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FEATURED TOPICDigital Transition -The term "Digital Transition" describes the process all organizations must go through in the 21st Century, as they leverage new technologies that provide new options for Applications, Equipment, Processes, and Networks that make them more effective. In contrast, the term "Municipal Wireless" is limiting. It puts the network technology ahead of the application and process changes that drive the business case. ORIENTATION |
« December 2005 | Weblog | March 2006 » February 2006 ArchiveWiMax - Slow Train ComingIn the United States, Orr says the technology is likely to take off in newly built developments and areas in which installing cable and DSL has proven difficult. The most talked-about use for WiMax, however, is in municipal networks, providing coverage across a metropolitan area. The "most talked-about use for WiMax" is metropolitan broadband? Ah Ha, there you have it in print. Indeed, the efficiencies of WiMax technology for moving large amounts of data at high speeds will inevitably provide a kick in the pants for metropolitan broadband. I believe we will look back on these early years as the days of experimentation. We are still sorting through the business models and yet, there is a sense of inevitability that our cities will one day soon be covered in wireless clouds that will send data flying in every direction through the magic of radio. Soon, soon.
Posted on February 25, 2006 at 08:16 PM | Comments (0) Oodles of Web 2.0 LinksI'm doing my best to stay on topic on this web log -- all about MetroNets -- really I am, but I just couldn't resist sharing this info with you all. SciFi writer Bruce Sterling has a blog on Wired Magazine, Beyond the Beyond, and on Feb 17, he wrote this short article titled "Web 2.0: Does it Exist, and Why on Earth Should You Care." I owe these great links to Bruce. What cool pages - bookmark these, they are great resources! If you're not familiar with the term Web 2.0, don't worry - its still very new. This term is being used by those forward thinkers out there who are speculating on what the Web has become/will become. The idea is that websites are becoming more interactive and websites that include features like blogs, wikis and podcasts - tools for interactivity - are providing more utility than older websites, and those websites define what people mean when they use that term. The on-line world is changing. It is really exciting! Web 2.0 is really a term you should become familiar with. As the saying goes, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, so forget about Googling the term or looking on Wikipedia - well, here that is if you really want to read about it first. Or, you could read Best (Or Most Interesting) Web 2.0 Definitions and Explanations. Reminds me of how Microsoft tried to describe Dot Net a few years ago - I still don't get that. But if you want to skip reading about Web 2.0 and just go out and experience it, bookmark this page and check out the 162 links on it - what the site claims is the Complete List of Web 2.0 Products and Services. If that's not enough, check out also The Best Web 2.0 Software of 2005. After you've digested all this, please come back and tell me what you think Web 2.0 means to you - I already get this phenomenon better than I ever understood Dot Net. Let's just hope we don't live to see a Dot Net 2.0.... Posted on February 22, 2006 at 09:22 PM | Comments (0) Harnessing the Latent Energy in a Communityseekers of the larger view Seven Steps to Trilogy of Action -- John Archibald Wheeler I drew this quotation from a presentation entitled "Top Problems of the Internet So who is this Wheeler guy, and what does this quotation have to do with MetroNets? According to Wikipedia, John Archibald Wheeler was a nuclear fission pioneer and a late collaborator of Einstein's. Very smart guy, and a lover of thinking and problem-solving. He divided his academic time between Princeton and UT Austin (how's that for serendipity!). History will show us if his pioneering work in physics compensates for his work with developing nuclear weapons. I believe he came to realize that progress with technology can be a double-edged sword (now there's an understatement). But leaving that aside for now, I'm grateful for this quotation. When I read that quotation, I was struck with how well those thoughts aligned with the way I think about accelerating broadband penetration by way of metropolitan broadband networks. I'm searching for ways around the Municpal Broadband Policy Debate that divides us, keeps us apart, distracts us and slows us down. After putting a fair amount of effort that way last year, I've chosen to mostly ignore that political route - luckily, many good people are holding down that fort already. Instead, I hope to do more good and be more effective by focusing my energies on two principal problems with the current approach to "Municipal Wireless." 1) We're not working together well to accomplish the changes we seek. We have tremendous potential to bring our efforts together in a more rational approach, both in individual metropolitan areas, and in how we grow this industry - it's time to start looking at how we can cooperate and collaborate. Instead of making the RFP process work better, what if we could look at the process differently? What if we could find a way to put Private Sector leaders in the lead in this new space, to entice them in by lowering their risk, but still work with public sector partners in unity, playing to their strengths? My comments on Glenn Fleishman's blog yesterday highlight the merits of Glenn's analysis and the good approach of Chicago municipal leaders, suggesting that there's a new way to do this that may well be more effective than what we've been doing: Glenn, you hit the nail on the head with this insight about the difference in a name. I think there is a significant difference in a "city" (an urban area), a "municipality" (an urban area under a single government - or, the government itself), and a "metropolitan area" (a larger contiguous urban area). That's why I call them MetroNets - no government, no city. But there's more to the lack of objections by the Heartland Institute and the CTIA. When the municipal government forswears any capital or operating expense, they're removing much of the objection from arguments made by the Titches of the world. You have to wonder what would be left to object to - Chicago's CIO is prudently seeking to bring more value into his city by taking this initiative, thereby creating opportunity for the private sector at next to no risk for the taxpayers. Ironically, by taking "the pledge" to spend no money on the network, city planners can actually make it more attractive to a private sector partner to jump in. Reminds me of how TXU split the bill with Current Communications, leaving the network to Current, but granting them a long-term service contract to lower their risk. I hope we see more of this model. How about a "NextGen MetroNet?" Works for me. My plans for Austin and Central Texas are to test that new paradigm, moving forward with a private sector initiative and inviting the municipality as well as the community to come along as partners to develop something new. I also plan to open up the concept of a metropolitan broadband network beyond providing Internet access and solving the business problems of municpalities, which, while having merit in their own right, only begin to scratch the surface of where this new technology will take us. I want to explore how these networks can transform our lives and the way we look at cities. I love Austin and think its the right place to test this model. Austin is a creative city, home of start ups, digital media geniuses, the University of Texas, and an attitude that somehow we're different. Keep Austin Wierd is the slogan on local T-shirts. I'm convinced that a metropolitan broadband network offered up as a tool for community collaboration will take us in new directions that we would find hard to imagine in today's world. Consider what we will do here in Austin as a model to test a new approach to metropolitan broadband networks and how communities harness their latent energy and creativity. Posted on February 18, 2006 at 01:06 PM | Comments (0) What a Turnout, What a Start!The Regional Wireless Roundtable breakfast event for Austin and Central Texas went off without a hitch this morning, marking what I hope will be the beginning of some ongoing regional collaboration on metropolitan broadband infrastructure in Central Texas. Clearly, things are starting to move here in Texas when it comes to metropolitan broadband. On Monday of this week, I wrote the attached letter on the status of community broadband in Texas, to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, on behalf of the Community Broadband Coalition - click here to download the letter to get a snapshot of broadband in Texas. I told folks at the breakfast that I would post this, so here it is. So, the big day arrived and I was intensely curious about turnout - what kind of showing would we have? Out of 39 registrants, how many would actually come? Well, we had 30 registrants show up, with one walk on. That's somewhere between 75% and 80%, by my math. I believe the number would have been somewhat higher if we had not had the event on the same day as the Austin City Council meeting, for instance. That was unfortunate timing, but it could not be helped. I'm very pleased with the turnout, and the discussion. Hats off to Gary Bolles of MicroCast, moderator of the event; to Esme Vos, founder of MuniWireless, who shared some of her experiences with municpal rollouts around the world; to the Cisco team, who were available to answer questions before, during, and after the roundtable; and to the attendees themselves, who came and offered a good part of their morning for this discussion, as well as their thoughts and perspectives. From Where Did They Come? Cities and Counties: 15 Associated Regional Groups - 5 Who were they? (Public Sector Official Titles only) CIO We shared our aspirations and thoughts on the benefits and challenges of metropolitan networks. We brainstormed on applications that networks can enable. Public Safety was a strong leading indicator here. We discussed the importance of analyzing the business drivers for a network and applications and of identifying a business model to follow. We talked about RFPs, and about politics (we spent more time than I personally would have liked in the discussion of political hypotheticals, but there was clearly interest there, and a suggestion that ignorance of political constraints inhibits local decision-making and long-term planning). Knowledge of the political landscape is important. Finally, we discussed regional collaboration and the opportunities around public-private partnerships. I will follow up with suggestions for more regional collaboration, and track that effort on this site. One challenge raised was that cities have long budget planning cycle horizons, which makes it almost impossible to build in plans into the budget to do a network. I suggested that this is an opportunity for the public sector network champion to seek a private sector partner to do a local pilot network that will not only capture the imagination of the citizens, but also educate the decision makers on the City Council. Metropolitan Broadband is a show-and-tell technology that is not fully grasped until it is experienced. As I said, I'll continue the process by inviting those who attended to a smaller, more regular series of Regional Collaboration meetings in a relaxed setting so that we can continue the dialogue and hopefully move on to some shared activities to promote more bandwidth in our region. This meeting ratified the assumptions we've had about working together. It works, and the future is promising. Thanks again to all who made this happen. What a Start! Posted on February 16, 2006 at 04:01 PM | Comments (0) Good for TV, But Bad for Internet? Oh, Please.How could we all grow up with commercials on television - as much a part of our lives as the programs themselves, tolerate them, even in some ways admire them, but nevertheless live with them - and then, not more than ten years into the Internet era, be so loathesome of advertising on this new medium? I have to admit, I get a little nostalgic when I see an old Alka Seltzer ad - "I can't believe I ate the whole thing," or - oh, why bother, I could go on and on with examples new and old that have become a part of our culture...but I won't. I just read the well written piece in Unstrung Insider, Hotspot Invaders - Wireless Networking News Analysis. and I'm struck by the attitude of so many of us who find ads on the Internet to be somehow objectionable. I'm sorry, but I find those comments naive. The world has not changed so much, and the broadband fairies just are not flying out there to deploy these networks while we sleep. Those costs have to be covered in some way, or we won't get the networks. I'm old enough to remember when cable TV was launched in my neighborhood, and we wondered back then: "Well, since I'm paying for it, why do I have to watch commercials?" Well back then, at the outset of cable, we were paying for a clear signal primarily, so we moved seamlessly back into the old paradigm of interstiatial advertising (commercials inserted into programming) - it just seemed like natural behavior on that old medium...and....monopoly cable companies made more money that way, so we had no vote on it, so it happened, so we went along. But along came this new medium, the Internet and the World Wide Web, which seemed to break all the rules and some of us thought that we should not have to be disrupted by ads anymore. Finally here was an escape from those irritating commercial "words from our sponsors." And what's more, even though we were paying for access at home, we thought that we should get all of this access out in the public spaces for free - at least, if we could get away with it. As an Austin resident, I love all the free Hot Spots. But I always bought a cup of coffee to support my host. While I've never agreed with that attitude of entitlement - let's face it, there really are very few things in life that are actually free, and any network has fixed and variable costs that must be paid for in some way, I understand it. Even fresh air and clean water, we come to realize, are not even free anymore, but we still believe that they should be. But those days have passed us by, and so that's called growing up. Somebody pays, somewhere, for all these comforts we enjoy. Fact is, most of what we consider to be free is actually just subsidized in some way or another. We're just unconscious of it or we willfully ignore it. Maturity is accepting the subsidized ad model as a positive, not a negative, and acknowledging the benefits that flow from ads. While we recognize in our clearer moments that advertisers' payments to broadcasters help subsidize our TV programs, we still think of them as "free" if they're not officially called "Paid Programming." So, when in the past two weeks, I've had conversations with five different companies that either have or plan to offer advertising or location-based services on metropolitan broadband networks, I start to think that something is going on. Finally. Reality is taking hold. Just last night, I got an email from Eric Daversa, VP of Business Development at NetLogix, including a press release regarding Adzilla and NetLogix and their new ad model. I respect Eric as an innovative and knowledgable consultant in this space, and consider him a friend. Regarding the potential of this new service, he's about as excited as a little kid with a new toy on Christmas - this model is really that innovative. I''m a little thick, but I'll take all this commotion as a trend. I don't need much more evidence. It's like this is coming up out of the woodwork. "Free MuniWireless" has never had much resonance for me, because I always saw it as a flash in the pan, something that couldn't last because it was not sustainable. Nice thought, but come on. However, ad-subsidized metropolitan broadband access IS a sustainable model. I think that we will see some incredible creativity in this field, and in the coming months I plan to promote this approach to the degree I can in the networks underway in Central Texas over which I have some influence. The beneifts of having access and infrastructure costs subsidized by advertisers, extending access where it would not otherwise be, far exceed the social costs of watching (or ignoring) advertising. The smart advertisers will find ways to make the ads entertaining and less painful, blending the fun elements of creative media with commercial advertising programming. It will happen, because its already happening - on TV and in print, we're seeing more and more content in advertising and more and more advertising in content. Have you been to the cinema lately and watched "The Twenty" - that's 20 minutes of ads masquerading as content - somehow I find it more appealing than a blank screen (just barely). But I don't begrudge the theater owner from showing them. I think that ad sponsorship is a great way to launch these new networks quickly and cost-effectively, without tremendous (and unsupportable) risk - just look at TV and Radio and how those networks were launched - we found our way to commercially sponsored programming in those new media by way of the market - it just happened, because it needed to, and it worked. If it makes sense - and it does - and there's room in the expanding metropolitan broadband world for this approach - and there is - I wouldn't bet against ad supported network access. Let's face it, we are less likely to get our governments to subsidize our networks in the US like they do in other countries, than we are to get our advertisers to do so. I think they will line up, given the poor value they get from money spent on TV ads in the age of the TiVo. So, unless we're all willing to dig into our wallets and pay directly for these networks as we go, let's not look this gift horse in the mouth. Posted on February 15, 2006 at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) Silicon Valley Metropolitan NetworkWi-Fi Networking News: Unwired Bay Area, Part 2: This Time with Details If you haven't seen this clip from Glenn Fleishmann's site, I recommend it to you. What these groups have done in the Bay Area, under wraps from us all for quite some time, is to put together a regional plan that makes sense. Take a look and see if you recognize any principles for regional collaboration. I hope these guys are successful. God Bless Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. They're awesome. Posted on February 12, 2006 at 09:29 PM | Comments (0) The Boston Model for Regional Collaboration - NOTIn December Bostonites were complaining that for a high-tech city, they certainly didn't feel like one when it came to wireless. Amid some political sniping this week, a task force was created that will explore the viability of citywide Wi-Fi. This week the Boston Foundation also released a report stating the city should partner with private companies like Earthlink to create a citywide network in the mold of those in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Broadband Reports I started out to write a blog about a Boston cooperation-and-due-diligence model, based on what looked like a good deal at first glance. But wait, there's more to the story. Silly me. While that model may still emerge at some point, the water is murkier than it first appeared to be. Let's watch this as it takes shape and use it as a case study in regional collaboration. Who knows, maybe it'll end up as a negative model for us not to follow. This city has all the potential in the world, lots of resources, loaded with universities, tons of character, dense urban development, but they will have to find a way to work together politically. Ah, there's the rub, politics and working together. The juries still out on that one. The article in the Boston Globe, Study Details WiFi Options, describes action that's brewing on metropolitan broadband after a lot of talk -- but not a lot of agreement, apparently. The Boston Foundation and Boston's Museum of Science, at the request of a city councilman, John Tobin, put together a study entitled "Boston Unplugged: Mapping a Wireless Future." So far, so good. This link takes you to the study, but apparently it has not yet been released, because the site has a Coming Soon message. Oh well. Apparently Councilman Tobin worked hard on this wireless initiative and is ready to launch with a Request for Information. The RFI would look at: - An examination of needed technical facilities for a WiFi network OK, now its really looking good - progress. This is starting to sound like the Regional Collaboration I go on about on this website. But, STOP RIGHT THERE... Enter the Mayor from Stage Right..."Step aside, Councilman, I'll take it from here ... I'm the MAYOR!" In what must seem to the councilman as a No-Good-Deed-Goes-Unpunished move, the Mayor stepped in and took control, suggesting that what was needed was a Mayor's Task Force. According to the Boston Herald, this is if you will pardon the expression, politics as usual in Boston. But, they did a lot of things right. And, it will probably still work out. An innovative leader in the city government did some consensus building, sought out allies, conducted preliminary research, and leveraged his position as an early adopter with motivated private sector partners. The missing link for now is political cohesion. This is why I recommend smaller projects to get going - more action, less talk. See this link to learn more about how a metropolitan network on a less grand scale is being pursued at the university level in a smaller version of Boston, Cambridge, home of MIT. Finally, to learn more about university / community collaboration, explore this report from the Boston Foundation, A New Era of Higher Education - Community Partnerships. This is kind of fun to watch, when you think about it. Makes Austin look good. Posted on February 11, 2006 at 06:16 PM | Comments (0) FCC Shows CandorNTCA: FCC Commissioner Calls for Sweeping Regulatory Reform Now, here's something to note: a federal official, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who speaks the truth (granted, he's a Democrat, but its a good start). Notably, Copps underscores two main points in his speech: We must provide many more incentives for Public Private Partnerships, and we lack a National Broadband Policy, and we truly, need a National Broadband Policy. Posted on February 11, 2006 at 03:41 PM | Comments (0) From Conversation to CollaborationThis morning, I realized that I've made the last phone call to invite city officials and senior staff to a regional wireless roundtable breakfast next week in Austin. Sponsored by Cisco and coordinated by MicroCast and MuniWireless, these regional breakfasts (also in Chicago and Atlanta) are meant to act as a catalyst and call to action for regional government leaders. It's time to have a conversation about metropolitan broadband. I targeted nearly 100 individuals and have almost 40 registrants, so I'll take that as a victory, so far. How many of your new ventures have been sparked by a conversation? Interesting and new opportunities all begin when you meet somebody or something new, which sets off a chain of events inside your head and you start putting 2+2 together and you have a vision of some number greater than 4 - this is the act of creativity, the potential of progress. Something inside your mind becomes that spark that initiates you to take the first step - this is motivation. Maybe you find that missing puzzle piece that allows you to connect the dots and suddenly, you see the big picture, you see a new path through the forest. It's as if a guide taps you on the shoulder and points you in a new direction. Are you an open or closed individual? Or, alternately, it doesn't start from within, but instead you are acted upon by some outside force, when you get that phone call or email from someone who poses a crazy idea - a what if. Or in my case, you have several people telling you similar things and you perceive a new opportunity just based on synchronicity. It's been a heck of a week for me in that way. That can be the catalyst that leads to new action. Either way, it takes an open mind and open ears to listen, ponder, and say," well, yeah, OK, I'll give it a shot." I've been the one making the phone calls this past month, and some officials have listened, and others have not. I'm hopeful that nearly half were motivated enough to register for this breakfast conversation. In a sense, the purpose of this website is to be a voice that will spark conversations in your own groups and neighborhoods and cities about different ways of doing the same things, about new approaches to old problems, and new solutions to problems that we weren't even aware of, because we were so focused on our old problems. This is what I call progress. Using new communications technologies that will take cities in new directions, that's the proposition on the table on this website. So in these phone calls to get people to register, I've been having conversations with friends, but mostly with strangers, over the proposition that we owe it to ourselves in this region to have a BIG CONVERSATION about what we are doing to work together in our region to bring in a new era based on ubiquitous broadband infrastructure. Will we be a region that acts with intention to put ourselves at the front of the line in the new century, or will we keep struggling with our problems of the last century, with our heads down, too busy to look up and gaze at the future for a single morning in February 2006? My sense is that most I talked to are of the open inquiring kind. Some simply have schedule conflicts that they can't avoid. It's been as if I've been asking for a date, nearly every day for the past 40 days, as I make phone calls and encourage strangers and friends to come to a breakfast that will give us all an oportunity to learn more about something new, and to compare notes on what it means, and perhaps, if it makes sense, work together. It makes me wonder, this morning as I pause to reflect, "Why is collaboration such a threat to some, so boring to others?" To me, working together makes the most sense in the world because these days, there is always too much on my plate for me to do on my own. It's the only way I get anywhere these days, working with others. Next Thursday morning, we'll see how well the message took. Hopefully, we'll have a room full of civic leaders who are eager to have a conversation that will by the end of two short hours, point us all in the direction of collaboration. Working together a region can solve so many more problems than they can working separately. And to have the chance to work on creating a regional communications infrastructure that will enable an unending and unlimited number of regional conversations, that will spark untold numbers of new ideas, that will lead to more collaborations of neighbors to solve new and old problems and create a better life for our children - now isn't that an exciting goal to get you up in the morning for a free breakfast? Stay tuned. Posted on February 10, 2006 at 08:10 AM | Comments (0) Wireless DisruptionDisruptive technologies are generally dismissed by the incumbents, but they attract a following among consumers who find a solution that better meets their needs for the right price point. In time, the disruptive technology that is successful moves out of the starting gate and becomes truly disruptive as a sustainable innovation. The classic business bestseller The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen makes a similar point. Something I read last night is a great topical reminder of this business phenomenon, applied to current telecom and metropolitan broadband issues. This concept reared its head last night, got me thinking and kept me awake, as I plowed through the compelling and well written whitepaper, The One Hundred Year Storm: Wireless Disruption in Telecommuncations, by global consulting firm Deloitte & Touche. I'm now getting the e-newsletter Digital Communities, which is also is a content-rich, professional website that should be bookmarked by those interested in metropolitan broadband. Produced by Government Technology and sponsored by Intel, this site has several useful links to good content, such as the Wireless Mesh link, where I found that whitepaper. The arguments put forth in the paper provide good theoretical backing for why we pay attention to metropolitan broadband - because it disrupts the traditional approach to telecommunciations. Posted on February 08, 2006 at 06:52 AM | Comments (0) A Great Example of Regional CollaborationYesterday I met Dr. Alex Cavalli, founding board member of the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI), a project of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council. This was one of those moments of serendipity that Luc de Brabandere talks about in his book from last summer, A partner in the Boston Consulting Group and a leading author on business innovation in Europe, Luc de Brabandere makes the argument in The Other Half of Change that change comes in two parts: the actual, physical change, which requires a following change in perception (a change in the way we see things), in order for the actual change to become permanent. To be aware of the potential for change, de Brabandere suggests that we be on the lookout for five leading indicators of change, early warning signs if you will. He highlights these five "weak signals that indicate a mismatch between our assumptions and the real world." Watch for these five signals. 1) Minor defects that signal disruptions to the status quo; 2) Dissonance, a warning of failure ahead; 3) Serendipity, when things seem to happen as if they were magic, as if they were planned ahead by some unseeing force; 4) Paradox - my favorite paradox to emphasize the change we're in is the rapid replacement of the hundreds-year old instituion Encyclopedia Britannica, the Icon of the Age of Reason, by Microsoft's Encarta, symbolizing the maturity of the Digital Era, only to be supplanted by Wikipedia a few years later - hello, Internet, World Wide Web, and the Network Era; and finally, 5) Boredom, where a new concept becomes commonplace (remember all the fuss about eCommerce just a few years ago, back when Business 2.0 was 300 pages long?). So when Alex and I had a conversation yesterday about our shared impressions and struggles to move the Central Texas regional along, it was compelling enough for me to take note. I knew then that MetroNetIQ and DCI were bound to be working together in the near term, given the close alignment of our goals and the strong signals for collaboration. I offer you then this document as an example of a vision document for regional collaboration. It's important to put down a shared vision in writing if you intend to work together with a group on a common goal. As Stephen Covey says in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, (Habit No. 2) - "Begin with the End in Mind". - in other words, "know where you're going before you start out on your journey." A collaborative effort requires a shared vision, or there will be problems down the road when individual paths diverge. Click this link to download Digital Convergence Initiative: Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Texas (You will need to register first) Posted on February 07, 2006 at 06:59 AM | Comments (0) On the Road to Regional CollaborationThe road to one's goal is not always a straight line, and in my experience, it's almost never paved either. It's a winding path up to the top of the mountain and, as with other journeys to a goal, sometimes one has to go sideways for a while in order to proceed again up the mountain. I'm hoping that recent events indicate that my journey to regional collaboration has turned a corner and we're heading back up the mountain, once again. Two years ago, I proposed that Austin would make a great place to launch a metropolitan wireless broadband network, and I pursued that goal with passion, but as I've said before, it didn't seem to take at the time. People would look at me as if I had proposed that we relocate London Bridge from Lake Havasuu, Arizona, to Austin to replace the Pennybacker Bridge, an Austin icon (ironically, both bridges are on the "Colorado River," but there is a Colorado River in Arizona that actually comes from Colorado, and another one in Texas that's mistakenly named - but boy, do I digress). Back to a city-wide wireless network for Austin. Two years ago, Hot Spots were something to talk about, and the time for a city-wide network was just not right. I'll have to dig up that proposal I wrote and share it with you all in another blog. Fast forward a year. I wrote this white paper, entitled Regional Broadband Authorities: A Collaborative Approach to Universal High Speed Internet Access, at the start of last year, finishing the final draft on January 25, 2005. Well, it seems the time was still not right for the idea, because it never went anywhere. Perhaps I just lacked the forum to get it out in front of the right people a year ago, or the energy to push that string uphill. At the time, I was engaged in a research project at the city-owned electric utility, so I kept on plugging away. OK, so fast forward one more year, and now it looks like the time may be right - we may just be ready to go after this goal as a community. I'm looking forward to our Regional Wireless Roundtable breakfast a week from Thursday. As it turns out, I brought my white paper up in conversation today with Dr. Alex Cavalli, founding board member of the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI), a project of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council. That project started a few years back at the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, as "part of that Institute's continuing effort to create wealth through expanded uses of capitalism for the purpose of maintaining a stable and civil society." I'll have to write more about the DCI in another blog, because it looks like our paths may end up winding together. In this blog, I wanted to tell you about the Regional Broadband Authority idea. Based on other regional infrastructure planning (i.e., Regional Transportation Planning Authorities), the idea was for the government to promote rational, regional collaboration on broadband infrastructure by creating a planning authority. After reading it again tonight, I'm glad to see that the reasoning is still sound. But the means have changed. Last year, I thought the path to regional collaboration ran through Washington, suggesting that the federal government would be a preferred forum, given the poor state of affairs with state legislatures at the time, which seemed to be moving in lock-step to ban municipally owned networks. What a difference a year makes. Today, I've concluded that the road to regional collaboration is a local road, with collaboration of private and public sector, of city and county governments, of regional organizations like the Digital Convergence Initiative, the Corridor Council and the Councils of Government. Today, I've come to realize that the solution will be both emergent, arising from our local communities, and convergent, with ideas and groups coming together to make something new. The days of the sheriff as hero riding to our rescue are long gone. No, we will solve this problem ourselves, and I believe some version of the Regional Broadband Authority will get us where we need to go. Posted on February 06, 2006 at 08:25 PM | Comments (0) From Hot Spots to Hot Zones
The Cloud Drifts Into Hotzones So many good points made by this little article...1) Hot Zones can be used to extend Hot Spots; 2) Wi Fi Mesh is flexbile technology that can be used when other forms of backhaul are not available; 3) Networking technologies such as fiber, DSL, WiMax, and Wi Fi Mesh are complementary technologies that will be combined to make custom metropolitan broadaband systems; 4) Large cities are more likely to see Hot Zones dotting the metro landscape than they are to see huge, continguous, city-wide clouds. This article highlights the difference between city networks in the US and in Europe, where campus deployments are more likely than city-wide networks. The article also trumpets the alignment of regional Hot Spot player The Cloud and Wi Fi mesh pioneer and market leader Tropos Networks, and envisions the synergies and expanded service capabilities that will come their way through such an alignment.
Posted on February 06, 2006 at 05:37 PM | Comments (0) The Wisdom of Crowds, the Safety of NumbersThe more open you can make your planning process, the better. The more involvement you can get from your community, the more support your network will have. By being open and getting all segments of your local community involved from the get-go, you will find that the process goes smoother, any bumps in the road are overcome more easily, and when it comes around to signing up subscribers, you will have more support and a quicker road to solvency. There are several means to generate community involvement, but one of the first I would recommend is to create a community blog (see the definition of blog I added to the Glossary). There are over 4 million of these websites out on the web, since the first was launched about five years ago. I added a book review to the Books section on Orientation - a recent book by Hugh Hewitt, Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation that's Changing Your World. I strongly recommend you buy and read this book - it's well written, full of useful information, and an enjoyable experience. I read it cover to cover on a three-hour plane ride. Perhaps my experience with my two blogs - UnwireMyCity.com and now, MetroNetIQ.com - will offer you some encouragement. It's been nearly nine months since I began blogging, and I started from scratch. Follow these steps to get started on your own blog.
