this past year, contracts like those that DIR provide, continue to fuel our overall growth strategy."
Texas DIR customers can find contract information and instructions on how to order at the DIR Store.
About Accel Networks Accel is the leading provider of managed fixed wireless broadband services in North America. Drawing on its experience in fixed wireless networking, Accel fused proprietary technology and intellectual property with the 3G GSM and CDMA networks and created the first PCI compliant broadband fixed wireless enterprise network. Accelerator™ brings together the availability, reliability, network management and security of terrestrial frame relay with the data throughput and price point of DSL, without the long lead times, complex installations, and high fallout rates of terrestrial broadband. For more information, visit www.accel-networks.com.
About RealCom Solutions Founded in 2001, RealCom Solutions is a value-added telecom agency based in Dallas, Texas. With over 200 years of combined industry experience, RealCom Solutions’ telecom consultants serve as a single point of contact for all your telecommunication needs; local, long distance, internet, data, wireless and hardware. For more information, visit www.realcomsolutions.com.
I pulled up to the fuel pump and immediately pulled out a credit card. Who goes inside anymore, anyway? After swiping the card a few times and ignoring the incessant beeps, I finally looked at the screen readout. "Please see attendee inside."
Oh great, there's something wrong with my card. I walked inside and found a line of customers waiting to pay. Not knowing the problem, I waited patiently to ask the cashier what seemed to be the matter with my card. After a few minutes, I learned the problem wasn't with my card at all. Their broadband was down and the store was operating on a backup network.
With broadband out and the entire store reliant on a dial-up connection, anything but business-critical applications were triaged, so-to-speak, on the all-but debilitated network. So, credit cards could be processed (and without an imprint, no less) but only at the counter, not the pump, and each transaction was accompanied by the screeching sounds of modem dial-up that I hadn't heard in years. The lottery sales were disabled. The in-store ATM was out of service. And tragedy of tragedies, even the application that tracked my reward points as a frequent customer of this particular c-store was out of order, so that day's $50 in gas didn't tabulate.
If you find yourself nodding as you read this description, realizing it's all-to-familiar for you, then I have an observation: you're just pretending to have backup. When backup doesn't actually back up the standard business functions, it's really a plan C, or D, but not a plan B. Fixed Wireless Broadband backup service from Accel Networks is full broadband throughput when you need it. In fact, it's so hard to notice when it's kicked in that we have enacted a service that alerts you when your backup service has been engaged. That's backup!
Wireless... hmm, ok, maybe if I need a good back-up solution. But it's far too slow to run all my business-critical apps. It's unreliable. It's unsecured. Are you crazy?
Not exactly. Fixed Wireless Broadband networks have evolved through multiple generations of both antenna technology and network infrastructure. What may have characterized wireless broadband when you piloted it back in the 90's no longer has any bearing. What was once little more than a cell phone antenna stuck to your laptop, or possibly a router, is now a new generation of wireless technology that more and more large enterprise retail, hospitality, c-store, and more are looking to for the future of their broadband network.
What's changed? For starters, the GSM network coverage is getting more and more saturated every day. Beyond that, Accel Networks' proprietary antenna technology means better signal and reliable connectivity. Simply put, signal strength is the least of your concerns. What's more, with Accel Networks' you can even maintain an completely private and secure Layer 2 network with fixed wireless broadband technology.
If you're ready to think anew about wireless broadband, put it to the test. Talk with one of our agents or partners about a no-risk certification process to validate the viability of wireless for your primary or back-up network needs.
Could Utility Cooperatives be the Answer to Rural Broadband?
I grew up on a small farm in rural Indiana. I can tell you, as soon as I was old enough to understand business and profit, I started wondering how much it cost for one telephone pole to be erected. A digging crew, some heavy machinery, and a chemically-treated piece of lumber cut from a single tree at least 60-feet tall. Add to that the fact that there were hundreds from the nearest sub-station to our farm, and few other homes in between. Then an ice storm came and crews worked round-the-clock to restore power. How can they make any money?
That's just it. "They" didn't make money. We owned the utility together. It was called an Electric Cooperative, and it's the means by which most of the rural U.S. has gotten their electricity in the past century. So, what's the next vital utility for the development of rural communities? Without a doubt: broadband. Broadband is as vital to rural America as the electricity that powers it.
