Matt Larsen - Lists wrote: > My suggestion for Phase II of the Broadband Stimulus Program: > > http://tinyurl.com/kmd4hn
That really is a pretty awful idea from the WISP perspective. WISPs rarely have market recognition and name value. Ask most anyone about their broadband choices - you'll probably get some combination of cable modem, DSL, maybe fiber, maybe satellite, maybe cell-data card. So if a consumer suddenly is given lots of money to switch to a broadband provider, who will she call? She'll probably start with the people she's heard of - and in most markets, WISPs are not gonna be top-of-mind. Now let's say she has heard of her local WISP. She probably saw the news articles about the auto rebate program, and how the initial infusion of money was basically spent before the program officially opened. She wants to get on this now, before the opportunity disappears. Many WISPs need a bit of lead time to get a new customer installed - they often have to send a truck out to do the install, and some of them do a pre-qualification signal check before scheduling the install proper. Meanwhile, she can pick up that cellular data card RIGHT NOW, and be sure of getting her rebate. We won't even get into coverage issues and how WISPs rarely have 100% coverage, thanks to trees and hills and such. If the customer signs up for someone else's service, that company gets the money, which they may use to build out infrastructure (or maybe buy a fourth gold-plated Humvee, who knows). While this arguably is good for the customer, and for broadband penetration as a whole, it's pretty horrible for WISPs. David Smith MVN.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