Creating a Community Blog in Eight Easy Steps 1. Start with a URL. That's the web address, www.metronetiq.com for this website. I recommend GoDaddy.com, as having the best value for URL purchase. You can get a website URL for under $10. Something catchy helps in branding, but I don't think it's all that important - better to get started than to spend considerable time picking a URL. 2. Get some web logging software. I chose the most popular software for blogging, Movable Type by Six Apart. I paid $99 for a software license. 3. Make arrangements for website hosting. Websites are really just files on a web server, a specialized computer hooked up to the Internet. So you need to either have your own server, or pay some other company to do that for you. Typically, hosting companies charge a small fee and then move up the fees if there is considerable traffic on your site. I took the easy route and chose hosting by AQHost, one of the recommended hosting sites on the Six Apart website. I can no longer recommend AQHost, however, due to poor customer service. In launching MetroNetIQ.com, I switched to LivingDot, which will cost me about $150/year - including the cost for software - a small price to pay for a company that specializes in hosting Movable Type blog sites. 4. Start posting content. the rule for a successful blog is to write, write some, and then, write some more again. Like the shampoo bottle instructions, let's add a final step: Repeat. Short and punchy is best. As Hewitt stresses in his book, blog sites are about relevant content, an easy writing style, and current information. The key is to keep it simple to start, and get into the habit of posting regularly. It's OK to be candid, in fact, that's the expected tone in the blogosphere. It's important to be accurate, but even more important to be timely. Because the medium is so current, small errors and/or omissions can be corrected as soon as you catch them, but gross errors run the risk of being picked up and spread widely, so caution and prudence are in order. Good to follow the Dale Carnegie guidelines and stick to positive statements in your comments (say nice things about people, or remain mostly silent). 5. Learn to use the software. Early on, I went to the bookstore and bought a helpful book, Movable Type 3.0 Bible Desktop Edition) to help me with the basics. I was able to get quite far in understanding the tools and functionality of the software with this aide. But, I wanted to go further, so I went to the next step ... 6. Hire a professional. I took an additional step and hired a web design expert to dress up the site and add more functionality. Steve Zilko at Zilko Web Solutions has been very helpful to me in adding functionality and giving the site a more professional look. I recommend you drop Steve a line, or hire somebody local, or work within your own staff to dress up the site and add further functionality. 7. Start interacting with your community. By using a blog to focus debate and update your community, you are helping to generate trust in advance of this next step, bringing broadband access to your town. The great thing about the blog and blog software is that you are able to reach your constiuents cheaply and effectively, gather input, and incorporate sound suggestions that will make your final project better reflect the wants and needs of the community. 8. Incorporate the blog into your new network website. By starting early on, you are also creating an archive that will reflect the steps you took to create your network, which will be helpful to you and to others whom you may want to coach after you have your network. Posted on February 05, 2006 at 12:52 PM | Comments (0) Planning and Engagement: A MetroNet in Ten Easy Steps
In contrast to the "one-winner-takes-all" municipal RFPs that are the norm today, I believe it's important that cities slow things down and involve more third-parties, their neighbors and private sector partners, specfically. In planning a metropolitan broadband network, it's best to keep things simple and develop a plan that manages risk as you go. So I recommend that you proceed step-by-step according to the list below, and contact MetroNetIQ Consulting for more advice on any of these steps. Our team of consulting associates is prepared to help you at any or all of the steps below. Prudent Progress Project Plan Outline 1. Get informed on metropolitan broadband technology options. Looking beyond some of the misinformation still circulating these days, we see that technological progress is further along than we might think. Being on MetroNetIQ.com is just the right place for Step One. For a good start, the resources on this website have considerable information on the metropolitan broadband industry and the changing picture for municipal and regional leaders. Share this information with other community leaders. Start with the Orientation categories on the left and work your way through the resources to get up to speed quickly. 2. Evaluate your community needs regarding broadband services. Before getting going, you need to evaluate your options, and this is the point where it makes sense to spend a little money for a custom initial evaluation. Contact MetroNetIQ Consulting today to learn more about a custom initial evaluation. You may also browse the Vendor Directory on the right side of this website for other resources. At this early stage, be sure not to spend too much, or take too much time - the key at this point is to set a direction and get moving. 3. Produce and file a preliminary plan to make government policymakers aware of your actions and intentions. In some states, such notice is required and delay could have consequences. In any case, filing a short preliminary plan has minimal downside and may result in help being offered your way. You can file the preliminary plan with your state's Public Utility Commission and copy your state legislators and US Congressman and Senator (use these links to locate your state's regulatory and legislative contact info). As you move along, help out long-term public policy by filing a more detailed plan with your state's Public Utility Commission and copy your state and federal legislative representatives. Be sure to state the benefits you expect to accrue and why you are proceeding in the manner you have selected. 5. Launch a Pilot Program. At some point, all the studying, talking, and listening will make you ready to dip your toe in the water. By installing a pilot network, ideally in partnership with a private sector partner, you will demonstrate to your community the real aspects of a MetroNet. For those less-informed than you active network planners, a Pilot is necessary to generate the awareness and understanding that will be necessary to continue, benefiting both the insider community and the greater community at large. Stay tuned to the blogs on this website, which will describe my work on the Pilot networks in Austin and Round Rock. 6. Broaden your community base of support. Having informed your planning team on the subject at hand, and evaluated your need and solution options, and the regional perspective, it's time to seek community input and determine a plan of attack. By making sure that you have as many community leaders on board for any plan you undertake, you will face less opposition than you might otherwise, and your network will meet more of the needs of your community. I recommend you review this short How To article on settng up a community blog as a great way of interacting with your community as you go through the planning process. 7. Determine your business model. First and foremost, I recommend you check in with your local electric utility for partnering possiblities. See the example of Go Moorhead. Align with technology partners, or better yet, with a system integrator, to ensure project success (See the Vendor Directory). Factors that will drive your decision include the risk profile of your city management, available funds, existing network assets, difficulty of potential network installation, in-house assets and skills for ongoing maintenance and operations, and partnering options with electric utilities and private sector providers. 8. Prioritize the implementation of broadband applications that will become available from your new MetroNet. Initiate those services that accelerate your return on investment (ROI) first. See the Application Vendors in the Vendor Directory for ideas and to stimulate dialogue. 9. Determine a funding strategy. While there will be a capital expense associated with the deployment, it is likely that a Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) or Network Operator is willing to share the burden or bear all of the burden, in exchange for having an anchor client and customer for municipal services. Assess your capital budget possibilities. What is the temperature in your community for this network? See the Funding Options in the Vendor Directory. 10. Spread the word in your community. Begin to educate interest groups within your community on the coming changes and future service availability. Discuss the impact with your community and answer questions. Reference www.MetroNetIQ.com and other websites to spread the word and raise the level of awareness in your community. 11. Launch your plan, use someone else's network, build your network. It's time to go, finally. Whether you take advantage of a motivated private provider who has already built a network, or you initiate network construction in partnership with a private provider (acting as an anchor tenant with a long-term services contract), join with other cities for a regional network, or build your own network, you've engaged in a prudent decision-making process and you can relax knowing that you've done the best a city leader can do. 12. Enjoy the benefits and brag on your success. Controlling your own destiny and taking advantage of the new network becomes a virtuous circle. Establish a standing committee to take input from the community on new and innovative ways of providing city services. Broad, intentional community planning will enable greater value to be reaped from this new network sooner. This is a great time to further leverage your communiity blog, as well as the MetroNetIQ on-line community. As more cities and towns implement MetroNets, the cost of equipment will be driven down, the technology will advance more rapidly, and new applications will be developed; all of these factors will increase the value of your new network. Posted on February 05, 2006 at 11:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack First, You Have a Conversation With Your NeighborsI've been working on a Regional Wireless Roundtable Breakfast Event for the past two months. It's been a journey of lessons learned, and as I told you that I would share with this blog, here goes. I'll try to break it into digestible bits. Part One. Getting Started. Back in November, I got an email from Mike Perchowski at MicroCast, asking me if I would help him put together a hand-selected group of regional government officials to attend a breakfast in February, to talk about metropolitan broadband and the new wireless options now out there. I knew MicroCast by reputation as an events company, having watched them do good things working with Esme Vos at MuniWireless, helping her to put on conferences on municipal broadband. It seems that Cisco, the networking equipment giant that entered this metropolitan broadband market in late October, had done some work with MicroCast and contacted them and MuniWireless to help put on at least three regional breakfasts like this one in Austin (They're also doing events in Atlanta and Chicago). I was enthusiastic to work with this crew, because I had been leaning towards this regional approach, because this is a first-class bunch, and because I was excited to gather together a conversation in Austin, finally. At last, we would get the who's who from the region together for a conversation on broadband infrastructure - what would it be like? After all, if you want to get something started, kicking it off with a conversation is one of the best ways to surface issues, identify leaders, educate everyone at once, and generate interest in new ideas. What a great idea! Well, that's the theory at least. We'll see how it works in practice, on February 16. But, based on all the conversations I've had over the past month, I'm enthusiastic. Getting this list together has been a bigger task than I anticipated. While I have a Rolidex that I'm proud of, and being from this area, I do know a lot of people in a lot of different fields. But knowing folks, and getting a specific group of them to come to a breakfast at 8:00 am on a Thursday morning for a discussion on wireless broadband (on the same day that the Austin City Council meets, as I was to learn) is a bigger task than you'd think, Bigger say, than hosting a wine tasting on a Friday night. I want to do that one next. But, I digress. I started with a survey of the region and a list of cities. I then put together a spreadsheet of the folks I knew with some relationship to government or chambers of commerce in each city. Using that short list, I started making phone calls and developed my pitch. I then spread the net a little wider as I thought of other allies, moving beyond city officials, city adminstrators, and IT/telecom senior staff. I had lunch with our County Judge early on, and made a trip to the Council of Governments. COGs are a little known form of semi-government here in Texas, our Capital Area COG is comprised of ten counties, and they pool resources to make purchasing more efficient, and they study regional issues like emergency services, disaster planning, public safety, health care, and .... as it turns out, metropolitan broadband, although that has not been at the top of their list yet. I also ended up in discussions with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the regional electric utility headquartered in Austin; with the Department of Information Resources, part of state government here in Austin; with the County Information Resources Agency - are you starting to see a trend - good to be in the state capital! Well, as it turns out, there is a lot of interest in this subject. Soon the word got out and I received a call from local community activists, who have been promoting wireless for the last several years. And, some Cisco system integrators contacted me. With 12 days to go, we have around 35 RSVPs, and I expect at least 15 more - it would be nice to have 50-60, and end up with 40 or so at the breakfast - that's my goal. Much bigger than that and its hard to have a discussion in the two hours we have allotted. Next, I'll tell you about recruitment. It's an art to pull something like this off, but its definitely a replicable process. Posted on February 04, 2006 at 09:05 PM | Comments (0) Gettin' Ta Know Austin - Howdy, Y'allIf I'm going to use Austin and Central Texas as models and as a case study for regional collaboration on the road to metropolitan broadband infrastructure, I better get you up to speed on the area. Here's some background. Austin truly is a special place. While I travelled around the world for five years in my twenties, had a blast, and saw many wonderful places, I nevertheless returned home in 1985 and I haven't relocated since. I love the fact that Austin claims the title of "Music Capital of the World," was voted the #1 Most Wired City, aspires to be a leader in wireless, and that we originated the "Keep (city name here) Wierd" campaign here (we now have the ironic "Keep Austin Wired" t-shirts, from no less, the Austin Wireless City Project. Austin probably has more grown-up but unreconstructed hippies than most towns. We live right on the Balcones fault line (a famous band in the 1970s was appropriately named, Balcones Fault). Living astride the fault has less to do with earthquakes than it does with geology and lifestyle. It means that the land to the southeast is flat farmland with rich dark soil, while the land to the northwest is what we call the Texas Hill Country, with cactus, rocks, and those mesas, ridges, and hills that used to characterize Western movies. The Colorado River cuts right through that fault line, like an arrow through Cupid's Heart, and LBJ dammed up the river to make the Highland Lakes in the 1930s and 1940s, which make the Hill Country that much more beautiful. I bought a ranch ten years ago in Dripping Springs, the gateway to the Hill Country, which is 45 minutes from my house. It's long on scenic views and short on practical purpose, so we mostly go out there to have campfires, drink margaritas and look at the stars, which may well be the most fun you can have with your clothes on. But Austin is fragmented when it comes to strategy leadership. I'm guessing that all cities have these fragmentation issues, but Austin seems to be loaded to the brim with dynamic tension. We have the environmentalists v. the economic development types, the liberals v. conservatives, the city v. the state government, the city v. the university establishment, the East Side v. the West Side, the police v. the minority groups, and the core downtown v. the suburbs, the new economy v. the old, the Old Guard v. the Newcomers. We even have some who plan to build high rises downtown, while others wonder if our majestic state capitol will disappear behind the new urban canyons. It's no wonder it's hard to get people to sit down and talk about something as new and esoteric as wireless broadband infrastructure. "We have SBC and Time Warner (and recently, Grande Communciations) - what's to talk about?" But that said (that's my impatience talking) - It's not as if we've been idle, after all. We brought technology here in the late 1960s with Texas Instruments and IBM, and the chip industry found a home here. Now we boast a large presence with Samsung, AMD, and Freescale. Starting in the 1980s a little startup grew into a global powerhouse - Dell sits just to our north in the suburb of Round Rock (which boasts a memorial to a gunfight no less - welcome to Texas). It's not all about technology - Whole Foods started from a hippie health food store I used to frequent in the 1980s. Austin has become synonymous, economically speaking, with creativity and innovation. We built on that base in the late 1990s with a rash of Internet startups, which have fared moderately well to poorly. Motive, Garden.com. I'm sure I'm leaving out some valid examples here. At any rate, there is a feeling here that we have come