So, can we re-invent a generation-old concept to meet today's infrastructure needs? The Pacific Northwest Internet Service Everywhere (PNWISE) broadband cooperative thinks so. PNWISE is a utility cooperative--much like the electric co-op my parents belonged to--that has endeavored to bring broadband to a 4-state region in the rural Northwest.
And how are they doing it? With Fixed Wireless Broadband, of course. No need to send crews out to erect poles every 200 feet. No need to bury thousands of miles of copper cable and fiber optics in a massive terrestrial network. Fixed Wireless Broadband is the method of choice for today's broadband cooperatives like the PNWISE. It's internet for everyone at a price the member/owners can afford.
Throughout the nineties, this phenomenon of the Internet grew in unimaginable ways. From the first successful ping, to "billboards" to the first browser software your local ISP probably sold you. Today, we download browsers for free and comb unthinkable measures of web-content at broadband speeds 100x or more the first dial-up modems of yesteryear.
And then it happened. Someone realized: hey, if our phones were once used to connect our homes to Internet, can cell phone's do the same thing? Genius. Monumental. And pitifully implemented... at least at first.
As the Internet had evolved to multimedia and broadband-reliant content, the first crack at mobile broadband was based on regression. The devices couldn't handle it. The network couldn't connect it. So, let's go back. let's simplify. Let's reminisce of days gone by when functional limitations confined us to little more than plain text and a few GIF's, if you dared.
The faux pax of the telecom industry was in leaving such an indelible mark on the Internet and web development. Even as fixed wireless broadband has reached 3G and 4G speeds and mobile devices browse with virtually the same capability as desktop machines, the concept of Mobile Web hangs on. I find it most frustrating when I access sites like Amazon, Facebook, or Twitter that assume without question the device in my hand cannot handle their best content. The device, mind you, that cost almost the same as the laptop on my desk. The device, mind you, which can support cookies, as in, a cookie that says "no, take me to the good stuff in the future."
But alas, we still endure the legacy of the Mobile Web. It's a wonder they didn't start selling small picture frames to accompany the low DPI of the first camera phones.
Economy Pushes Malaysia to Invest in Wireless Broadband
"Broadband is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity; and it's no longer a privilege, it's a right," said Michael Lai, CEO of Packet One, speaking during a panel discussion at the CommunicAsia exhibition in Singapore. Packet One Networks is a provider of fixed wireless broadband throughout Malaysia. Their WiMAX services were introduced just last year, and though coverage is still limited, the company is aggressively growing their network.
In an interview with IDG News Service, Lai commented his belief is to invest when the economy is down. Though only 20 percent of Malaysia currently has broadband access, considerable less than nearby Asian countries like Singapore, the Malaysian government is hopeful they can reach 50% coverage by next year. That's an extremely aggressive growth plan. How will they do it?
Lai, of course, sees fixed wireless broadband as the solution... and so do we. First, the cost to roll out GSM network infrastructure across the rural landscape of Malaysia is far less than creating a terrestrial network from scratch. What's more, the speed of a roll-out is also critical for Packet One Networks' aggressive subscriber growth goals. They hope to turn their 10,000 subscribers today into over 200,000 broadband subscribers by 2010.
There are, of course, obstacles in the way. Not the least of which are the existing cellular providers with 3G broadband capability. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the economy. But it seems in this case, wireless is driving the economy, not the other way around. Malaysia's aggressive push toward rural broadband access coupled with Lai's aggressive growth goals all while capital is tighter than ever means one thing: under these economic conditions, wireless is the only way to drive such growth.
Robert Evatt, a staff writer for the Tulsa World in the nations most stereotypical rural state: Oklahoma (ok, maybe a close second to Kansas) chronicled his recent visit to a rural community and the broadband access that was noticeably absent. Evatt writes: "As it stands, we're creating a sizable gulf between connected areas and disconnected areas."
I noticed something subtle in Robert's experience, and in his commentary thereof, that struck me today. He doesn't say that "there exists" or that "there remains" a gulf. In Robert's estimation, and I would tend to disagree, "we're creating."
