Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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:

1. Many rural communities do not yet have access to broadband (24 million households).

2. 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.

3. WISPs who want to extend service to unserved and underserved rural communities need both better access to funding and better access to spectrum.

4. WISPA suggests several methods of improving WISP funding mechanisms, including the creation of a “Universal Broadband Fund”.

5. 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.

6. 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.

Labels: Broadband Plan, FCC, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, WISPA

posted by Nick Carter at 3:46 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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.

To let your voice be heard, download the FCC's public notice and follow the instructions found there.

Labels: Economy, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, Fixed Wireless Broadband, NTIA, Rural Broadband, Stimulus

posted by Nick Carter at 6:55 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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.

Labels: "Internet infrastructure", Broadband Speed, Economy, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Stimulus

posted by Nick Carter at 7:27 AM Link to this Article  1 Comments

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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?

Labels: "Internet infrastructure", FCC, Federal Communications Commission, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access, Verizon

posted by Nick Carter at 2:33 PM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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).

Labels: Broadband, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Layer 2, PCI Compliant Broadband, PCI-DSS, Rural Broadband

posted by Nick Carter at 5:53 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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.

Labels: Convenience Stores, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Layer 2, Rural Broadband

posted by Nick Carter at 5:32 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asked for input last month on what actually should constitute "broadband" connection speeds. The government sets a standard for what is technically considered broadband and what is not. The motivation, at least originally, was simply that we could not allow dubious tech companies to slap a road-runner emblem on a 56K modem and try to advertise it as broadband.

But the current definition was recently opened to debate by the FCC, eliciting a range of responses from those affected by any modifications. A public interest group called Free Press, urged the FCC to dramatically ramp up requirements to 5 mbps for both upstream and downstream. For a sense of perspective, that would be over 8x the current definition for downstream speed, and 25x the current upstream speed. But companies directly affected by any decision, such as Verizon Communications Inc., urged the FCC to be more conservative.

Appeals to the FCC cited competing nations' who have set the bar for broadband far higher than the U.S. However, it's important to note that the nations cited in Reuters report (France and Japan) are in fact 1/18th 1/26th the size of the U.S. respectively. The challenge of Rural Broadband presents a uniquely different landscape for technology and business in the U.S. than in most other nations on the globe.

Where do you think the bar for broadband should be set? If higher, how shall we ever get there? If the same, what will motivate carriers to improve?

Labels: Broadband, Broadband Speed, FCC, Rural Broadband, Verizon

posted by Nick Carter at 9:31 AM Link to this Article  2 Comments

Friday, August 28, 2009
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.

Learn more about Accel's fixed wireless broadband solutions. Contract ID: DIR-SDD-1044

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.

Labels: Fixed Wireless Broadband, Press Release, Rural Broadband, Texas DIR

posted by Nick Carter at 5:26 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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.

Labels: Broadband, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access

posted by Nick Carter at 7:55 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Friday, July 17, 2009
With less than 4 weeks remaining to take action on available grants and loans--all part of a federal stimulus package aimed at beefing up the nation's wired and wireless networks--many providers have yet to take action. Why? Well, these aren't exactly "no strings attached" deals.

Vice President Biden recently announced the availability of $4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act loans and grants, which are specifically aimed at bringing rural broadband access to un-served and underserved communities. Nonetheless, providers like CenturyTel, Inc. haven't lifted a finger to tough the funds, which could go a long way in funding their LTE network plans for the coming years. "We just don't know yet," a company spokesman told Unstrung Wednesday. "We're still evaluating the notice that came out at the end of June."

Yet another company, Open Range Communications, is balking at the latest offer after having received a reported $267 Million from the Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Program (RDUP) in March (a previous edition of a stimulus package aimed at rural broadband access).

With this latest stimulus offer announced by Biden, the deadline for applying for the funds is notably tighter. Companies are faced with deciding whether they can/will accept the terms of the funding while they only learned of said terms as late as July 1st. And, it seems, many may decide the easy money may not be worth the strings it has attached.

Labels: Broadband, Network Providers, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access, Stimulus

posted by Nick Carter at 8:21 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"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.

Labels: Broadband, Economy, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access

posted by Nick Carter at 4:38 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Thursday, July 2, 2009
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.

Labels: ATT, Broadband, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access

posted by Nick Carter at 3:35 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, June 16, 2009
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.

Labels: Economy, FCC, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Stimulus

posted by Nick Carter at 7:12 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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.

Labels: Broadband, Fixed Wireless Broadband, NTIA, Rural Broadband, WCAI

posted by Nick Carter at 9:14 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Thursday, May 14, 2009
According to Tim Greene at Computer World, Verizon has unloaded much of its terrestrial broadband network lines. As for the reasons why, they should come as no surprise: Verizon is all about Wireless Broadband.

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.

Labels: Broadband, Fixed Wireless Broadband, Rural Broadband, Rural Broadband Access, Verizon

posted by Nick Carter at 5:12 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments