Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS - Leasing CPE
Charles, SNIP - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? END SNIP Not to take anything away from you or CTI, as your companies have been a big help to WISPs for years, in many ways. However, whats interesting about this company's (DBoss) pitch, is they are enabling WISPs, by providing things upfront that potentially directly help the ISP save on COST THAT THEY ARE ALREADY SPENDING, by preventing unnecessary cash burn on inefficiencies. For example, Payroll for that second guy to wait in the office, $20,000 a year, with DBOSS, that remote hand costs $5000 /year. Its basically, just diverting existing money, so its pretty easy to justify the expendature. (If they can deliver). I'm glad to see someone attempt to take on this role, needed for startups. Outsourced support companies have always focused on End User support. Or Higher end engineering type support for less experienced WISPs. But what about low end support for the technician himself? Many WISPs already have the high end expertise, what they lack is the resources to scale. The basic man power. It takes a minimum of 5 people to run a WISP, but a small WISP doesn' have enough work to keep more than 2 busy full time. I have no knowledge of whether DBOSS does a good job or if their fees are reasonable or not. But the concept is a neat idea. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Charles Wu [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: 'WISPA General List' wireless@wispa.org Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 3:19 PM Subject: RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS - Leasing CPE snip I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) /snip shameless plug We (CTI) have been leasing CPE for the WISP market for 5+ years now We work with many members of WISPA this listserv ISP-Planet did a nice writeup about us. Check out http://www.isp-planet.com/fixed_wireless/equipment/distributors/cti.html In addition to leasing, we have other nice financing programs, including a 0% Canopy SM purchase that's been gaining a lot of traction lately /shameless plug Plus, we've been in this industry since day 1, I've known some of the people on this (or related) listservs since 98/99 -Charles P.S. In addition, whether or not it means anything, we've submitted a vendor member application to WISPA (waiting on invoice bill) --- WiNOG Wireless Roadshows Coming to a City Near You http://www.winog.com -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I'm sure he'd be welcome on the list, but there may be some conflicts on what he can say responding as a vendor, that is not a paid sponsor. I'd argue, that this would be a great place for him to find new clients, and suggest that you invite him to be a paid vendor member. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:03 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS List mod, Would it be out of line for me to invite the main man from this company over to the list. I'm very interested in the service, but I can never seem to come up with the right questions to ask... I'd like to see the great minds on the list quiz him down to see if the service is the real deal. Brian Mark Nash - Lists wrote: The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I'll see if he's up for a good beating. Tom DeReggi wrote: I'm sure he'd be welcome on the list, but there may be some conflicts on what he can say responding as a vendor, that is not a paid sponsor. I'd argue, that this would be a great place for him to find new clients, and suggest that you invite him to be a paid vendor member. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:03 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS List mod, Would it be out of line for me to invite the main man from this company over to the list. I'm very interested in the service, but I can never seem to come up with the right questions to ask... I'd like to see the great minds on the list quiz him down to see if the service is the real deal. Brian Mark Nash - Lists wrote: The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Tranzeo press release... RidgeviewTel is a Tranzeo reseller, and they use it in their own WISP. http://tranzeo.com/investors/index.php?action=pressid=29 Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax - Original Message - From: Tom DeReggi [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 11:29 AM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS I'm sure he'd be welcome on the list, but there may be some conflicts on what he can say responding as a vendor, that is not a paid sponsor. I'd argue, that this would be a great place for him to find new clients, and suggest that you invite him to be a paid vendor member. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:03 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS List mod, Would it be out of line for me to invite the main man from this company over to the list. I'm very interested in the service, but I can never seem to come up with the right questions to ask... I'd like to see the great minds on the list quiz him down to see if the service is the real deal. Brian Mark Nash - Lists wrote: The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http
RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS - Leasing CPE
snip I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) /snip shameless plug We (CTI) have been leasing CPE for the WISP market for 5+ years now We work with many members of WISPA this listserv ISP-Planet did a nice writeup about us. Check out http://www.isp-planet.com/fixed_wireless/equipment/distributors/cti.html In addition to leasing, we have other nice financing programs, including a 0% Canopy SM purchase that's been gaining a lot of traction lately /shameless plug Plus, we've been in this industry since day 1, I've known some of the people on this (or related) listservs since 98/99 -Charles P.S. In addition, whether or not it means anything, we've submitted a vendor member application to WISPA (waiting on invoice bill) --- WiNOG Wireless Roadshows Coming to a City Near You http://www.winog.com -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Conversations over a new WISP Trade Organization wireless@wispa.org Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 5:27 PM Subject: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
List mod, Would it be out of line for me to invite the main man from this company over to the list. I'm very interested in the service, but I can never seem to come up with the right questions to ask... I'd like to see the great minds on the list quiz him down to see if the service is the real deal. Brian Mark Nash - Lists wrote: The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I looked at GCI Capital, but realized leasing just did not fit us, they we really nice and were willing to lease just about anything. http://www.gcicapital.com I was working with Terri Fosberg. Mike Bushard, Jr Wisper Wireless Solutions, LLC -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mark Nash - Lists Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 7:54 PM To: WISPA General List Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS The paid services look pretty good. I'm checking them out now. I've looked at other 3rd party tech support companies but they all seem to have to adapt to WISP support. This is a WISP that knows WISP needs. When I talked with the guy he had most of the right answers to my questions. They will send you 2 servers to put at your main POP. The two servers load share and fail over. The servers are in-line on your network but parallel to each other at your POP. Your customer traffic goes through them...they each split up the load of CPEs they manage and if one goes down the other takes on all traffic from all CPEs. The servers do bandwidth management (I think it's limited now in that it cannot do traffic-type-shaping...just mainly up/down speeds on different CPE service type profiles). They do DHCP, NMS, alerting, etc. Their level 1 tech support: - will take phone calls from your customers (currently they have a 12-hour shift but he said they were expanding their level 1 support hours). - will help your customers with their routers, their firewall software, their e-mail program, their e-mail password - will provision a radio on your system and set up a customer record - will help you over the phone to allow you to have one guy out there aiming an antenna at the AP getting feedback on bidirectional SNR, packet loss/retransmission, etc - will help you over the phone if you're on top of a tower putting on a connector and asking How's that working now? Their NOC support: - responds to alarms and checks a protocol to see if you want to be woken up at 2 in the morning for such an alarm (7/24) - watches performance of backhauls Their billing system is free for you to use and integrates with the customer service side of the database. If you have your own merchant account for billing via credit card, it will do that free of charge. If you want to use their merchant account, there are fees. You can even set it up so that your customers can pay by check but you never have to handle the checks (with fees, of course, as this will take labor). I'm on the upper end of their 250-CPE mark and will pay $250 per month with (most likely) no $$$ up front. Then I will pay $500 per month for the 251st-500th CPEs. I am going to try this out on a 1-year contract. It's worth that much to me just to see if it will work out for my situation. I think that if it is a good service, then it will be a good option for some small WISPs. It is clear to me that if my business will keep growing, it will grow out of a service like this. This may buy me some time and get me over that hump, though. p.s. I haven't talked with them about their CPE lease option but I plan to. I'm also talking to other leasing companies about leasing CPE. Anyone out there have opinions on leasing companies? (I chose my words carefully there about not starting a debate on whether or not to lease CPE.) Mark Nash Network Engineer UnwiredOnline.Net 350 Holly Street Junction City, OR 97448 http://www.uwol.net 541-998- 541-998-5599 fax - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Conversations over a new WISP Trade Organization wireless@wispa.org Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 5:27 PM Subject: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Tom DeReggi wrote: But if someone made the right product it would sell, and it would be profitable. It just costs most software developers to much to build it because they do not fully understand the business, and its learning the business that is expensive for the developer, in my opionion. (re-write after re-write after re-write.) I'm not sure what software developers you have run into, but the problem is not one of understanding or expense. It is market opportunity. The software world is full of opportunity enough so that small niche markets like WISPs aren't worth the effort. As it stands now, just the software we have developed internally we couldn't sell to every WISP and make it a profitable business solely on the software side. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Socould you give it away? :) Matt Liotta wrote: Tom DeReggi wrote: But if someone made the right product it would sell, and it would be profitable. It just costs most software developers to much to build it because they do not fully understand the business, and its learning the business that is expensive for the developer, in my opionion. (re-write after re-write after re-write.) I'm not sure what software developers you have run into, but the problem is not one of understanding or expense. It is market opportunity. The software world is full of opportunity enough so that small niche markets like WISPs aren't worth the effort. As it stands now, just the software we have developed internally we couldn't sell to every WISP and make it a profitable business solely on the software side. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Brian Rohrbacher wrote: Socould you give it away? :) I could... but how would I recover the costs of all the support that would surely follow? And no, the answer is not to charge for it since that would put me into the software business. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