out of that malaise of the Dot Bust and wireless is part of that. But we're not focused. We had a good start three years ago with Rich McKinnon and Jon Lebkowsky starting the Austin Wireless City Project, as a community grassroots organization to assure that there would be sufficient free alternatives to the Starbucks-type for-pay Hot Spots that began to spring up in 2003. We've got hundreds of those now, so I guess it worked. That same year, Randy Baker of Tuanis Technology got folks together to form the Austin Wireless Alliance, boasting nearly 100 member companies now. Wireless guru Ted Rappaport left Virginia Tech and came to UT to establish the Wireless Network Communications Group, and in January 2004 the IC2 Institute at UT hosted a Wireless Futures Conference. In 2004 we were voted the Most Wired City based on our number of broadband subscribers, Hot Spots, etc. and the Wi Fi Alliance located their global headquarters here. Last year, Mike Wolleben launched WiMax.com and located in the Austin Technolgy Incubator, which features a wireless section. We're the home of digital convergence, with a thriving music, film, and Internet scene. The South by South West Media Conference will bring international attention to Austin for 10 days in March, and in May, the World Congress on IT will feature 2000 VIPs from IT industry and government here for a little conversation on the future of our world. WCIT President Glyn Meeks, city CIO Pete Collins, Cisco's Billy Shoemaker and I have worked to make wireless a critical part of that event. So what's my beef? Well, its just this. MetroNet broadband is a nascent Infrastructure technology. All of the activies cited above lack that broad-reaching infrastructure component, which suggests that we should look at it differenlty. To build infrastructure in isolation and without regional discussion leads to problems well documented at the start of the electric industry a century ago. It didn't work then, and I propose that it won't work well without regional planning this time either. We've been down this road before. It used to be that infrastructure required huge amounts of capital, so only a few players could do it, and the large capital projects were regulated, monitored, planned, and implemented with the intention of spending the money wisely and locating the infrastructure where it could do the most good. Not so with this new infrastructure, which is so affordable and unlicensed that independent entities can do as they wish. So, enter MetroNetIQ.com and my local activities to get our community on the same page in Central Texas. Stay tuned, and I'll drill down on more details in the days ahead. Posted on February 04, 2006 at 06:21 PM | Comments (0) Change Starts at Home: Austin & Central Texas Get their Broadband Act TogetherI've called Austin and Central Texas home for almost 36 years, and like anyone or anything you've known that long, I love it, but I can also get so irritated and impatient with it that my eyes could pop out. And that impatience applies in spades to our lack of cohesion and vision when it comes to broadband infrastructure and regional planning. Our fragmented political and social climate give us a diversity and energy that makes us the envy of many more stable but less exciting metropoitan areas. But that fragmentation has to date worked against us in forming a vision for regional broadband infrastructure. I started a campaign here two years ago to talk about new wireless technolgies and what they could do for our city, and you would not beleive the number of blank stares I received. It just was not on the agenda at that time. It is now. I've launched this site, and in less than two months, we will have wireless Hot Zones in both Austin's downtown area AND in Round Rock, the suburb to our north and home to Dell Corporate Headquarters. I have a pivotal role in each project, and that's a huge victory. I'm also mobilizing a Regional Wireless Roundtable Breakfast, comprised of regional government stakeholders (35 attendees so far, representing 10 cities and counties), where we will have our first truly regional discussion on the impact and potential of broadband. The conference is sponsored by Cisco and organized by MicroCast with collaboration from MuniWireless. I'll be blogging about these events in Central Texas with an eye towards creating a model for regional collaboration and organization. I'm not convinced that the present model of municpally led RFPs will survive as the way our nation gets broadband. While I applaud the initiaive and support the goals of muncipal RFPs, I believe that regional collaboration such as we have seen recently in Silicon Valley and as I am promoting in Austin and on this website is a more rational and practical approach, which in the long run may take more time, but will result in a more lasting and efficient regional impact. Read On for some background on Austin, and stay tuned to this blog for the blow-by-blow of our activities in Central Texas. Posted on February 04, 2006 at 09:09 AM | Comments (0) Let's Get This Party Started! It's Time to Begin Regional CollaborationTo My Readers, I just told a fellow consultant in an email this morning: it's rare that business comes to find me, I usually have to go out and get it! It's time to get going! So my opening message to you, my readers, in my first blog, on my new website, is just this: I'm a metropolitan broadband consultant, I know what I'm doing, and I'm action-oriented. I'm ready to go make things happen. I've laid out my perspectives and views on this site, and I believe that this is the right way to go. I'm available today (although my calendar is getting busier by the day, I'll find the time to help cities get going.) Contact me and let's make plans to get going in your region. Here's the gist of my email to my friend. I like this analogy of you all reading over my shoulder. "This week, I've been focused on finishing the website, I landed one significant contract, and I'll get two more contracts today for networks in Austin and Round Rock, just to our north. It's been an exciting week. I could launch the website today, for sure by Monday. That will be a reference point that you can refer your people to. I've been thinking a lot about regional collaboration and how to capture the market interest in Metropolitan Broadband. Let's get busy and do some work together. Let's go help put Texas on the map. No need to sit around and wait to hear back from city officials as they exchange phone messages - yechhh. Let's find those who are ready to go. Why don't you jump on this and set up some meetings? Message points for regional leaders 1. Metropolitan broadband is available now, there are many options, and they're increasingly affordable. It's not as risky as it looks at first glance. I. Individual city consulting. MetroNetIQ will meet with local city officials and assess their situation and offer an opinion on how to proceed. This is a quick hit approach to save those who are ready to go now the time of weeks/months spent wading through the learning process. Price ranges from $5,000 to $9,995 for an intense two-day session - under the $10,000 threshold of most cities' procurement guidelines. For those cities that really want to do this, and are ready to get started, this will be money well spent. II. Regional collaboration consulting - vendor independent. Regional meetings, starting with an initial breakfast collaboration meeting - interested participants can pool their money to pay for an initial event, at app. $10,000/session plus travel, based on individual scoping. With 10 regional city participants, that would be $1,000/ea plus 1/10 of travel, and we would come to them - convenient. Follwing initial orientation and facilitated discussion, we would chart a course of action, answer questions, and preferably, identify and launch a series of pilot projects that would let neighboring cities come to see first hand what the technology does and how it works. In other words, this is a way to begin to get active, to move quickly but prudently out of the studying mode and into the doing mode. While I'll be busy here in Austin with my new contracts, with my website, and with my efforts to promote Metropolitan Broadband globally, getting out into commnities is my bread and butter. That's what energizes me. I would love to advise you, support you, and when you have it lined up, travel out into the field to deliver this consulting. By working together, we can help each other - no more talk, let's get busy! As always, let me know how it goes, and what you think. Best Regards, John Cooper Well, cities, the ball is in your court. What I said to my friend applies to you as well. I urge you to be deliberate, but not to a fault. Often, the real learning only begins when you take action. Sometimes you just have to go out and get it, because if you wait, it won't come to you quickly, if ever. There's safety in numbers. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. The hardest thing about exercising is lacing up your shoes and getting out there. OK, I'll stop. Posted on February 04, 2006 at 06:46 AM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: A New Vocabulary
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:50 PM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: A-E
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. Access Point - Also known as an AP, an access point is a wireless hub or "base station" that transmits and receives Wi-Fi wireless data traffic in a typical range of 100 to 500 feet. An external antenna can extend that range. An access point is usually attached to a wired LAN which is connected through a router back to the Internet. Access points are easy to set up and range in price from under $100 to over $1,000. They are available from companies such as Linksys, Proxim, Tropos, D-Link, Netgear, Cisco and many others. Anchor Tenant - One definition of anchor tenant is an influential organization in a network that owns the resources and "leases" network access to tenants. In the case of local government, tenants would be other city departments and organizations, not-for-profits, community groups, businesses, educational institutions, and others. Another definition is a primary tenant on a long-term contract that covers a fixed amount of the costs of the network, thereby reducing the risk of the capital investment by assuring recovery of a portion of the investment. With one or more anchor tenants, a network provider can be more flexible in pricing of services to retail clients and theoretically, gain more market share. ASP - ASP is an acronym for Application Service Provider, a company that provides remote access to applications, typically over the Internet, as an alternative to purchasing software licenses and running them on your own servers or computers. ASPs are used when an organization finds it more cost effective to have someone else host its applications than to host them itself. The applications served up can be as simple as access to a remote fileserver, or as complex as running an order entry system through your browser. The ASP provides the servers, network access, and applications to be used, typically for a monthly or yearly subscription fee. Backhaul - Short for Internet backhaul, this term refers to the transportation of data from the field back to the Internet. Every wireless local area network provides local area bandwidth, but also requires connection to the mother of all networks, the Internet - that's what backhaul is about. The amount of backhaul capacity ("size of the pipe") will impact how well the wireless network performs, and how many subscribers the LAN will support. While my search on Wikipedia did not turn up this term in the Internet context, it did talk about TV broadcast usages, and I suspect that truckers also refer to something like Internet backhaul when they seek out a load to carry in their empty trucks on their way back to their original starting point. The size of the truck will determine how much load can be "hauled back." Bit - This is where the education on digital computing begins. Information is coded as a series of 0s and 1s in digital binary language, the language of compuiers and other digital devices. These discrete 0s and 1s are known as "bits." Byte - A Byte is the (almost) most basic standard measurement of data storage in use. Essentially, a "byte" is a packet of 8-bits of information. See this excellent Wikipedia link for a full detailed description of "bits and bytes." Blog - A weblog (usually shortened to blog, but occasionally spelled web log) is a website of periodic articles (normally in reverse chronological order), often a diary of personal perspectives. Blogs range in scope from individual diaries to arms of political campaigns, media programs, and corporations. They range in scale from the writings of one occasional author, to the collaboration of a large community of writers. Many blogs enable visitors to leave public comments, which can lead to a community of readers centered around the blog; others are non-interactive. The totality of weblogs or blog-related websites is often called the blogosphere. When a large amount of activity, information and opinion erupts around a particular subject or controversy in the blogosphere, it is sometimes called a blogstorm or blog swarm. Unwiremycity.com is a blog, which uses Movable Type blog software. See also Blog, Understanding the Information Revolution by Hugh Hewitt in the Books section. BPL - BPL is an acronym for Broadband over Power Lines, and is a form of PLC, or Power Line Carrier, a technology that uses existing electric utility lines to bring a wired information signal to the end user. In the case of BPL, the wired signal is broadband, running at speeds that typically range between 1.5 and 4 Mbps per subscriber. The technology is not wireless or mobile. On installing BPL end point modems, each electrical socket in the facility becomes an access point. Broadband Internet access - Broadband Internet access, often shortened to "broadband Internet" or just "broadband" is a high data-transmission rate internet connection. DSL and cable modem, both popular consumer broadband technologies, are typically capable of transmitting 512 kilobits per second (kbit/s) or more, approximately nine times the speed of a modem using a standard digital telephone line. Broadband Internet access became a rapidly developing market in many areas in the early 2000s; one study found that broadband Internet usage in the United States grew from 6% in June 2000 to over 30% in 2003.[1] Modern consumer broadband implementations, up to 20 Mbit/s, are several hundred times faster than those available at the time of the birth of the internet (such as ISDN and 56 bit/s) while costing less than ISDN and sometimes no more than 56 kbit/s; though performance and costs vary widely between countries. See this blog for more discussion about the definition of broadband, a potentially volatile political topic. Carrier - A wireless network operator is often referred to as a carrier. Carrier is also a technical radio term for the radio wave that carries voice or data. CDMA - CDMA is an acronym for Code Division Multiple Access, a method pioneered by Qualcomm for transmitting signals over wireless networks. In CDMA, many radios transmit and receive on the network at the same time, making it very efficient. In the US, Sprint and Verizon use CDMA technology. Council of Governments - Also known as "COGs," these regional organizations are peculiar to the USA, serve an area of several counties, addressing issues such as regional and municipal planning, economic and community development, cartography and GIS, hazard mitigation and emergency planning, aging services, water use, pollution control, transit administration, and transportation planning. Representatives from local governments serve on the boards of COGs, and funding comes from a combination of state grants and local contributions. Digital Divide - The population can be divided into two parts: those with and those without digital devices and broadband Internet access. This "digital divide" has ever greater implications, because such modern information technologies as the telephone, television, computers and the Internet play an ever more dominant role in our daily lives. The digital divide exists not only between those in cities and those in rural areas, but also between haves and have nots inside cities. A digital divide could also be said to exist between the educated and the uneducated, between economic classes, and globally, between the industrially developed nations and the Third World. Digital Transition -The term "Digital Transition" describes the process all organizations must go through in the 21st Century, as they leverage new technologies that provide new options for Applications, Equipment, Processes, and Networks that make them more effective. In contrast, the term "Municipal Wireless" is limiting. It puts the network technology ahead of the application and process changes that drive the business case. A good way to understand this issue is to consider analog v. digital. Analog technology was revolutionary in the 20th century, when radio and television changed the landscape through exploitation of better understanding of how radio frequencies behaved. But with the advent of the transistor and the integrated circuit, a digital alternative was born and it matured in the second half of the twentieth century. As this digital progress was employed with the internet at the turn of the century, the potential of the transformation became apparent, and private sector companies began to leverage the new tools to be more competitive. Public sector organizations are lagging now, and have much ground to make up to be more effective. Thus, the "analog" approach reflects a 20th century mindset that still relies upon paper-based data, labor inputs, and manual processes. A "digital" approach demonstrates a 21st century perspective that takes advantage of low-cost, high-power digital computers and storage devices, VOIP communication devices and broadband networks to transform the potential of organizations. Undergoing a digital transformation is a complex task that starts with a paradigm shift regarding the nature of the job, and a rewriting of the processes used to accomplish business objectives. Because digital technology evolves rapidly, a digital transformation is more of an ongoing process than it is an event with a beginning and an end. DSL - DSL is an acronym