Certainly we cannot argue that with less than 70% of homes in America having access to broadband internet, and likely a similar number of businesses, the gulf is undeniable. I call it a gulf because, unless you've live in disconnect, you can't quite appreciate the real isolation it creates. Not just from a social standpoint--the inability to call dad on a cell--but the business disadvantage, ecommerce breakdown, etc. Can you imagine a local grocer who relies on imprint machines?
However, this gulf is being filled in faster than midway of Chicago. I don't agree that we're (any longer) creating a gulf. In years past, perhaps the ISP's and tcom giants were blind to the impacts of leaving rural areas behind. But today, we're seeing companies like AT&T step up to the rural broadband challenge. Organizations like the Internet for Everyone are rallying to the cause.
I applaud the fact that we are today bridging the gap for rural broadband with fixed wireless broadband technology.
As Britain unveiled its plans this week to stay competitive with the rest of the world in regards to broadband speed and availability across the islands (sorry, Ireland, it is plural), Gordon Brown reported that "The internet is as vital as water and gas." Brown compares the infrastructure of roads and bridges built in the 19th century Industrial Revolution with the infrastructure of cable and towers being built today.
I'm not sure how the leap is made from bridges and roads to water and gas, but I do agree with Brown's assessment of broadband's importance to growth in the 21st century. Here on our side of the pond, we're realizing the same about our own future. Much attention has been given to the role of Fixed Wireless Broadband infrastructuree for rural internet access, both on this blog and elsewhere.
So how do we compare with Britain's stance in the broadband race? Well, first, I'd like to point out one interesting observation made by Brown: "The private sector is rightly leading the way and investing significant sums." Not to engage in political debate, but I would hardly say that the stimulus funds channeled from the government through our private companies qualifies as private investment.
However, Brown goes on to cite several needed advancements in Britain that the U.S. has already stepped out on. First, the FCC's release of a large spectrum for wireless use. Brown also emphasizes copper and fiber optic networks over fixed wireless broadband. I believe that the U.S. will be far better suited competitively as we invest in untethered networks with more scalability.
Whoever is in the lead, one thing is clear, it is a race. The nation that emerges in the 21st century as having the best and most reliable broadband access will--just as with railways at the turn of the last century--gain a distinct advantage in the world economy.
We reported several months ago on this Broadband Stimulus Package, all the promise of growth and a new era of broadband leadership in America, and of course, the opportunity to chime in about wireless broadband. Well, several readers on Wired.com have chimed in, but unfortunately not through the proper channels.
It seems that most of the formal feedback requests have been completed by the telecom providers that can afford to pay someone to chase the paper trail required for submission. The more casual readers, however, have resorted to the more casual feedback system: comments.
And yet, though there may seem to be no bridge between the formalities of Capital Hill and the "new-fangled blog thingies" on the Internet, Wired.com has spanned the gap. In a formal submission to the FCC, Wired sifted through the chaff and assembled the top comments from their blog(s) into one coherent document for the FCC to review. You can read the FCC submission here.
The problem, of course, is that the comments don't amount to a cohesive message. There's conflicting ideas, not the least of which is the devotion to terrestrial networks (fiber optics and copper cables) and of course, Fixed Wireless Broadband like wimax, 3G, and 4G. So, whose voice will be louder? Have you weighed in yet? Download the form.
Wireless Broadband for Rural America: We're Not Alone
Several weeks ago, we reported through various posts about the scuttle over Obama's multi-billion dollar stimulus plan to increase broadband availability across the nation. Not surprisingly, Accel's position: go wireless! You can read about this in our previous post Internet for Everyone: The Technology That Can Make It Happen.
When I opened my news today, I was pleased to read a headline very familiar to me: Opinion: Mobile technology, not broadband, is the way to connect America. Now, it didn't take long to realize we use slightly different nomenclature. You see, I would consider a fixed wireless broadband solution as indeed a broadband solution. Of course, what this author meant by the term was what we might distinguish as "terrestrial networks." Nonetheless, the article went on to comment:
"When it comes to deciding where to put our money, we should actually be following in the footsteps of the developing world. Countries like India and China are using mobile technologies to leapfrog much more expensive wired and wireless infrastructure investments. Over 60 percent of all people on the planet have access to cell phones, while only 20 percent have computers or are connected to the Internet."