but is installed on my server in my data center and only I have access. That way no one can mess it up for me and no one can keep me out. Those are the reasons I'd never use it. Locking me out of my own customers list would kill me. Integration to my own systems would also be harder. It gives them the leverage to expand into your market and steal your cusomers, if they had a business case to do so. Everyone wants to guarantee that they get paid. But sometimes everyone can't, and the WISP needs to be able to make that decission of who. Lose control of billing, and you lose control of client. My bigger concern with the app was that its an upsell for other things. What if they other things don;t evolve to be state of the art? You've got an app that can't adapt to the better box you make your self. The question is how sophisticated does a WISP plan to be, and will they have a better router solution themselves, needing integration? Maybe maybe not. But the flip side is a program like that can save a smaller WISP. My thought is the application forces a WISP to mold to good cash flow model, and I'd guess the leasing opportunity is real, as the application guarantees when it is safe to grant the lease or not. Finance may be a bigger problem for a small WISP than needing to keep inhouse control of their accounting application. I wish I would have had an application like that 5 years ago. I can count the hours it would have saved, and the structure it would have helped mold. Tom DeReggi Brian Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Butch Evans [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:14 AM Subject: RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS On Sun, 29 Oct 2006, Charles Wu wrote: We failed miserably as a WISP, but now we'll apply our know-how and help you succeed ??? Where did you get this impression? P.S. Looking at their web site, they look like a Tranzeo reseller Ahhh...I see why you said that... -- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ Mikrotik Certified Consultant (http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html) -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
In Dboss's case, they found a model where it was more profitable to give away software to make sure they would get paid for more profitable tackon services, than to bill for the software itself. And when they give it away, people like me still critisize its validity for use. Its a tought business. But if someone made the right product it would sell, and it would be profitable. It just costs most software developers to much to build it because they do not fully understand the business, and its learning the business that is expensive for the developer, in my opionion. (re-write after re-write after re-write.) Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Brian Rohrbacher [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 7:18 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS Matt Liotta wrote: Brian Rohrbacher wrote: This is something I don't get. What is the difference between me generating the bill, emailing it out, and them printing it.vsme generating the bill...me printing it outletting snail mail pick it up. It's the same. Both times it is generated, printed, and mailed. I don't paper bill. I just tell them to push print. There are whole business processes with checks and balances surrounding paper bills. There are no such processes for electronic bills in most firms. If the revenue is worth your while you will send a paper bill. I guess I'm just lucky enough to find someone in the billing department who will print it. It is hard to believe we are all so different in our operations. Is there not something available somewhere out there that would work for most? How can we get anything done as an industry in we all have to invent our own wheel from scratch. Well, I hope it is obvious that I need a WISP services service, because I do. The things that scares me about dboss services is it's not mine. It'd be nice to be able to have some program that does all the WISP services but is installed on my server in my data center and only I have access. That way no one can mess it up for me and no one can keep me out. Actually, most WISPs are quite different from one another since most have never scaled to the point where they have documented, standardized, repeatable processes. Most have one or more experts that keep the whole thing together. The few operators who have scaled (we haven't) probably already have most of the systems in place they need (we do). Therefore, the market is small WISPs who don't have much money in the first place and tend to have NIH syndrome. As a former software guy I can tell you that such a market isn't very attractive. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I don;t know... It sounds like its probably a really good solution for someone who needs something for the WISP industry, and doesn't have anything now, or with a smaller number of subs starting out. There really are very few options out there that cover WISP's needs. My negative comment is... Its probably a smart system only based on past history needs, apposed to next generation needs. For someone that already has money involved in infrastructure, they are going to want a system that is addressing tommorrows needs. Realization that inforcing rigit rules and structures no longer work. How are partner relationships managed? How is billing done when most high ARPU business's demand paper billing? How is bandwdith management done when just limiting a single backhaul connection is no longer the requirement, and smarter things are needed like roaming policies, QOS, Labeling, Latency guarantees, nested/layered cell sites, MPLS type stuff, tracking dissimilar network equipmentthat gets deployed differently, etc.. I think this system will do exactly what it represents, help a WISP get started, so they can concentrate on selling, operate more efficiently, and track their progress for better obtaining funding, during the early years. But as soon as someone starts to scale, they are going to realize how they need to make their own custom solution because whats available isn't going to cut it, and its going to be cost jsutified to put complete solutions in place. I guess my point is, even the best solutions are not good enough. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Butch Evans [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:14 AM Subject: RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS On Sun, 29 Oct 2006, Charles Wu wrote: We failed miserably as a WISP, but now we'll apply our know-how and help you succeed ??? Where did you get this impression? P.S. Looking at their web site, they look like a Tranzeo reseller Ahhh...I see why you said that... -- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ Mikrotik Certified Consultant (http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html) -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Inline Tom DeReggi wrote: I don;t know... It sounds like its probably a really good solution for someone who needs something for the WISP industry, and doesn't have anything now, or with a smaller number of subs starting out. There really are very few options out there that cover WISP's needs. So I'm not crazy. Unless we both are. Either way I thought this system needed some looking into. My negative comment is... Its probably a smart system only based on past history needs, apposed to next generation needs. For someone that already has money involved in infrastructure, they are going to want a system that is addressing tommorrows needs. Realization that inforcing rigit rules and structures no longer work. How are partner relationships managed? How is billing done when most high ARPU business's demand paper billing? This is something I don't get. What is the difference between me generating the bill, emailing it out, and them printing it.vsme generating the bill...me printing it outletting snail mail pick it up. It's the same. Both times it is generated, printed, and mailed. I don't paper bill. I just tell them to push print. How is bandwdith management done when just limiting a single backhaul connection is no longer the requirement, and smarter things are needed like roaming policies, QOS, Labeling, Latency guarantees, nested/layered cell sites, MPLS type stuff, tracking dissimilar network equipmentthat gets deployed differently, etc.. I think this system will do exactly what it represents, help a WISP get started, so they can concentrate on selling, operate more efficiently, and track their progress for better obtaining funding, during the early years. But as soon as someone starts to scale, If a WISP were mostly residential, what is a guesstimate of the number of subs one would have at the starts to scale time? they are going to realize how they need to make their own custom solution because whats available isn't going to cut it, and its going to be cost jsutified to put complete solutions in place. I guess my point is, even the best solutions are not good enough. It is hard to believe we are all so different in our operations. Is there not something available somewhere out there that would work for most? How can we get anything done as an industry in we all have to invent our own wheel from scratch. Well, I hope it is obvious that I need a WISP services service, because I do. The things that scares me about dboss services is it's not mine. It'd be nice to be able to have some program that does all the WISP services but is installed on my server in my data center and only I have access. That way no one can mess it up for me and no one can keep me out. Brian Tom DeReggi RapidDSL Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband - Original Message - From: Butch Evans [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:14 AM Subject: RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS On Sun, 29 Oct 2006, Charles Wu wrote: We failed miserably as a WISP, but now we'll apply our know-how and help you succeed ??? Where did you get this impression? P.S. Looking at their web site, they look like a Tranzeo reseller Ahhh...I see why you said that... -- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ Mikrotik Certified Consultant (http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html) -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Brian Rohrbacher wrote: This is something I don't get. What is the difference between me generating the bill, emailing it out, and them printing it.vsme generating the bill...me printing it outletting snail mail pick it up. It's the same. Both times it is generated, printed, and mailed. I don't paper bill. I just tell them to push print. There are whole business processes with checks and balances surrounding paper bills. There are no such processes for electronic bills in most firms. If the revenue is worth your while you will send a paper bill. It is hard to believe we are all so different in our operations. Is there not something available somewhere out there that would work for most? How can we get anything done as an industry in we all have to invent our own wheel from scratch. Well, I hope it is obvious that I need a WISP services service, because I do. The things that scares me about dboss services is it's not mine. It'd be nice to be able to have some program that does all the WISP services but is installed on my server in my data center and only I have access. That way no one can mess it up for me and no one can keep me out. Actually, most WISPs are quite different from one another since most have never scaled to the point where they have documented, standardized, repeatable processes. Most have one or more experts that keep the whole thing together. The few operators who have scaled (we haven't) probably already have most of the systems in place they need (we do). Therefore, the market is small WISPs who don't have much money in the first place and tend to have NIH syndrome. As a former software guy I can tell you that such a market isn't very attractive. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Matt Liotta wrote: Brian Rohrbacher wrote: This is something I don't get. What is the difference between me generating the bill, emailing it out, and them printing it.vsme generating the bill...me printing it outletting snail mail pick it up. It's the same. Both times it is generated, printed, and mailed. I don't paper bill. I just tell them to push print. There are whole business processes with checks and balances surrounding paper bills. There are no such processes for electronic bills in most firms. If the revenue is worth your while you will send a paper bill. I guess I'm just lucky enough to find someone in the billing department who will print it. It is hard to believe we are all so different in our operations. Is there not something available somewhere out there that would work for most? How can we get anything done as an industry in we all have to invent our own wheel from scratch. Well, I hope it is obvious that I need a WISP services service, because I do. The things that scares me about dboss services is it's not mine. It'd be nice to be able to have some program that does all the WISP services but is installed on my server in my data center and only I have access. That way no one can mess it up for me and no one can keep me out. Actually, most WISPs are quite different from one another since most have never scaled to the point where they have documented, standardized, repeatable processes. Most have one or more experts that keep the whole thing together. The few operators who have scaled (we haven't) probably already have most of the systems in place they need (we do). Therefore, the market is small WISPs who don't have much money in the first place and tend to have NIH syndrome. As a former software guy I can tell you that such a market isn't very attractive. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Brian Rohrbacher wrote: I guess I'm just lucky enough to find someone in the billing department who will print it. For the customers that we bill more than $2000 per month only about 10% will accept an electronic bill. -Matt -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I like this statement from the DBOSS manual: Automated assignment of static IP to customer's PCs and gateways Some network applications or services require the assignment of a static IP address. Voice Over IP (VOIP) is probably the most notable of such. Normally, the assignment of a static IP address would require that the customer's PC be manually configured. TEAM avoids this by provisioning IP addresses to customers based on the IP address and the MAC address of the CPE assigned to the customer in dBOSS. Isn't that DHCP? "Automated assignment of a static IP address" pd Matt Liotta wrote: I like how they end their pitch... "The reason and dreams behind getting into the WiSP business in the first place can finally be realized by contracting with RidgeviewTel’s WiSP Services division." -Matt Brian Rohrbacher wrote: FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
RE: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
On Sun, 29 Oct 2006, Charles Wu wrote: We failed miserably as a WISP, but now we'll apply our know-how and help you succeed ??? Where did you get this impression? P.S. Looking at their web site, they look like a Tranzeo reseller Ahhh...I see why you said that... -- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ Mikrotik Certified Consultant (http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html) -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
Their site seems to be down this morning. - Original Message - From: Matt Liotta [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: WISPA General List wireless@wispa.org Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 8:40 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS I like how they end their pitch... The reason and dreams behind getting into the WiSP business in the first place can finally be realized by contracting with RidgeviewTel’s WiSP Services division. -Matt Brian Rohrbacher wrote: FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
[WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
Re: [WISPA] FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS
I like how they end their pitch... The reason and dreams behind getting into the WiSP business in the first place can finally be realized by contracting with RidgeviewTel’s WiSP Services division. -Matt Brian Rohrbacher wrote: FREE OSS and Billing Software for WiSPS And then there are all the paid services. http://www.dboss-online.com/ read the pdf prices on page 22, but I emailed them and they said the prices are changing. More like $250.00 a month for 0 - 250 customers (bundled services) http://www.dboss-online.com/wisp_services.pdf Pretty neat services they offer. I'm not technical enough to do it all on my own, this looks ok. Give me some input here. Are all these services needed? How does the value look? Brian Rohrbacher -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