for Digital Subscriber Line, a broadband data communications technology that transmits information over the copper wires that make up the local loop of the public switched telephone network. DSL bypasses the circuit-switched lines that make up that network and yields much faster data transmission rates than analog modem technologies. Further, a customer’s DSL line is a dedicated line that runs from their residence or business to the telephone network's Central Office, in contrast with Cable broadband, which does not require proximity to the Central Office, but as a shared network resource, it is prone to slower speeds when many users are on-line. E911 - From the FCC website: "The wireless Enhanced 911 (E911) rules seek to improve the effectiveness and reliability of wireless 911 service by providing 911 dispatchers with additional information on wireless 911 calls. The wireless E911 program is divided into two parts - Phase I and Phase II. Phase I requires carriers, upon appropriate request by a local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), to report the telephone number of a wireless 911 caller and the location of the antenna that received the call. Phase II requires wireless carriers to provide far more precise location information, within 50 to 300 meters in most cases. The deployment of E911 requires the development of new technologies and upgrades to local 911 PSAPs, as well as coordination among public safety agencies, wireless carriers, technology vendors, equipment manufacturers, and local wireline carriers. The FCC established a four-year rollout schedule for Phase II, beginning October 1, 2001 and to be completed by December 31, 2005." E911 at the FCC is an attempt to work around the problem created by consumers switching from fixed telephone lines to mobile lines, and to the coming issue of Wi Fi based VoIP for 911 numbers. In a switched network, each terminal point has a unique identifier, which can be used to locate the caller in an emergency 9-1-1 telephone call. But with wireless and Wi Fi VOIP, the telephone call may not provide the necessary location information, leading to the concern over the impact such changes will have on such public safety systems. E-Community - An E-Community is a community with a vision of the future that involves the application of information and communication technologies and broadband infrastructures in a new and innovative way to empower its residents, institutions and regions as a whole. As such, they make the most of the opportunities that new applications afford and broadband-based services can deliver and help improve the community in question. Importantly, an E-Community is not primarily focused on technology. It is about using broadband technology to enhance education, export, elderly care, experience, effectiveness, efficiency, emotions, entertainment and more. Exabyte - An exabyte is a "buttload of data" as we would say down here in Texas. Check out this good Wikipedia link to see a useful table that describes the growing list of terms for data. From Kilobyte (1,000 bytes) to Megabyte (1,000,000) to Gigabyte (1,000,000,000) - see a pattern here? - to Terabyte (1,000,000,000,000) to Petabyte (1,000,000,000,000,000) to Exabyte (1,000,000,000,000,000,000), the list goes on and on. Oh, there's two more categories - "Zettabyte" and "Yottabyte," but let's not go there for now. To get a better idea of Orders of Magnitude, and how they all fit together, with some pertinent real-world examples, see this link. ExaFlood - From Wikipedia: the word exabyte is the basis for the term "exaflood", a neologism created by Bret Swanson of the Discovery Institute in a January 2007 Wall Street Journal editorial.[12] Exaflood refers to the rapidly increasing torrent of data transmitted over the Internet. The amount of information people upload, download and share on the Internet is growing (due in large part to video, audio and photo applications), at an exponential rate while the capacity of the Internet, its bandwidth, is limited and susceptible to a "flood" of data. Ethernet - Ethernet is a frame-based computer networking technology for local area networks (LANs). It defines wiring and signaling for the physical layer, and frame formats and protocols for the media access control (MAC)/ data link layer of the OSI model. Ethernet is mostly standardized as IEEE 802. It has become the most widespread LAN technology in use since networking became widespread in the 1990s, and has largely replaced all other LAN standards. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:40 PM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: F-J
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. Hot Spot - A Hot Spot is a location where wireless access points make high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access available on a free or fee basis. Hot Spots are mostly found in public spaces, such as hotels, airports, convention centers, libraries, coffee shops, pubs and restaurants. A Hot Spot is the name given for a public area that provides Wi Fi Internet access. From the www.whatis.com website: "For users of portable computers equipped for wireless, a hot spot (or hotspot) is a wireless local area network node that provides Internet connection and virtual private network (VPN) access from a given location. For example, a business traveler with a laptop equipped for Wi Fi can look up a local hot spot, contact it, and get connected through its network to reach the Internet and their own company remotely with a secure connection. Increasingly, public places, such as airports, hotels, and coffee shops are providing free wireless access for customers." Hot Spots use Wi Fi radios similar to those used in residences, with a transmission range of approximately 300 ft. In fact, for many small business Hot Spots, the technology is identical to that used at home. IP - IP is an acronym for Internet Protocol, which is the protocol within Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) that is used to send data between computers over the Internet. More specifically, this protocol governs the routing of data messages, which are transmitted in smaller components called packets. Devices that use IP are speaking a common language, using the Internet as their communication network. ISP - An ISP is an Internet Service Provider, a company that provides Internet access to individual or corporate customers over dial-up, DSL, cable, satellite, and, increasingly, wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi. Traditional consumer ISPs include: Earthlink, AOL and MSN. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:30 PM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: K-O
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. Killer App - This term was devised to explain what happens when a computer application is so popular that it leads consumers to adopt a new technology in droves. For instance, e-mail and the Netscape web browser are described as killer apps with regard to the early days of dial-up Internet access. In more current terms, I have described VOIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, and its accompanying voice applications and services as a Killer App for metropolitan networks. LAN - A LAN is a Local Area Network, which is a wired or wireless network connecting two or more computers or other devices over a short distance, such as within an office or a home. Wi-Fi is a wireless LAN technology. Luddite - The Luddites or Ludds were a social movement of English workers in the early 1800s who protested – often by destroying textile machines – against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution that they felt threatened their jobs. The movement which began in 1811 was named after a probably mythical leader, Ned Ludd. For a short time the movement was so strong that it clashed in battles with the British Army. Harsh repressive measures by the government included a mass trial at York in 1813 that resulted in many death penalties and exiles. Since then, the term Luddite has been used to describe anyone opposed to technological progress and technological change. For the modern movement of opposition to technology, see neo-luddism MSA - Metropolitan Statistical Area - As defined by the US Office of Management and Budget: "a county or group of contiguous counties that contain (1) at least one city of 50,000 inhabitants or more (or "twin cities" with a combined population of at least 50,000), or (2) an urbanized area of at least 50,000 inhabitants and a total MSA population of at least 100,000 (75,000 in New England)." The contiguous counties are included in an MSA if, according to certain criteria, they are essentially metropolitan in character and are socially and economically integrated with the central city. In New England, MSA's consist of towns MSP - An MSP or Managed Service Provider is a company that manages a client's network and applications, typically over the Internet. MSPs are used when an organization finds it more cost effective to have someone else host its applications than to host them itself. Mesh Network - In a mesh network, client devices such as wireless nodes, PCs, laptops, PDAs and other wireless devices communicate with each other, passing along a signal until it can be delivered to its destination, or in the other direction, to the Internet at an Internet gateway. The best example of a mesh network in production is the Tropos Networks MetroMesh(TM) Architecture, which is an enhancement of Wi Fi for metropolitan-scale Wi Fi mesh networks. First, the power of the radio transmission is expanded to its FCC maximum 1 Watt (v. 100 milliWatts for typical Wi Fi), enlarging the range of the node from 300-feet to a quarter-mile. The compelling, patented enhancement, however, is to have the radios talk to each other four times/second while they configure new data paths for optimal data transfer. By hanging these self-configuring radios on street light poles, a city-wide mesh is created where the data signal is picked up by the closest radio, and then handed off to a sister radio until the signal finds its way back to an Internet gateway, usually less than three hops. Mesh networking puts a true city-wide broadband network within reach of almost any city. Because mesh technology is adaptable to the particular needs of a city, the network design is based on size, topography, and anticipated data bandwidth requirements. Each network is custom-designed, but the equipment that comprises the network is standard, so it remains affordable - the capital costs fall between $50,000 -$100,000/square mile, which is much less than the millions needed for a wired network. Further, because the nodes are self-configuring, the cost to design these networks is contained as well. And maintenance costs are minimal with the sealed containers that enclose the radios. Finally, the rapidly changing data paths inherent in mesh networks make them very secure: even if a hacker were able to get into the transmission through the security protocol in place - a new data path would be assigned in less than a second, and the hacker would receive only a tiny portion of the transmission. Mesh network nodes are complemented in a city-wide network by point-to-point radios and wired networks, because the technology requires a network design with sufficient numbers of "gateway nodes." These nodes have direct connection to the Internet, either through a DSL or cable Internet connection, or back over a wireless {point-to-point radio} to an Internet connection. At some point, the local area network needs to connect to the Internet. Metcalfe's Law- Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet technology, observed that the value of a communications system increases by the square of the number of people connected to it - in time this became known as "Metcalfe's Law," no doubt in homage to Moore's Law (see below). Metcalfe's Law explains why networks such as the Internet have increasing returns - the larger the network, the greater the advantage to each participant on the network. Each new participant brings value to the overall system. Thus, according to Metcalfe's Law, a network with only 10 users connected to it would have a theoretical value of 100, whereas a network with 100 people connected to it would have a theoretical value of 10,000 - 10 times more participants result in 100 times more value for all participants. This equation supports the tremendous increase in utility of telephones, fax machines, the Internet, and will support metropolitan networks as they grow. Moore's Law - Moore's Law, attributed to Gordon E. Moore, a co-founder of Intel, is the empirical observation reportedly made in the 1960s that at the rate of technological development we have experienced over the last 40 years, the complexity of an integrated circuit, with respect to minimum component cost, will double each 24 months. So far, the "law" has largely held true. MVNO - A Mobile Virtual Network Operator provides operator services, but does not have a physical network. MVNOs purchase capacity from a facilities-based network operator to provide mobile services to customers. By licensing and reselling others' network and device infrastructure and services, MVNOs acquire the systems capability necessary to provide services and roaming. Network Layer - Level 3 in the 7-layer OSI Model, this layer is utilized by a segment of the ISP industry comprising the companies that buy access to the physical layer pipes of telephone companies. Those companies then build nationwide TCP/IP backbones and sell access on a wholesale basis to brand layer companies. UUNET was the most successful early network layer company and sold access to brand layer companies such as Earthlink, AOL and MSN. This group of companies forms the middle layers of the OSI Model. Network Operator - A company that provides wireless digital data services by assembling and managing the required equipment, sites, switches, lines, circuits, software, and other transmission apparatus used to provide telecommunications services. NOC - A NOC is a Network Operations Center, the physical command center of a telecommunications network, which monitors a large network, 24 hours a day. A NOC is typically a room with monitors showing the real time, detailed status of one or more networks, and is the location of servers that run the network. OEM - An OEM is an Original Equipment Manufacturer, a term for any company in the computer industry that makes equipment for sale through a reseller to end users, including desktop computers, laptops and networking equipment such as routers and Wi-Fi PCMCIA cards and access points. Examples of OEMs include Dell, HP, Sony, Apple, Proxim, Tropos, Linksys, Siemens, and Cisco. OSI Model - The OSI, or Open System Interconnection, model defines a networking framework for implementing protocols in seven layers. Control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the application layer in one station proceeding to the bottom layer over the channel to the next station and back up the hierarchy. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:20 PM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: P-T
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. P2MP - P2MP stands for point-to-multipoint. The term is used to describe wireless broadband technology that sends a signal from one point to many. This technology is currently used as a substitute for DSL or cable. P2MP technology is sometimes referred to as WiMAX, a standard that is not yet in production (should be referenced as "pre-WiMAX.") Packet - In network communications, a packet is the fundamental bundle of data that is organized in a group for transmission. A packet typically contains three elements: control information, data to be transferred, and error detection and correction bits. Packet Switching - In computer networking and telecommunications, packet switching is a communications paradigm in which packets (messages or fragments of messages) are individually routed between nodes, with no previously established communication path. In 2.5G or 3G, a phone call is broken into packets and sent across the network where it is reassembled into an audio stream on the other side. With packet switching, a communications channel is only tied up for the time it takes to transmit a single packet, making it generally more efficient than circuit switching, which ties up an entire channel for the duration of the transmission. If a network is analogous to a freeway, with circuit switching, a lane can only be used by one car at a time, whereas packet switching allows a lane to be used by many cars at once. Physical Layer - In network communications, the physical layer is level one in the seven level OSI model of computer networking. The physical layer performs services requested by the data link layer. The physical layer is the segment of the ISP industry comprised of those companies that build and operate physical network infrastructure, such as Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), long distance carriers and cable companies, and those who sell wholesale access to network layer companies such as UUNET, who in turn operate nationwide TCP/IP networks. Physical layer companies include SBC, Verizon and AT&T. PLC - PLC stands for Power Line Communications, the use of the existing utility power grid as the medium to send broadband data communications. In theory, plugging a computer device into an existing power outlet would connect the user to the Internet by tapping into already established national and global power grid networks. PLC is not a wireless technology. See BPL. Podcasting - Put iPod together with broadcasting and what do you get? I'll give you a hint - it's not a Reese's peanut butter cup. No, this is a new way to experience radio - by the drink. When a producer or distributor of audio content makes the content available for individual, personalized downloads, she is "podcasting," presumably to people's iPods. This is a new way to experience audio content, and it has even been applied recently to video content. We've come a long way from the radio fireside chats of FDR (linked for our younger readers), which were so popular on the "wireless" of 60 years ago. See Convergence of Paris Hilton and G.M. - New York Times for more. POP - A POP is a Point of Presence, which is a network router that allows a user in one place to connect to their ISP in another. In a broader sense, a POP is also an artificial demarcation or interface point between