This couldn't be more accurate. Last year, I visited Indonesia. As I sat on a remote island in a village barely equipped with electricity, I checked my email on a GSM fixed wireless broadband connection. Why? Just as columnist Paul Lamb pointed out above, it's incomparably cheaper to build cell towers than lay cable.
The only question, then, is whether the goal of the broadband stimulus plan here in the U.S. is to save money... or to spend money [grin].
No, that doesn't mean we'll be reading about 6G soon, although the nomenclature can get very confusing. AT&T announced aggressive plans to roll out new wireless broadband technology that can double the current 3.6 Mbps speeds to 7.2 Mbps. In a press release last week, AT&T stated "The upgrade to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is part of AT&T’s plan for continued investments to deliver the nation’s best mobile broadband experience."
Fixed Wireless Broadband Speeds Need Infrastructre, Not Hardware
The world cheered when a new, supposedly revolutionary piece of wireless broadband hardware was released in Barcelona this February at the GSMA Mobile World Congress. The new hardware, a PC-Only wireless modem, was introduced by Telstra and promised 21 Mbps peak connection speeds. So, why doesn't every retail store, c-store, and hospitality center in the world have one by now?
Probably because there simply isn't enough bandwidth served through the GSM to actually keep up with the modem's capability. If 21 Mbps were attainable for every wireless broadband user, even just for the business users, then we would have likely heard a lot more about this over the past 5 months, and probably seen competitors clamoring to compete. But that hasn't been the case.
Instead, focus has been on beefing up the infrastructure to meet the existing demands of an ever increasing user base of fixed wireless broadband. We recently reported on one such effort by Verizon who upped it's wireless broadband capacity in one suburban area, foregoing new terrestrial network construction.
When ZDNet tested Telstra's hardware in Australia (the only market it's available in at present), they experienced peak performance at 6 Mbps, and averages at only half that. One can't help but notice the word "theoretical" pasted all throughout their review, and a direct quote from Telstra's own material stating, "customers will experience typical user download speeds of 550Kbps – 8Mbps." That's quite a range. Why the gap between the peak experienced and the peak theorized? Simple. Network capacity. Joseph Hanlon stated it like this: "Theoretically the network is capable of delivering 21Mbps but only if you parked yourself immediately next to a base station, and accessed an uncongested network."
So, where does the wireless broadband industry need to turn next? New client-side hardware? No. We look forward to seeing major providers continue building and enhancing their infrastructure to meet increasing demands--both rural and urban. That is the only first step toward a wireless world.
As AT&T recently commented in their press release yesterday, people's lives are becoming increasingly fast-paced and their need for connectivity is growing. We couldn't agree more. In fact, neither can the people behind the Internet for Everyone initiative, the Wireless Communication Association, or even the government's own NTIA for that matter.
We learned yesterday that for several rural communities in Missouri, AT&T is answering the call. In what appears to be a part of their earlier announced plan to invest $11 Billion in wireless and wireline broadband, AT&T announced yesterday that they will be introducing 55 new cell sites to the state of Missouri that will enable 3G wireless broadband for travelers (and c-stores) along US 67 (view press release here).
3G wireless speeds along rural highways means much more than just connectivity for travelers. It's convenient IT for the convenience stores that dot the exit ramps, too. Fixed Wireless Broadband over the 3G GSM network is the fastest-to-deploy and lowest TCO option for most locations such as highway interchanges where wireline connections are either impossible to find or impossibly slow and unreliable.
To learn more about fixed wireless broadband for c-stores and other retail, check Accel Network's primary network solutions.
Greene commented that Verizon's decision to unload such a large amount of infrastructure--$8.6 Billion worth to be precise--is simple: these assets "don't align with its core businesses." In fact, the more notable news to me was learning that Verizon ever owned over $8 Billion in copper cable and fiber optics.
The buyer, Frontier Communications, sees value in the assets as part of their mission to bring broadband access to rural areas. Most of the network being sold serves rural areas across the U.S. While we applaud Frontier for their dedication to that service, I still have to shake my head wondering, "isn't wireless broadband a better way to serve rural areas?"
