don't these authors ever do any independent non spoon fed research?
deep sigh
Marlon
(509) 982-2181 Equipment sales
(408) 907-6910 (Vonage) Consulting services
42846865 (icq) And I run my own wisp!
64.146.146.12 (net meeting)
www.odessaoffice.com/wireless
www.odessaoffice.com/marlon/cam
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter R." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org>
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 11:59 AM
Subject: [WISPA] Sprint Wi-Fi
By Al Senia
http://www.americasnetwork.com/americasnetwork/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=314704
Municipal Wi-Fi networks are sprouting up around the United States, and it’s
been independent ISPs such as EarthLink and Google that typically have
struck deals with cities to provide wireless broadband access in an
attempt to wrest market share from incumbent service providers.
Now in an example of the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality,”
Sprint Nextel has entered into a 60-day trial with the Las Vegas suburb of
Henderson, Nev. to launch a mesh Wi-Fi broadband network. The wireless
service is primarily aimed at helping city officials and emergency
responders work more efficiently in the field, although it will also be
made available to every resident, visitor and business in the city of
175,000.
Sprint views the trial as a learning experience. “We are doing this to
better understand how people use it and to measure network performance,”
explained one Sprint executive at the TelecomNext trade show, where the
announcement was made this week. Like other service providers, Sprint is
studying how to develop a Wi-Fi business model that can actually make a
profit. (Sprint is covering the network’s cost, but it won’t reveal the
amount of the investment.) Henderson Mayor James Gibson says police and
fire personnel, as well as safety inspectors will heavily utilize the
wireless system.
The trial is being touted as the first municipal Wi-Fi trial of any
magnitude carried out by a local operator in the US market. The Wi-Fi
service is actually being operated by Sprint’s local communications
business, which is expected to separate from the parent company later this
year and operate under the name Embarq.
What’s interesting about this situation is that Sprint is actually
competing with itself since it offers PCS and EVDO service in the same
service footprint. Of course, it’s not at all clear whether the Henderson
trial will extend beyond the end of May. But if it does, Sprint could
conceivable lose existing broadband customers to the new citywide
broadband network. (It could also lose telephone customers to VoIP running
over the network.)
Of course, Sprint and other incumbent providers face the same problem
battling the municipal networks in cities across the US. At least in
Henderson’s case, Sprint can somewhat control the competitive fray, as
well as lock out other Wi-Fi service providers. For these reasons, if this
experiment extends beyond its initial date, it could serve as a model for
incumbent telcos, especially if Sprint ends up with a business model that
actually works and turns a profit.
(Al Senia is the editor of America’s Network.)
--
Regards,
Peter
RAD-INFO, Inc. - NSP Strategist
We Help ISPs Connect & Communicate
813.963.5884 http://4isps.com/newsletter.htm
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