Wireless Internet service provider
A wireless Internet service provider (WISP) is an
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Report and Order, FCC 05-56 in 2005 that revised the FCC’s rules to open the 3650 MHz band for terrestrial wireless broadband operations.[1] On November 14, 2007 the Commission released a Public Notice (DA 07-4605) in which the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced the start date for the licensing and registration process for the 3650-3700 MHz band.[2]
As of July 2015, over 2,000 fixed wireless broadband providers operating in the US, servicing nearly 4 million customers.[3]
History
Initially, WISPs were only found in
Another early WISP was a company called Internet Office Parks in Johannesburg, South Africa that was founded by Roy Pater, Brett Airey and Attila Barath in January 1996 when they realized the South African Telco, Telkom could not keep up with the demand for dedicated Internet links for business use.[
There were 879 Wi-Fi based WISPs in the Czech Republic as of May 2008,[6][7] making it the country with most Wi-Fi access points in the whole EU.[8][9]; which was a consequence of the then defacto monopoly of the former telecom operator on fixed data networks. The providing of wireless Internet has a big potential of lower the "digital gap" or "Internet gap" in the developing countries. Geekcorps actively help in Africa with among others wireless network building. An example of a typical WISP system is such as the one deployed by Gaiacom Wireless Networks which is based on Wi-Fi standards. The One Laptop per Child project strongly relies on good Internet connectivity, which can most likely be provided in rural areas only with satellite or wireless network Internet access. In high internet cost countries such as South Africa, prices have been drastically reduced by the government allocating spectrum to smaller WISPs, who are able to deliver high speed broadband at a much lower cost.[10]
Some WISP networks have been started in rural parts of the
Overview
WISPs often offer additional services like location-based content,
WISPs have a large market share in rural environments where cable and digital subscriber lines are not available; further, with technology available, they can meet or beat speeds of legacy cable and telephone systems.[13] In urban environments, gigabit wireless links are common and provide levels of bandwidth previously only available through expensive fiber optic connections.[14]
Typically, the way that a WISP operates is to order a fiber circuit to the center of the area they wish to serve. From there, the WISP will start building backhauls (gigabit wireless or fiber) to elevated points in the region, such as radio towers, tall buildings, grain silos, or water towers. Those locations will have access points to provide service to individual customers or backhauls to other towers where they have more equipment. The WISP may also use gigabit wireless links to connect a PoP (
Since it is difficult for a single service provider to build an infrastructure that offers global access to its subscribers, roaming between service providers is encouraged by the
Technology problems
See also
- Airspan Networks
- ConnectKentucky
- Geekcorps
- List of United States mobile virtual network operators § Mobile broadband operators
- Microwave Bypass
- Motorola Canopy
- Neighborhood Internet service provider (NISP)
- Radwin
- Satellite Internet access
- Starry Internet
- Telrad Networks
- TP-LINK
- Ubiquiti Networks
- Wireless community network
- Wireless local loop
References
- ^ "FCC: Wireless Services: 3650-3700 MHz Radio Service". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "PUBLIC NOTICE - Released: November 14, 2007" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "Industry Resources - Wireless Internet Service Providers Association". www.wispa.org. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
- ^ "A WISP with Vision". wi-fiplanet.com. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "It's a Watershed Moment for Wireless ISPs". AGL Media Group. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
- ^ "Wi-Fi: Poskytovatelé bezdrátového připojení". internetprovsechny.cz. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "Bezdrátové připojení k internetu". bezdratovepripojeni.cz. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
- ^ "Number of Wi-Fi access points in Prague 1 and Prague 2 nearly doubled year-on-year". Ernst & Young. Archived from the original on 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "CZECH REPUBLIC". volweb.cz. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
- ^ "Wireless internet service". wibre.co.za. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- ^ "County Broadband".
- ^ "Fram Broadband".
- ^ "Meet WiSP", PC World
- ^ "Forget Fiber, Monkey Brains Will Bring SF ‘Insane’ Speeds", MissionLocal. Retrieved 04 March 2016.
- ^ Brain, Marshall (December 2, 2004). "HowStuffWorks "WiMAX Wireless Network"". Computer.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
External links
- WISPA - a trade association for WISP owner/operators