All in all, I'm convinced this is an excellent move for Verizon, increasing capital that can be applied to the more pertinent task of building their fixed wireless infrastructure. As for the rural access, we shall wait and see what Frontier makes of their new growth.
How often do you find headlines that read like this: "Sidewalks Destroyed and Sod Ripped Up as Miles of Fiberoptics are Laid to Increase Broadband Capacity." Not very often. When major tcom companies like Verizon need to increase broadband capacity to meet demand, more and more often they're turning to fixed wireless broadband solutions.
That was the case with this morning's announcement that Verizon Wireless Increases Wireless Broadband Capacity in Watertown Area. According to their press release, this wasn't just for your average teenager downloading videos and music. Verizon has a serious interest in "the company's high-speed wireless broadband network geared toward mobile professionals and business customers."
What is most notable to me, however, is the speed at which the upscaling can occur on wireless broadband networks. As I parodied the downsides to beefing up wireline networks--major construction that entails destruction in its path--there is a serious side to the benefits of leveraging a growing GSM network. Think about the costs and time-to-market that would be required for copper cable and fiberoptics to deliver the same bandwidth capacity that Verizon's 10 new cell sites will offer. Wireless Broadband is, without a doubt, the answer to expanding broadband coverage.
I can remember the widespread panic a few years back when major metropolitan areas around the U.S. began to experience brownouts during peak load times. Mainly, the media focused on California cities where they simply couldn't build power plants fast enough to keep up with demand. There was panic in the streets. Could such a staple of life be so fickle? So unreliable? Then, just as quickly as it came, the problem was solved and most forgot about it.
Well, the fear hasn't gone away, it's just shifted focus. Today, analysts and so-called experts are postulating as to when the global backbone of the Internet will meet it's match in bandwidth demand. Researchers at Nemertes Research actually presented a theory (in 2007) that bandwidth demand would outgrow network capacity by 2010. Well, it's 2009 and I don't believe anyone is truly nervous about that prospect.
In fact, in a much more recent article from TMC.net, the issue raised is not global network backbone, it's actually local network access. DSL, cable, frame relays, and a slew of T1's are bringing more and more people online at an alarming rate, but can the local networks handle it? Gary Kim believes the wildcard that could save us all may turn out to be wireless broadband.
"wired broadband supply increases linearly, obviously posing some risk if access demand grows non-linearly."
But if local broadband access meets a crunch time,
"New broadband wireless capacity can be turned up much more quickly than wired broadband can."
I couldn't have said it better myself. In fact, the only thing I think the author, Gary Kim, has overlooked is the fact that this is already happening all over America. Anytime a c-store goes up on a highway in the middle of nowhere, the access demand for that specific location has indeed grown beyond the ability for wireline providers. Sure, it doesn't make headline news because it's not a community of millions in a high-profile California city. The proof is, nonetheless, in the pudding.
Enter Accel Networks. Fixed Wireless Broadband from Accel is used every day to ramp up broadband access in an otherwise "under-served" area (i.e. unable to connect via anything wired). With no copper cable laid at all, Accel has stores online in as little as a week, including layer 2 security. Wildcard, Mr. Kim? I do beleive you're onto something.
One Provider. Multiple Carriers. It's a Beautiful Thing.
The other day my power went out. Of course, I immediately looked over at the stove clock to see the time and it was just a blank LED screen. So, what was my next move? I instinctively turned to look at the microwave to see the time there. No such luck. Obviously, they were both on the same connection to the power grid so of course they would both be out. They shared a common point of failure. That "duh" moment was the beginning of a great new idea.
What if that had been my internet, not my power… and it wasn't my oven clock that was down, it was my point-of-sale system? If you use one carrier and that carrier goes down, then what back-up can you have?
Recently, Accel completed an implementation for a retail store chain. With hundreds of stores, we were responsible for implementing both primary networks and network continuity (back-up) at various sites. The unique part is this: our multi-carrier antenna technology allowed us to tune one site's primary network to one carrier with their back-up network on another. The site's entire network was wireless, allowing for deployment in a matter of days. And their continuity is as bullet-proof as networks get.