communications entities. In the US, this term became important during the court-ordered breakup of the Bell Telephone system in the 1980s. Back then, a point of presence was a location where a long-distance carrier could terminate services and provide connections into a local telephone network. Reverse 911 - The idea behind reverse 9-1-1 is to store resident's telephone numbers in a confidential database, so that in the case of a public emergency, emergency workers or police would be able to send a telephone or cellular message to alert citizens of the situation and provide any necessary warning or evacuation information. Roaming - Roaming is a general term in wireless telecommunications that refers to the extending of connectivity service in a network that is different than the network with which a station is registered. The canonical example of "roaming" is for cell phones, when you take your phone to an area where your service provider does not have coverage (eg, another country). Roaming Layer - The roaming layer is the segment of the Wi-Fi industry that serves as clearing house and technology provider between the network layer and the brand layer. SCADA - SCADA is an acronym for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. As the name indicates, it is not a full control system, but rather focuses on the supervisory level. Utilities use SCADA systems to monitor and control their distributed infrastructures. For instance, electric utilities rely on SCADA to know what the voltage levels are at different points out on the grid. System Integrator or SI - A system integrator brings together multiple pieces of a complex system like a municpal broadband network, in much the same way that a general contractor takes responsibillity to get a house built. The SI serves a vital role as a single point of contact responsible for the creation of the system. Examples of an SI include IBM Global Services, which works with several vendors on a custom solution, and WFI, which started off building cellular networks and migrated to building municipal networks. T-1 - Also known as DS1 and T1, a T-1 is a dedicated digital communication link provided by a telephone company that offers 1.5 megabits per second of bandwidth, commonly used for carrying traffic to and from private business networks and Internet service providers. TCP/IP - TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol, the set of standards for how computers and other devices communicate with each other over networks. Developed in the 1970's, TCP/IP allowed computers from different manufacturers to talk to each other in a common way for the first time, and TCP/IP became the foundation for communication on the Internet. Telecommunication - Any transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writings, images, sounds, or information of any nature by wire, radio, visual, or other electromagnetic systems. Terreestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) - TETRA is a specialist professional mobile radio and walkie talkie standard used by emergency responders such as police, ambulance, and by the military. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:10 PM | Comments (0) Glossary of Metropolitan Broadband Terms: U-Z
This glossary of metropolitan broadband terms is drawn from a number of resources, all cited in the Orientation Resources sections of this website. Learning these terms is like learning a new language, so I urge you to jump in and start using them in conversation. Get familiar with them - try to use them in whole sentences, as in "I can't decide whether we need a WLAN or a WMAN for our town, but one things for sure, if we don't do something soon, we'll be stuck in a Hot Spot!" Use this glossary as a reference: when you are stumped, be sure to refer back to the on-line reference sites as well. www.Wikipedia.org and www.whatis.com are two great resources. Most definitions can click through to their Wikipedia definition. PLEASE EMAIL ME NEW TERMS THAT YOU LOOK FOR, BUT DON'T FIND IN THIS GLOSSARY. VoD - VoD means Video on Demand, a service that provides streaming video or video download service to allow the customer to selectively choose the time and place of showing. VoD generally requires a bandwidth connection of at least 2mbps to be effective. VoIP - VoIP means Voice over Internet Protocol, and is pronounced either V-O-I-P, or as the one-syllable word "voyp." VoIP is a category of hardware and software that enables people to use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls by sending voice data in packets using IP rather than by traditional circuit transmissions of the PSTN. One advantage of VoIP is that the telephone calls over the Internet do not incur a surcharge beyond what the user is paying for Internet access, much in the same way that the user does not pay for sending individual e-mails over the Internet. VPN - VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. A VPN is virtual because it creates a private network by using a public network as the means of transporting the information. VPN's rely on encryption and other network security means to ensure that their private information is not intercepted while on the public network. Wi-Fi - Wi Fi is a brand name created by the Wi Fi Alliance and attached to a set of global technology standards for wireless data networking equipment. Wi-Fi(R) is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, a nonprofit international association formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of wireless Local Area Network products based on IEEE 802.11 specification. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the Wi-Fi Alliance currently has over 200 member companies from around the world, and over 1500 products have received Wi-Fi(R) certification since certification began in March of 2000. The goal of the Wi-Fi Alliance's members is to enhance the user experience through product interoperability. When the IEEE standards committee agreed to a set of standards, they allowed manufacturers to produce equipment that was interoperable. As the market grew under this new standard, the price for equipment fell dramatically. A $5000 wireless radio five years ago now can be had for under $50. Most folks know of Wi Fi by the wireless routers used in home networks. The technology has also been widely applied in enterprises to expand wired Local Area Networks (LANs), and starting about three years ago, in {hot spots} where users gain free or for-fee high speed Internet access. In the past year or so, Wi Fi technology has been enhanced to create {Metropolitan Mesh} networks for citywide broadband. A contraction of "Wireless Fidelity," Wi Fi LANs have a typical range of 100-500 feet. Anyone can set up a low-cost Wi-Fi network and cover a home, an office or a public space with high-speed wireless Internet access that is more than 100 times faster than a typical dial-up modem connection. Unlike other wireless technologies such as CDMA and GSM, Wi-Fi enjoys 100% global acceptance. It is becoming known as the "TCP/IP of wireless" -- a single wireless networking standard for all developers, equipment manufacturers, service providers and users, and comparisons are made with Ethernet in terms of projected impact on networking. As with TCP/IP, any innovation in Wi-Fi benefits everyone else in the Wi-Fi community. Hundreds of manufacturers produce and distribute Wi-Fi radios and access points. The single Wi-Fi standard ensures these devices all interoperate with each other, so, for example, an access point made by Proxim or Tropos will communicate with a network card from Linksys. The term "Wi-Fi" covers many wireless standards established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), an international standards organization: 802.11b is the original Wi-Fi standard, which operates at up to 11Mbits in the 2.4GHz band. 802.11b accounts for the bulk of all Wi-Fi equipment sold. The evolution of Wi-Fi includes the following 802.11 standards that are under development: 802.11e defines enhancements to provide quality of service (QoS). It will include support for prioritized access to different classes of data traffic and user types. This will lead to greatly improved performance for applications such as video, multimedia streaming and voice, in addition to providing prioritized access on a per-user or per-application basis. WikiA type of website that allows users to add and edit content easily and is especially suited for collaborative writing, the word "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian term for "quick", "fast", or "to hasten" (Hawaiian dictionary). Sometimes the reduplication wikiwiki (or Wikiwiki) is used instead of wiki (Hawaiian dictionary).The term Wiki also sometimes refers to the collaborative software itself (wiki engine) that facilitates the operation of such a website (see wiki software). In essence, wiki is a simplification of the process of creating HTML web pages combined with a system that records each individual change that occurs over time, so that at any time, a page can be reverted to any of its previous states. A wiki system may also provide various tools that easily allow the user community to monitor the constantly changing state of the wiki and discuss the issues that emerge in trying to achieve a general consensus about wiki content. Wiki content can also be misleading as users may add incorrect information to the Wiki page. Be sure to check out WikiMetroNet, the on-line collaborative MetroNet Users Manual and companion website to this one! It's a one-two punch! WiMAX - WiMAX(TM) is a trademark of the WiMAX Forum. Also known as IEEE 802.16, WiMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, which is a point to multi point, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) wireless broadband access technology. WiMAX can transfer data at rates around 70Mbps with a range of close to 30 miles all from just a single base station. It has the potential to enable even more millions to access the Internet wirelessly, cheaply and easily. These base stations will eventually cover an entire metropolitan area, making that area into a WMAN and allowing true wireless mobility within it, as opposed to hot-spot hopping required by Wi-Fi. WiMAX standard relies mainly on spectrum in the 2 to 11 GHz range. The WiMAX specification improves upon many of the limitations of the Wi-Fi standard by providing increased bandwidth and stronger encryption. Commercial development of WiMAX is expected to start by the summer of 2006. Wireless Modern usage - Wireless is a very broad term used to describe any telecommunications wherein the signal moves over the air instead of over a wired network. The breadth of the term can cause confusion: originally, "wireless" was a synonym for radio; in more recent years, "wireless phones" referred specifically to mostly voice communication over cellular networks; and in the last few years, "wireless data" has come to refer also to newer data technologies such as Wi Fi, WiMAX, etc. WISP - A WISP is a Wireless Internet Service Provider, a provider who provides fixed and/or mobile Internet access to users through wireless networks, typically setting up numerous Hot Spots or larger WMANs. WLAN - A Wireless Local Area Network, synonymous with Hot Spots and Access Points. WMAN - This acronym stands for Wireless Metropolitan Area Network, and is used to describe a large network that covers a broad metropolitan area such as an entire major city. Historically operated by major wireless carriers, WMANs provide voice and relatively low-bandwidth data service over a broad area, and require a dense network of communications towers, as well as spectrum licenses from the government. WANs can cost hundreds of millions of dollars to establish and maintain. A newer form of WMAN would use emerging WiMAX technology (IEEE 802.16) with a much lower cost structure. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 11:04 PM | Comments (0) Pundits and Blogs
Following the writings of pundits or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) is like having a tutor - somebody really smart who can explain new things to you in new ways to both increase your knowledge and broaden your perspective. Weblogs (aka blogs) - well, that's one of those new things that's on the fast track. Blogs are a new phenomenon in journalism followed by a small but growing number of online readers. Blogs are getting more and more attention, not only from the press, who are starting to incorporate this grass-roots journalism into their more main-stream material, but also from corporations who see an alternate means to reach their constituencies. Readers and writers of blogs are becoming highly influential. I've learned a lot from the experts below and so can you.
Clay Shirky has some of the most insightful commentary on the changes that wireless broadband and pervasive Internet are likely to bring about, to be found at Clay Shirky's Internet Writings. Clay is a consultant on the social and economic effects of Internet technologies, as well as an adjunct professor in NYU's graduate Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where he teaches courses on the interrelated effects of social and technological network topology.
David S. Isenberg Check out David's site, David Isenberg's Home for Stupid Networks and SMART People, as well as his newly launched annual get together, F2C: Freedom to Connect. David is a self-described "former Bell Head," who wrote a seminal essay on the "dumb network," wherein intelligence is out at the edges in PCs, rather than inside the network. I find his writing to be consistently thought-provoking and you should too - check out his blog, isen.blog.
Esme Vos, This municipal wireless pioneer has put together one of the most helpful sites around. Published out of Amsterdam, Muniwireless is a great tool to track the wide-ranging events occurring around the globe with regard to metropolitan wireless deployments and includes a newsletter option as well. Sign up for the newsletter, and be sure to check out Esme's site today. Don't miss the free downloads of these three valuable tools : a) the Muniwireless March 2005 Report, which has a comprehensive listing and description of municipal wireless deployments; b) RFP Heaven, which has a model RFP; and c) the City Wireless Network Cookbook provided by municipal wireless consultant Civitium .
EuroTelcoblog This blog gives a good perspective on what's happening in Europe. James Enck, European Telecom Analyst and Global Telecom Strategist for Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Ltd., publishes this blog to track disruptive influences on the telecom industry. This offers a great perspective on wireless in Europe, which provides nuances to understanding what is going on here in the US.
Glenn Fleishman Glenn's blog Wi-Fi Networking News features daily news on wireless, as the title suggests, and some of the best editorializing on wireless that you can find on the web. Wi-Fi Networking News dates to spring 2001, and since its founding it has been an independent editorial entity devoted to regular news on wireless data networking. Owned and operated by Glenn, the site sometimes features other writers and/or partnerships with other sites, but throughout, Glenn's editorial presence is strong. See also Glenn's email newsletter WeeklyWire.
Greg Richardson has rapidly become one of the leading municipal wireless consultants in this new industry. His company, Civitium, is the consultant on many of the RFPs for new metropolitan wireless deployments. Be sure to download his City Wireless Network Cookbook off of the www.muniwireless.com website.
Howard Rheingold's blog, Smart Mobs, was set up to discuss topics in his examination of "A Website and Weblog about Topics and Issues discussed in the book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution". I recommend the book to get an idea of how a ubiquitous Internet in your town could begin to change the way your town operates and interacts.
Jim Baller, founder of the Baller Herbst Law Firm in Washington, D.C., is the leading legal expert on municipal broadband networks and his website has the best resources to keep track of this fast moving issue of state prohibitions and barriers to municpal wireless networks. Jim is a great resource for city planners, and is closely aligned with the American Public Power Association, which is an advocate of community broadband for its 2000 members and the cities they represent.
Kevin Werbach simply is one of the most experienced and best connected mavens in the wireless industry. The Supernova Report is a regular newsletter published by Kevin Werbach. Formerly an FCC wireless expert, and now on the Wharton Business School faculty, Kevin is a leading wireless pundit. His annual conference, Supernova, offers insights into the future of wireless applications and lifestyles, and his blog, Werblog, is timely and insightful.
GigaOm , the blog by Om Malik, covers a wide-range of topics, including broadband, voip, and other digital lifestyle issues. This is a very timely blog, and well read. He seems to have his finger on the pulse.
I, Cringely | PBS I could write a short description, but the blog description is so much better: For eight years from 1987-95, Robert X. Cringely wrote the Notes From the Field column in InfoWorld, a weekly computer trade newspaper. He is also the author of the best-selling book "Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date." Most recently, Cringely is the host and writer of the hit PBS-TV miniseries "Electric Money." (If you'd like to own "Electric Money," you can.) Cringely's work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Upside, Success, Worth, and many other magazines and newspapers. The sex symbol, airplane enthusiast and adventurer continues to write about personal computers and has an active consulting business in Silicon Valley, selling his cybersoul to the highest bidder. And then, this gem: When it comes to information technology, I know what I am talking about. Twenty years in and around the PC business have earned me wisdom, if not wealth. It's not that I am so smart, but that my friends are smart. The best and brightest in Silicon Valley talk to me all the time. It's my job to sift through their thoughts for valuable bits to share with you. But wait, if I am so great, why is this service free? Good question! Maybe it's time to renegotiate my contract with PBS.
Steve Stroh publishes a private newsletter called FOCUS On Broadband Wireless Internet Access.
