Brad, it would be an interesting discussion, to "break down" what the various costs are of networks at various scales of deployment.
Even more interesting, would be what kind of business model can be created which shows profitability servicing residential customers at price-competitive rates using ANY current offerings from Alvarion. I know, I know... This conversation always dies with someone stating you have to get more revenue per customer than just "access" costs - something nobody disagrees with, but if your business models REQUIRES you to sell VOIP and something else on top of access, then you're not a "mainstream" ISP again. Instead, the conversation jumps to other topics of how to get your average revenue up. While 'reliability' and "features" have a worth that can be assigned (not sure it can be accurately calcualted), if someone offered a system that had 100Mbit FDX speeds to the c ustomer, gauranteed 100% reliability, and with all the bells and whistles, but cost $1000 per customer... Could the average mainstream WISP make a "go" of it? And before we get all confused, I consider "mainstream" to mean the following: 1. provides multiple levels of service - from affordble residential, to higher end commercial access 2. is price-competitive with current levels of service and cost commonly available. 3. Has appropriate service levels for the vast majority of customers within the defined geographical area serviced. I dont' consider myself "mainstream" in the sense that I am not truly price competitive and I do not offer the highest end connectivity. Instead, I am a "niche" market ISP, because I have a relatively narrow focus of providing connectivity to people / areas not otherwise served by broadband. Which brings me back to the "how to be a mainstream" WISP again. The telephone company didn't choose a system with $500 CPE. They have a $50 CPE. Same with Cable. We can all understand the infrastructure buildout and the considerable cost in building it, but even they grasp the "cost of growth" limitation factor. THEY are prepared to wage war at the residential level, and are doing so. We need the tools to get into that war as well, WITHOUT a billionaire backing us. There's more strategies than just the $50 CPE (I don't expect to see it), to be sure. What I see needed is options for all of them. North East Oregon Fastnet, LLC 509-593-4061 personal correspondence to: mark at neofast dot net sales inquiries to: purchasing at neofast dot net Fast Internet, NO WIRES! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brad Larson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 12:29 PM Subject: RE: [WISPA] Best system for a new WISP > Mark, Not to belittle your opinion but many of my customers would say just > the opposite in that they're actually saving money by deploying Alvarion. > The cost of owning a network isn't based on cpe costs alone. Brad > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mark Koskenmaki [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2006 2:06 AM > To: WISPA General List > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Best system for a new WISP > > It is not financially feasible for a mainstream WISP, who is attempting to > serve all types of internet customers to rely on BA for anything but > specialized application., It's just too expensive. > > > North East Oregon Fastnet, LLC 509-593-4061 > personal correspondence to: mark at neofast dot net > sales inquiries to: purchasing at neofast dot net > Fast Internet, NO WIRES! > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > - > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Brad Larson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> > Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 5:53 AM > Subject: RE: [WISPA] Best system for a new WISP > > > > Mark, Come on.....The whole BreezeAccess product family was made and > > continues to get upgrades for WISP's. There are well over 1,000 WISP's > using > > our gear in the states alone. You won't find many of them here or on other > > WISP threads but it doesn't mean they don't exist. Saying we're "niche" > and > > not "mainstream" and there is some division is a real strech. Brad > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "John Scrivner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 8:51 PM > > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Best system for a new WISP > > > > > > > > > > With that said I still think Alvarion is a far better platform than > > > Canopy which is strictly my opinion and has no basis in fact. In the > > > past I have been put-off by a perceived arrogance I have seen by some > > > Alvarion representatives who have insisted previously that they had the > > > "only" viable solution for wireless broadband and seemed as though they > > > were claiming almost a "holier than thou" behavior toward anyone stating > > > another opinion than their own. I have also seen a terribly biased > > > negative attitude toward Alvarion by many WISPs who wanted to drive home > > > the "WISP=Cheap" mentality to the point of alienating Alvarion from our > > > entire market segment. Both Alvarion and most WISPs have lost a great > > > ally in each other and I suspect both sides have suffered from such > > > negativity. I am hoping to see this division closed between the typical > > > WISP operator and Alvarion. > > > > Until Alvarion makes a product that's viable for more than "niche" market > > WISP, the 'division' is simply going to continue to exist. They have > > certain products that WISP's will find useful and valuable, but they don't > > make mainstream WISP "last mile" equipment. I have been expecting to see > > them announce something, but so far, I've not seen anything. > > > > The ball's in thier court. > > > > > > North East Oregon Fastnet, LLC 509-593-4061 > > personal correspondence to: mark at neofast dot net > > sales inquiries to: purchasing at neofast dot net > > Fast Internet, NO WIRES! > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- > > - > > > > -- > > 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/ > > > > > > -- > 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/