Best of all, even though there a multiple carriers, there is only ONE bill. So you get the coverage you need, without the administrative nightmare. Accel delivered a predictable and reliable fixed wireless broadband service faster than any wireline could ever boast. How will you connect your next store opening?
To be honest, I'm not a shopper. I refuse to go to one store to buy tomatoes on sale and then another to get the onions just to save a few cents. Convenience is my motivator. In business, I'm the same way. Once I have found a vendor that I like, I don't want to worry about diverse contracts with multiple suppliers. The biggest value to me isn't the money saved, its the time saved.
But, I've learned more recently about entire business models growing around the concept of supplier aggregation. A friend of mine runs a business that serves offices throughout the Indianapolis area, providing all of their office supply needs. He shops the competition, gets bids, and buys from a half-dozen different vendors each time he fills any order. Sole-sourced? Yes and no. The end-customer is receiving product from a host of sources, but the frustrations and headaches that usually accompany such shopping are no longer theirs to bear.
The same thing has been happening for years in the telecom industry. Retail stores, restaurants, and c-store locations all need one thing: broadband access. Yet, fewer and fewer are going directly through any one provider. Sure, it's quite a hassle for a network administrator to negotiate and manage contracts with AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint all at the same time. But, what if they didn't have to?
The Accelerator™ antenna technology allows one company to have multiple sites each served by different wireless broadband providers--whichever one is best for any individual site. It's the best of both worlds: ideal coverage and flexibility while Accel Networks handles the procurement nightmare.
In March, the FCC auctioned licenses to the 700MHz spectrum which was made available by the nation-wide mandated transition to digital TV. Who wound up owning the vast majority of those licenses? Verizon Wireless. The FCC raised $19.6 Billion but the real winner was Verizon Wireless, who now estimates they will have enough network to reach every corner of rural America with 4G fixed wireless broadband access.
Aside from the fact that infrastructure already exists all over the nation for broadcasting this spectrum; And, not to mention that receivers and devices on this spectrum have been developed and redeveloped since the dawn of television; It's the physics of the waves that makes Verizon, and all of the broadband industry, excited to see what develops. The 700MHz spectrum waves can travel long distances and propagate through walls, which makes it ideal for covering broad, geographically dispersed regions of the U.S.
As we wrote about a while back, fixed wireless broadband has always been the most feasible technology for bringing internet to rural areas. That fact has not changed. What this purchase means, however, is that one of the most technically capable spectrum in air waves is now under the control of one of the nations largest telecom companies, Verizon, with the express mission of bringing delivering broadband to more Americans than ever.
When can we expect to see the roll-out begin? Verizon plans to begin building a 4G network as early as 2010. However, reaching every household could take years. Whatever the time frame, this purchase marks an exciting new era for wireless broadband.
In San Jose, California last week thousands of businesses lost connectivity for nearly 10 hours when vandals reportedly climbed through a manhole and cut fiber-optic cables. Fixing the problem had to start with finding the problem. Then, fixing fiber-optics isn't like splicing a 10-gauge wire with a stripper and some black tape. All this leaves me wondering, should your broadband be hanging by a fiber?
According to CNET, among the businesses affected was everyone from email marketing firms with millions of emails to serve all the way to small retail, convenience stores, and private homes. The outage affected people in at least 3 nearby cities.
How many cell towers can be found in that same radius? Not less than a dozen. It would take a small army of vandals to black out the redundancy of that GSM wireless grid. Fixed wireless broadband, whether as a primary network or a backup network, could have kept tens of thousands of businesses online. If each business does just 10 transactions an hour of $10 a piece, that would be no less than $1 Million in sales processed without a hitch.
Now, imagine if your store wasn't located in a grid like urban San Francisco. How long could it take to restore connectivity to your new store in a developing community or the gas station off a rural highway. When just one over-zealous digger severs a cable or a vandal finds an unguarded manhole, what can that mean for your expanding business? Will you be ready? Will you stay connected?
I had a noon appointment yesterday, so I decided to head out about 10 minutes early and stop off at a store to pick up something real quick. I knew exactly what I needed and where to find it, so it should just be a quick in-and-out, right? Wrong.
My first clue should have been when the associate had to call the back room manually and check to see if an item was in stock. Should the computer tell him that? When I approached the registers, lines were longer than usual, but nothing too daunting, and besides, I had time to spare. Ten minutes later, however, I was about to abandon the mission and just come back later when at last a new register opened that I could move to. Finally, just a swipe of the credit card and I'm out the door.
I was wrong. The delays that I was experiencing were due to a network outage. The store's local network was up and running just fine, but they had lost their layer 2 network connection with the central store. Their point-of-sale system was entirely dependent on the central network, as was inventory (even local inventories) and credit card processing. After waiting for a manual imprint of my card and a telephone authorization, I arrived at my meeting 15 minutes late.
Fixed Wireless Broadband backup networks offer more reliability than any wireline network could dream. Since the "grid" relies on no physical connectivity, careless diggers and even natural disasters have far less effect. The store's sales and customer satisfaction could have been significantly higher with a PCI-compliant back-up network from Accel Networks.
Fixed Wireless Broadband Providers Get Proactive About Stimulus Money
We've heard about it. We know it's coming. We've even been invited to interact with the NTIA and FCC. So, how are providers of fixed wireless broadband solutions responding? We heard one report that made me jump for joy (and start pricing airfare).
Andy Vamvakias of Premium Choice Broadband in Maine took it upon himself to advocate for the entire state of Main with regard to the broadband stimulus funds that are being made available. Under his won volition, Andy flew to DC to lobby not only for his small broadband provider but for his great state to get a piece of the pie. "There is no guarantee that stimulus money of any significant amount will come to Maine," he said. "If we don't move quickly and convincingly, we stand to lose it."
Andy's position is that the funds should be made available directly to businesses who can put it to use quickest, as opposed to trickling down through the usual bureaucratic channels of government grants and the like. In Andy's case, he believes he could spend 10 million in a matter of weeks, creating work for 10-20 people and providing broadband network access to currently unserved or underserved areas.
I'd like to go on record with a hearty "here-here" for Andy. What are your thoughts on how the funds could be used in your area for the best economic gain? And, what are you doing about it?
Silver lining? Could be. I can't imagine any more likely occasion to reconsider a broadband provider than when your current one just dissipates overnight. Terms of assignees and transferability--well, I'll leave that to the lawyers--but if ever a customer was looking for a new provider of a managed broadband network, I'd think twice before blindly accepting Telekenex's buy-out of AuBeta as announced last week.
But, then again, is it worth switching providers? I mean, we all know how painful an enterprise-wide network transition can be. If you value your sanity, you might be easily won over by the mere simplicity of doing nothing at all.
But what if there were no legacy copper-cable networks in question? What if all the baggage of terrestrial broadband were suddenly a non-issue? Accel Networks is offering a transition program for former AuBeta customers that provides retail and multi-site clients the ability to rapidly deploy a managed PCI compliant broadband network. Unlike terrestrial broadband solutions, Accel can have AuBeta clients switched over within days versus the typical six-week lead time required for replacement DSL or frame relay service.
Hard to believe? Consider this: in February Accel Networks completed the deployment of an 87-site primary network in only 16 days. Accel's solution provided the retailer a PCI Compliant managed fixed wireless broadband network on Accel’s "layer 2" private network architecture. On another occasion, Accel also deployed a network continuity solution of just under 300 locations for a national dollar store retailer within a period spanning only a few weeks.
So, it is possible. It is affordable. Is it time to consider a change?
Yesterday, as the Obama Administration's economic stimulus plans were unveiled in Washington, the Dow got a boost on Wall Street. Among the most successful jumps on the markets were Telecom leaders AT&T, Verizon, and Motorola. Investors and Analysts appear to be optimistic about the effect that the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus will bring on the telecom giants.
As we've come to know well, spending is the key to our U.S. economy. Earlier we reported on AT&T's plans to devote $11 billion to wireless broadband. We've also learned that Verizon will have to decide what to do with it's $1.6 billion from the senate stimulus plan. Countless other funds of untold billions are no doubt becoming available to smaller telecom and broadband providers, all of which seem to carry a common theme: bring fast Internet connections to rural and low-income areas.
So, how does all this affect you? Well, first of all, leading the world in fixed wireless broadband technology will certainly be beneficial for keeping the U.S. on the leading edge of global markets. But, more immediate effects will be felt by the businesses in and around rural areas. Businesses serving rural areas will see increased e-commerce opportunity. Businesses in rural areas will see lower costs and higher availability for broadband access via wireless GSM infrastructure. The bottom line: it's encouraging to know that the telecom industry leaders are planning and positioning for growth.
Fixed Wireless Broadband - The Backup Network that Works
If you're a store owner, you know the risks of network outage. If you've suffered an outage for any length of time, then you know how those risks translate to costs all too well. Between loss of credit card processing, point-of-sale processes, and the man-hours required to bring it all back online, a few hours of outage could cost more than an entire year of a back-up network you might never even use.
So, what should you use for a back-up network? More and more businesses today are turning to Accel Networks for a fixed wireless broadband layer2 network that keeps their stores active in the event of wiredline outage. Consider this, in the post-Katrina aftermath in New Orleans, the GSM (cell tower) network was online the same day in many areas, and within a matter of hours the majority of the city had coverage.
Now, if your store were sitting at the bottom of a 10-foot swell, network connectivity may be the least of your worries. But this serves as an example of how fixed wireless networks, not reliant on wireline infrastructure, can be the most reliable and resiliant broadband access choices in the face of any disaster.
Not only is Accel Network's fixed wireless broadband solution the logical choice because of the network through which it's supported, but clients also enjoy a customer-friendly billing process where overage fees are actually avoided. To learn more about these plans and your options, visit Accel Networks' "Network Continuity" solutions page.
AT&T Ups the Ante $11 Billion for Wireline and Wireless Broadband
We have talked a lot recently about the recent stimulus package and it's impact on wireless broadband investments in the U.S. There's no word on whether AT&T's recently announced plans were motivated (or even funded) by the stimulus, but whatever the source, the results are obvious: 3,000 jobs alone will be created in AT&T's next initiative to ramp-up 3G networks across America.
According to Network World, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says that despite the current recession, AT&T needs to invest heavily in wireless capacity to keep up with consumer demand for bandwidth. Their plans include nearly doubling their 3G presence in the U.S., which entails nearly 2100 new GSM-based cell sites.
So, with AT&T upping the ante, what will the other major providers do with their broadband stimulus funds? What we expect (and hope) to see is the race begin to lead the U.S. in wireless broadband connectivity among Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. It appears AT&T has jumped out to a lead, at least in what they've promised. But if there is one thing Capitalism assures, it's that where one company ventures, more will follow. Competition drove us to where we are in technology today, and it is driving us to the future as we speak.
Fixed Wireless networking is nothing new. The concept has been in use since the early days of microwave communication. Today, however, we're talking specifically about the type of wireless that nearly every American uses daily (though they may not know it by name): GSM. Over the last decade, the wireless infrastructure that powers everyday cell phone usage has been used more and more for data networks. So how does this network architecture work and what are its advantages?
In principal, it's simple. If you have ever seen an internet-capable mobile phone or PDA, you have witnessed network data being transmitted wirelessly through the use of GSM towers and antennas. But in areas of high-demand business networks, the amounts of data can be significantly higher than that text message you just received, or the 400 x 250 pixel mobile web page you just viewed.
The recently popularized 3G networks optimize Spectral Efficiency in order to offer a higher capacity connection for both voice and data. Fixed Wireless Broadband applications, then, use specialized antennas, like Accel Networks' Accelerator™ Antenna, to aggregate signal from multiple providers. By aggregating and already optimized signal, the Accelerator™ Antenna is able to use a 3G-enabled fixed wireless network to deliver broadband that's comparable to DSL and Cable.
But, there's more. One of the dreaded fears of network administrators for decades has been network outage. When an entire operation relies on a wired connection via a single provider, a number of risks exist ranging from a physical break in the wired connection to network outage caused by the provider's hardware failure. Many businesses today are turning to fixed wireless broadband as either a primary or, at minimum, a back-up network solution for the simple fact that the aggregation of the Accelerator Antenna means not only speed but also redundancy and fail-over. With today's 3G wireless infrastructure well established and still growing, fixed wireless broadband can be an all-around more reliable solution than wired connections.