The Wireless Weblog has fresh news on wireless. This site is worthwhile to track developments more from an industry perspective. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 08:40 PM | Comments (1) Whitepapers for Registered UsersAs a Registered User, you are now part of one of the newest communities in the world. Members of the MetroNetIQ.com community share a desire to know more about the practical aspects of creating a wireless broadband cloud over a city, town, or region. You can use this area to review and access available downloads. Please see the list below of over 70 downloads, which will continue to grow. On MetroNetIQ.com, these downloads are available only to registered users. You can access them here, or out on the site in the different category areas. Note: you will need to register on MetroNetIQ first before downloading these whitepapers. ORIENTATION: Background White Papers MetroNetIQ.com Resources Whitepaper on Structural Change Wireless Networks as Disruptive Influences Electric Utilities and Municipal Networks Chart of Wireless Vendors I assembled this chart over the past 18 months. I recommend you start here to get familiar with the industry landscape and take notes on those vendors that look promising. I left this particular document in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format, so you can take this and make the chart you need for planning. I recommend you cut and paste the company names into Google to find websites as you get familiar with the industry. Center for Digital Government Building the Untethered Nation: A Strategic Guide for Local Government on Wireless Technology and the Community Infrastructure (no downloads available - call The Center for Digital Government at 916-932-1300 (Folsom, CA) Intel Digital Cities Initiative The Wireless City: Enhancing Productivity, Efficiency and Lifestyle Understanding Wi-Fi and WiMAX as Metro-Access Solutions Deploying Secure Wireless Networks: Intel's strategies to minimize WLAN risk Mobile Digital Cities: Shifting to a knowledge-based economy IBM Pervasive Wireless (links, not downloads) IBM mobile connectivity for public wireless local area networks IBM wireless broadband for municipalities IBM Wireless Solutions for the Mobile Government Worker Tropos: Creating Capacity Using Superior Routing: The Metro-Scale Mesh Networking Facts Tropos: Receive Sensitivity: A Practical Explanation Tropos MetroMesh Architecture Overview Intel WiMAX and mesh whitepaper On Networks Intel Wireless Broadband Whitepaper 2004 INPUT Wireless Internet Expands Broadband Price Waterhouse Coopers Broadband Future Unstrung article: A Wireless Taxonomy On Spectrum Citizen's Guide to the Airwaves The Cartoon Guide to Federal Spectrum Policy, which is a little more on the lighter side (a challenge when dealing with a topic like spectrum!) Radio Revolution I think that this comprehensive whitepaper by Kevin Werbach did more to give me the perspective on the potential of smart radios and a new way of looking at wireless spectrum than anything else I've read. This is a great place to start to begin to understand radio, wireless, and why there is so much potential in this area. Spectrum Regulatory and Legislative Primer The changes before the FCC are laid out in this whitepaper. What happens in this area in the next several years will go a long way to determining how much we are all able to take advantage of the potential of wireless broadband technologies. Broadband Public Safety Data Networks in the 4.9 GHz Band:Potential, Pitfalls & Promise Tropos authors drill down on the potential of using the Public Safety spectrum to bring wireless broadband to a community. Four Scenarios for TV Spectrum In this intriguing analysis, David Isenberg explores different scenarios based on how the spectrum currently allocated to analog television broadcasters is treated by the FCC. What will they do to open up this new territory? In a sense, we are at a threshold not unlike when the federal government looked to open up new geographic territory in the development of this country one hundred years ago. 1994 Keynote Interview on Spectrum Availability This interview by the founder of Metricom, a company before its time that tried and failed to provide wireless broadband at the end of the last century, will take some time to get through, but it's like one of those dusty finds from up in the attic. When I found this on Google and read through it, I thought I should share it with you - for those who really want to dive deep on this topic. On Electric Utilities and Broadband Economist Article on the Energy Internet Municipally Owned Utilities and Broadband Energy Future Coalition Report on Smart Grids American Public Power Assn on Utility Broadband On WiMAX Intel WiMAX and mesh whitepaper Intel WiMAX Houston County Georgia Case Study Open Standards for Broadband Wireless Networks: Wi-Fi to WiMAX On Network Security Multi-Layered Security Framework for Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Networks This whitepaper demonstrates the issues of security in a wireless environment, with particular attention to the issues associated with mesh technology on a large scale. Intel Security for Wireless Networks is a good primer on security issues with regard to wireless networks. On Neighborhood Security Tropos Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Networks for Video Surveillance This white paper describes the impact that a "crime control system" had on high-crime neighborhoods in New Orleans. By combining a Tropos wireless mesh node with a streetlight and a wireless video camera, New Orleans police were able to realize dramatic reductions in assault and murder rates, often crimes of opportunity. A well-lit area that is under video surveillance becomes mighty unattractive for criminals, who we assume either forego their crime or go to seek out a more favorable venue. Either way the community benefits when criminals are disrupted in their nefarious pursuits. Score one for technology! Broadband Public Safety Data Networks in the 4.9 GHz Band:Potential, Pitfalls & Promise Tropos authors drill down on the potential of using the Public Safety spectrum to bring wireless broadband to a community. On the Municipal Broadband Debate The Case for Municipal Broadband succinctly states the argument for municipal broadband. Broadband Economic Development: An Economic Case Study is a more academic look at the economic impact of a municipal broadband network. Highly recommended because of the quantitative approach. Miscellaneous Background Docs 802.11 Technologies: Past, Present, and Future is a thorough review of "Wi Fi" - All of the alphabet soup versions of IEEE's 802.11 industry standard for wireless broadband are reviewed, with a look at what's coming up as well. A Mayor's Guide to Wireless This is a well written wireless primer that covers six different broadband technologies from a city leader's perspective. Sandy Teger and Dave Waks are the principals of System Dynamics Inc., a consultancy specializing in residential broadband technology and planning. They may be reached at 973-644-4739 or editor@bb-home.com. Wireless Without Limits provides a good introduction to wireless issues and solutions. Motorola Connections This article is an interview with Robert Filka, the Chief Operating Officer of the Michigan Broadband Development Authority, a lending entity created by the Michigan State Legislature to help spur the use and availability of affordable high-speed Internet access. The organization issues bonds and uses the proceeds to finance most types of broadband initiatives in underserved communities. FT.com / FT-IT review This Financial Times article, featured in another blog in this category, has lots of good introductory articles on municipal wireless for the novice. Metro-Scale Mesh Networking with Tropos MetroMesh Architecture explains how mesh networking can be used to cover an entire metropolitan area. Price-Performance Comparison: 3G and Tropos MetroMesh Architecture compares the cellular 3G approach to provide full metropolitan coverage and the new Mesh Network approach. A compelling comparison. Forward Compatible Network Management provides an overview of network design issues that come to bear on Wi Fi mesh networks. Receive Sensitivity: A Practical Explanation explains in detail how radios work to receive signals from end devices and how they overcome interference issues inherent in using unlicensed spectrum. Creating Capacity Using Superior Routing: The Metro-Scale Mesh Networking Facts demonstrates the means by which a mesh network can be scalable to cover an entire city - it's in the software. Open Standards for Broadband Wireless Networks: Wi-Fi to WiMAX shows how mesh networks will migrate to WiMAX technology as it comes on line in the next two years. The Perfect Storm This is a compelling look at convergence - in a short form white paper, very readable. PLANNING Documents Five Keys to Successful Metro-Scale Wi-Fi Deployment This Tropos document is succinct and derives its wisdom from the nearly 200 deployments of Tropos gear already out in the field. MIT White Paper on Muni Broadband Networks This Dec 2003 MIT study on local government involvement is prescient in its focus on Municipally Owned Utitlities (MOUs) and the potential for leverage. A Business Case Whitepaper - Maximizing Profitability: Tropos Networks and the Wireless ISP City officials should benefit from this document that describes the business case issues for the private sector WISP that deploys a metropolitan wireless network. Structural Change Chart I captured my thoughts on structural change in this March 2005 document, only to see the reasoning mirrored in Tom Friedman's new book The World is Flat in May. The bottom line is that change is all around, and it's moving faster and faster. The message is get prepared and understand what the change means. UnwireMyCity Principles for Planning This document has my long-held prinicples for planning and for business management captured. Print this and pin it on the wall to keep what is important in front of you. ACTION: RFPs Greg Richardson, CEO at Civitium has written a paper on RFP best practices exclusively for MetroNetIQ.com subscribers. Karl Edwards, VP of Operations at Excelsio Communications, has provided MetroNetIQ.com with this guide of practical pointers for municipal wireless RFPs.
Posted on February 03, 2006 at 08:20 PM City and Broadband Organizations
Numerous organizations are available to help you learn about metropolitan broadband networks and digital government. PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE GOOD RESOURCES FOR MUNICIPALITIES THINKING ABOUT METROPOLITAN BROADBAND Public Technology Home is a city government network planner's best friend. In particular, they have a section entitled Public Technology Wireless Forum, which provides information on wireless for city planners and is a good educational resource. PTI organized a Wireless Education Forum in order to continue the dialogue and learning experience of local governments interested in deploying a wireless technology in their jurisdictions. Start here. NATOA is the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, whose mission is to support and serve the telecommunications interests and needs of local governments. NATOA is a professional association made up of individuals and organizations, who are either responsible for or advise those responsible for telecommunications policies and services in local governments throughout the country. This is a great site for keeping tabs on the role of municipalities in the current debate over telecommunications policy in the US. NASCIO, the National Association of State CIOs, represents state chief information officers and information resource executives and managers from the 50 states, six U. S. territories, and the District of Columbia. State members are senior officials from any of the three branches of state government who have executive-level and statewide responsibility for information resource management. Representatives from federal, municipal, and international governments and state officials who are involved in information resource management but do not have chief responsibility for that function participate in the organization as associate members. Private-sector firms and non-profit organizations may join as corporate members. Center for Digital Government This national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government has valuable white papers and research documents for downloading. A private organization based in Folsom, CA, the Center has advisory services, online resources, and special reports to provide public and private sector leaders with decision support, knowledge, and opportunities to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st Century. American Public Power Association, the national organization for municipally-owned utilites and strong supporter of local economic and community development, has a Community Broadband Initiative that is a good reference source for communities. The Wi Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 200 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). Seeking to enhance the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, over 2,000 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM), encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets. WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, non-profit corporation formed to promote and certify compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products under the the IEEE 802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN wireless MAN standards, aka "WiMAX". Intel - WiMAX - Broadband Wireless Access Technology: Connecting the Next Billion People is a website set up by Intel, which explains: WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including 'last mile' broadband connections, hotspots and cellular backhaul, and high-speed enterprise connectivity for business. WiMAX is a complementary technology to Wi Fi Mesh, and is expected to complete an integrated broadband wireless network solution for towns and cities. On this website, WiMAX in Action, Intel works with the wireless industry to drive deployment of WiMAX networks. To find out more about what WiMAX is and how it is revolutionizing broadband wireless delivery, Intel includes these sections: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 5116 broadband interface, WiMAX Overview Demo, WiMAX Experiences - Case Studies & Videos, Industry Collaboration, and White Papers, Training & Articles. Intel - Digital Cities Initiative is an exciting resource offered by Intel to promote the expansion of metropolitan broadband wireless networks. According to Intel, "A growing number of city and government leaders are implementing eGovernment services using innovative technology to enhance safety and security, citizen satisfaction, and a greater return on tax revenues. Opportunities offered by technology include an integrated infrastructure or 'fabric' for government services, delivered through both broadband wired and wireless information and communications technologies. These core technologies fundamentally transform the way citizens live and work, and serve as the foundation for the Intel vision of the digital city." Go to this site to see examples of applications that will transform your city once you have a broadband wireless network. W2i: The Wireless Internet Institute This organization hosts good conferences worldwide that bring together this small industry. This is also a good source of white papers and briefs, but for a fee. Worth checking out. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 07:40 PM | Comments (0) Laws and RegulationsI'm not an attorney, so I would not pretend to offer you any legal advice in this section. Rather, I would suggest you consult with your own city government departments and recommend also that you consult with the Public Utility Commission in your state to determine if there are any special laws and/or regualtions that might apply. Also, Jim Baller's comprehensive website is the best resource we've found to keep up to date on the changing public policy regarding municipal wireless broadband networks. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 06:39 PM | Comments (0) Spectrum ResourcesRadio Revolution I think that this comprehensive whitepaper by Kevin Werbach did more to give me the perspective on the potential of smart radios and a new way of looking at wireless spectrum than anything else I've read. This is a great place to start to begin to understand radio, wireless, and why there is so much potential in this area. Spectrum Regulatory and Legislative Primer The changes before the FCC are laid out in this whitepaper. What happens in this area in the next several years will go a long way to determining how much we are all able to take advantage of the potential of wireless broadband technologies. Broadband Public Safety Data Networks in the 4.9 GHz Band:Potential, Pitfalls & Promise Tropos authors drill down on the potential of using the Public Safety spectrum to bring wireless broadband to a community. Four Scenarios for TV Spectrum In this intriguing analysis, David Isenberg explores different scenarios based on how the spectrum currently allocated to analog television broadcasters is treated by the FCC. What will they do to open up this new territory? In a sense, we are at a threshold not unlike when the federal government looked to open up new geographic territory in the development of this country one hundred years ago. 1994 Keynote Interview on Spectrum Availability This intriguing interview by the founder of Metricom, a company before its time that tried and failed to provide wireless broadband at the end of the Millenium, will take some time to get through, but it's like one of those dusty finds from up in the attic. When I found this on Google and read through it, I thought I should share it with you - for those who really want to dive deep on this topic. Posted on February 03, 2006 at 06:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory - Under ConstructionI launched this site before I was all the way finished with the content. In a way, its always a work in progress. However, I did want to point out that the Vendor Directory has lots more work to make it effective. Some sections have incomplete information, some pages are not yet ready to load, and clearly, its an ambitious project that will take another few weeks until its as I envisioned it. So when you see this notice: Under construction - please keep browsing, and watch this space for new entries Just step around it, like one of those mop buckets in the hallway, and keep on going. Soon, I'll get rid of all those signs (as I finish mopping up) ;)... In the meantime, please send me vendors that you'd like to see included, or if you are a vendor that would like to be listed, please send me your link, your descriptive information in a short paragraph, your contact name and contact info, and I'll post it. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 11:59 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory - Open for BusinessAn Invitation to the Vendor Community It's easy to join the MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: just email me at john.cooper@metronetiq.com. Until this newly launched site has attracted a wider audience, this listing is free - so act now, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! I also offer vendors another option: an expanded listing service within the directory where vendors can customize and expand the content they show to site visitors. Please contact me if this is of interest and we can get started today. It will never be cheaper than now to act on this offer, so jump on it! An Invitation to the Metropolitan Community Do you have a MetroNet? Do you have an RFP? Please send your information to me and I'll publish it in the third section of this directory, MetroNet Users and Groups. This will provide other cities and towns an opportunity to look at what you have, and give vendors a shot as well at better understanding what you're going through and what you're looking for. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 11:59 PM | Comments (0) The MetroNet Supply Chain - New Value Production for Metropolitan AreasThe advent of new wireless technologies and their steady adoption is resulting in the creation of new metropolitan networks, or "MetroNets." And as we get more of these MetroNets, we are seeing a new ecosystem forming in front of our eyes. This ecosystem has more and more new players, and many old players, organized into a new MetroNet market supply chain. Looking at the supply chain, we see value created by MetroNets and exploited at the several stages of value production, described below. Pre-MetroNet Service Providers MetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers MetroNet Users & Groups Posted on February 01, 2006 at 11:59 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Information ProvidersPre-MetroNet Service Providers Information Providers You may notice some similarities between the entries in this category, and the entries over on the left side of the website, under the Orientation Banner. There's a good reason for that - they're the same. All this information comes from players in the supply chain, and to leave them out of this vendor directory because all they peddle is information would be an oversight, and I won't do that. Take my advice and buy these books, bookmark and read these blogs, and monitor these websites and subscribe to their newsletters. Information is the currency of this new world, and it all starts with feeding your head, so you have the ability to process all this new information. Enjoy. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 11:45 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Information - BooksPre-MetroNet Service Providers Information Providers Blog : Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World by Hugh Hewitt Hewitt takes you into the world of blogs and opens up possibilities for anyone who ever had an opinion and needed to find someone to listen to them. This is the third book that I've read recently that draws comparisons between events of the 17th Century Reformation and Guttenberg's movable type printing press and our 21st Century information revolution. The invention of the printing press allowed Luther's ideas to be widely disseminated, leading to the emancipation of the people from the dominance of the Roman Catholic church. New technology opened up the world for cultural change. Similarly, Hewitt shows how personal blogging software frees readers from reliance on traditional media and editors, who process information for the reading public and choose what we call news. Easy-to-use blog software provides aspiring writers and those with an opinion with a tool so that anyone can publish. Bloggers just have to be good enough to draw an audience - there is nobody stopping them from publishing, or telling them what to write. Increasingly, these blogs are being viewed as more trustworthy than Mainstream Media, according to Hewitt. Blogs and communities go hand in hand. I encourage you to get this book and start a blog to help you manage your wireless effort, to get your whole community involved in the effort, and to let others share in and contribute to your experience. Cities and the Creative Class by Richard Florida. Florida came out with this book as a follow up to his widely succesful first effort, providing a raft of statistical analysis to back up his provocative text from The Rise of the Creative Class, reviewed in depth later in this section. I read this book too, but at some point, I figured it was too much detail for an amateur like myself, and my interest began to wane. I recommend this book for your bookshelf, but it really is more of a reference book than a book to cozy up by the fire with. The City : A Global History by Joel Kotkin This recently published book gives great perspective on the city and its impact on our lives. The city, Kotkin says, is one of man's greatest inventions because it concentrated the learning of people into a dense area and allowed that knowledge to pass down through generations. Civilization really took off when cities became connected, first by ships (Phoenicia), then roads (Rome), then canals, then railroads, then telecommunications. The rest, as they say, is history. Creating Value in the Network Economy by Don Tapscott This compendium of Harvard Business Review articles from 1999 is a great view of how the impact of the Internet was interpreted during the boom. Prescient in their analyses, I believe many of these guys got it right. Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore A modern business classic, considered must-read in tech circles, this book makes what many may consider an obvious point: companies can start with a bang and gain great acceptance among "early adopters," but they must change the way they approach the market if they are going to duplicate that early success with the broader market, which will approach their product or service differently. This amounts to a "chasm" between Stage One and Stage Two, which must be crossed in order to have sustained growth and success. Here's the best review from Amazon. Moore's primary point in this book is that the early adopters of a technology are not necessarily the same as the mainstream market. Moore points out that early adapters often buy things because they're cool, not for practical reasons. Early adapters deal with pain in the form of bad interfaces, minimal network effects. etc. Following this informal observation, Moore divides the population into innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. This is his "Technology Adoption Life Cycle", of which the "underlying thesis is that technology is absorbed into any given community in stages corresponding to the psychological and social profiles of various segments within that market" (p. 15). He illustrates this with a bell curve with a horizontal axis corresponding to time of adoption. There's no explanation for why a Bell curve; I'm guessing it just looks pretty in PowerPoint. Moore continues with "this process can be thought of as a continuum with definite stages, each associated with a definable group" (p. 15), although actual definitions are notable by their absence. So Moore advises us that marketing to the two groups might have to be different. Complex? No. Obvious? Perhaps. In any case, this observation is followed with 185 pages of examples and pep talks which I found perfectly readable, but without much additional content. The second point, which is really just as important, is that the way to "cross the chasm" is by targeting a single industry or group of users, a so-called "vertical market". The only way customers who are beyond the early adopter phase are going to buy into a new product is if it is easy to adopt or if it truly fills a perceived desperate need. That is, it looks less "disruptive". Usually this means a lot of custom integration with industry-specific infrastructure. It's easier to build something well integrated with existing, for say, just the airline industry and their SABRE database backend, than it is to try to target the entire Fortune 500, each sector of which has adopted different sorts of databases. It worked just the way Moore described for my company, where Moore's book was required reading. You can get much more insight about sales and marekting (as well as finance and logistics) about disruptive technologies from Clayton Christensen's excellent "The Innovator's Dilemma". You can learn more about marketing segmentation and network effects from Shapiro and Varian's "Information Rules". I might be biased as both a techie and a recovering academic, but I liked the more heavily researched, serious case-study orientation as well as the precise, restrained, academic tone of these two books from business professors. On the other hand, Moore's book gives you an excellent feel for the seat of the pants consulting and hype side of the business world, which itself is a useful education. Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software by Steven Johnson This book made a lasting impression on me. Johnson shows how working from the bottom up, with a few simple rules, individuals can create new, complex things that seemingly "emerge" from out of nowhere. How, for instance, do neighborhoods form when they are not planned? What will be the impact of all the Hot Spots, Hot Zones, Metropolitan Networks, and coming WiMax networks, cellular networks, DSL networks, and Cable networks when they all start working together? To understand the complex nature of change in our world, this is a great book! The Flight of the Creative Class: The New Global Competition for Talent by Richard Florida. This review is conjecture at this pointI because I haven't read this book yet, but I did read the two previous works by this author, The Rise of the Creative Clas and Cities and the Creative Class, both reviewed elsewhere in this section. Published in April 2005, thsi book is likely to show that Florida has done his homework - and he is one thorough Subject Matter Expert, so I expect he has. If he has, then, he will have expanded the scope of his work to provide global relevance. I'm a firm believer that when it comes to cities and urban life, we are much more alike than we are different, so I'm hopeful that this will be a valuable addition. I'll get it and read it and share my thoughts in the near term. The History of Knowledge by Charles Van Doren is a good read to put into context what may be a new revolution in the world's capabilities regarding knowledge and awareness, brought on by technological convergence. Van Doren, the same individual who was caught up in the Quiz Show scandal of the 1950s, came out with this book in 1991, after spending the previous twenty years editing the Encyclopedia Britannica. We've certainly come a long way in our time here on earth, and Van Doren tells a good story of how humans got to be so darn smart. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie If there is a better, more timeless set of principles on human relationships, please let me know. This book, written in 1937, has sold 15 million copies. I first read it in 1977, when I was a young man going door-to-door selling books in Appalachia, a life-changing experience for me in what is now a dying profession. The principles, such as "People love to hear the sound of their own name" ring true today. This book will make you think twice about how you relate to others, and your friends willl thank you for taking the time. And you will have more of those. Friends, I mean. And what's wrong with that? Spending a few bucks or so for this paperback will be the best few bucks you have spent in a long while. The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen does a great job of explaining how innovations (and innovators) have to struggle to gain support and mindshare in large organizations. He looks at well-run, etablished companies and examines how they are able to counter the threat from new companies, which enter the market on the low end with lower quality, cheaper products and in time improve the products and take greater market share. Either private or public sector management will benefit from the insights offered herein, as innovation becomes an ever greater presence in our lives. Leading Change by John P. Kotter With change becoming one of the few constants in our lives, this book written at the dawn of the Internet (1995) offers a practical approach to an organized means of leading, not managing, change. Kotter presents an eight-stage process of change with highly useful examples that show how to go about implementing it. Leading the Revolution: How to Thrive by Making Innovation a Way of Life by Gary Hamel With all the new tools that buyers have, companies are left with nothing but being good at innovation to provide them with competitive advantage. As technology and the Internet increasingly dominate our economy, it is innovation that becomes our watchword. Hamel argues that organizations, public or private, must make innovation a core competency if they are to have a hope for success. Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi This book is a wonderful, very readable story about the new science of Networks. Before the Internet, Barabasi explains, the science of networks was a sleepy academic backwater. With the Internet, scientists found a tool to study how networks work, and their discoveries are breathtaking. Networks are the best means to organize complexity, and could there be a better word than "complex" to describe our lives today? From the role of hubs, to the Power Curve distribution, to emergence, Barabasi shows how much alike networks are: from the network of the human body to social networks, cities, railroads, airports, the Internet, it becomes clear the impact that networks have on the way we live. The New Pioneers: The Men and Women Who Are Transforming the Workplace and Marketplace by Thomas Petzinger With intriguing stories of the people behind innovative companies, this book details the personal stories in the new economy. Petzinger sees workers who are entrepreneurial, not corporate; stressing adaptation rather than bureaucratic planning, "teamwork" and "empowerment" rather than rigid command-and-control structures. New Rules for the New Economy: 10 Radical Strategies for a Connected World by Kevin Kelly In Kelly's own words: "Communication is the foundation of society, of our culture, of our humanity, of our own individual identity, and of all economic systems. This is why networks are such a big deal. Communication is so close to culture and society itself that the effects of technologizing it are beyond the scale of a mere industrial-sector cycle. Communication, and its ally computers, is a special case in economic history. Not because it happens to be the fashionable leading business sector of our day, but because its cultural, technological, and conceptual impacts reverberate at the root of our lives." Read this book. Powerful Times: Rising to the Challenge of Our Uncertain World by Eamon Kelly Kelly demonstrates that deep, fundamental dynamics may be unraveling much of what we've taken for granted since the Enlightenment dawned some 400 years ago. The world has always been uncertain, but not like this. This book is published by the Wharton Business School Press, and Kelly is the founder of the Global Business Network, an interesting array of "big thinkers who take the long view" and use scenario planning to help hundreds of companies and governments manage the future. Lots of disruption and uncertainty lie just around the corner, if you buy this analysis. This is a book for deep thinkers. Technological, financial, social, economic, cultural, and political systems - what makes up our world - are all moving faster and faster, towards greater complexity and interdependence. Paradox is a common element of our modern world; what we think we know is not necessarily true, and only by practicing an ever vigilant awareness and education program can we stay in the know. Humans seek patterns, but our simplifications of complex issues obscure more than they clarify, and our "either/or" mindsets don't really fit well in today's world. Some of Kelly's dynamic tensions are less familiar, but also vitally important. For example, while value will continue to migrate towards the intangible - services, experiences, relationships - improving physical infrastructure will take on ever-greater urgency. The world is growing more transparent, thanks to a deepening web of computers, networks, sensors, and surveillance systems. The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life by Richard Florida. This NY Times Bestseller from 2002 has become what may be called a 21st Century Economic Development bible. If you are involved in city government at the leadership level, or in an Economic Development role, even at the staff level, this is recommended reading. Florida, a PhD in Regional Economic Development, formerly of Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and now at George Mason University outside our nation's capital of Washington, D.C., has demonstrated Pioneer Spirit and Big Thinking by stepping out to create a new vocabulary for a change in society. Often those who get to name something do quite well, and that seems to be Florida's path. What Florida gave a name to is a shift in working behavior patterns, and the advent of a new class of workers with new ideas about working and living. These young knowledgable workers are representatives of what Florida labels the "Creative Class" a new demographic category. Worklife has evolved over the past 125 years, changing society as the nature of work has changed. Agriculture was the dominant category, but the Industrial Revolution brought more and more workers into the city in search of preferable Industrial jobs, which became the dominant category for much of the 20th Century. But by the second half of that century we began to see the rise of the Service Sector, where workers provided services to society. Florida notes that more and more, there are new Creatives, who do not fit in the previous three categories, and who represent a sea change in their approach to working and living. They make a living using their brains, and many are highly paid. They choose a place to live first, and a job second. They don't go to job interviews and then go to where their new employer sends them. They identify an area first, and those areas chosen seem to score high on what Florida calls the Three Ts: Talent, Technology, and Tolerance. First, workers seek a high concentration of talented workers like themselves, reasoning that there will be plentiful jobs in the area, and acknowledging that the average tenure for their types of jobs tends to be measured in a few years rather than in decades like their parents generation. They want to know that they will have choices when its time to move on, so they won't have to move away. Second, workers seek a concentration of technology, the engine of economic growth in this new economy and an employer of choice for Creatives. Third, they seek an Open Society characterized by tolerance for diversity. Florida cites the Bohemia Index and the Gay Index, two ways to measure and compare cities and rank them according to diversity and tolerance. These types who live alternative lifestyles tend to congregate in cities that are open and accepting of diversity, and it's no coincidence that these same cities attract a large proportion of the Creative Class workers. From my perspective at MetroNetIQ, the bottom line lesson for those interested in Metropolitan Broadband is that there is a connection here between having a citywide wireless network and fitting in with these cities, like Austin (my hometown is highlighted throughout this book, which is fun), San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle. In addition to ranking high on Florida's Creative Class criteria, all of these cties successfully attract creative talent in droves AND are out in front in terms of ensuring ubiquitous and affordable broadband access, both wired and wireless. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey I find myself quoting from this book so often, I thought I better add it to the list. Published in 1990, this book has sold over 10 million copies and there's a good reason for that. It is well written, and Covey has assembled a system and anthology of the world's greatest personal success lessons, from the Bible to Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, Covey has woven an easy-to-remember set of habits that will make you more effective at whatever it is you choose to do. To become effective, Covey argues, you must first have a Paradigm Shift to see things differently, and then incorporate these habits into your daily life. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell This term has entered the popular vernacular - the tipping point is the point when a trend goes mainstream. That may be where we are getting to in the near term with municipal networks. This book will help you to understand popular behavior and give you a vocabulary for some things you already know. The Wisdom of the Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations by James Surowiecki Believe it or not, studies show that a roomful of average people, with adequate information, will arrive at better decisions than a handful of experts. This is a compelling study that will change the way you look at things. When the Internet and modern communications technology empower those crowds with the information they need to be smarter than the experts, you can see how much of the change we envision is starting to go on Autopilot. Hold on to your hat! The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman NY Times Foreign Affairs Editorial writer Tom Friedman picks up on the theme he began five years ago with his bestseller The Lexus and the Olive Tree, which described the globalization of the world since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. The Internet bubble in the late 1990s led to a dramatic build out of telecom networks, which resulted in tremendous amounts of fiber being laid to connect the world. Those fiber lines were purchased out of bankruptcy at pennies on the dollar, resulting in nearly free capacity to connect the world's countries and cities. At the same time, the highly trained and skilled workers in India, China, and Eastern Europe/Russia, all countries big on science and math, began to benefit from more liberal economic policies, so the best and brightest could now stay at home, rather than wait for visas to travel to the US, long the promised land for smart energetic young workers the world around. No longer do cities and individuals in the US compete primarily within their state, region, nation, or even hemisphere. The global economy effectively doubled in size with the addition of the labor forces in these three regions, and those smart, aggressive workers in India, China, and elsewhere want your job, for half your wage. This book is a MUST READ for city planners because metropolitan broadband networks enable and accelerate the technologies that will enable cities worldwide to compete on this new playing field. One executive interviewed says that these changes may well prove as significant to the world as the invention of the printing press. The reason is that never before has so much information been so readily available to so many people. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 11:16 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Information - BlogsPre-MetroNet Service Providers Information Providers
Clay Shirky has some of the most insightful commentary on the changes that wireless broadband and pervasive Internet are likely to bring about, to be found at Clay Shirky's Internet Writings. Clay is a consultant on the social and economic effects of Internet technologies, as well as an adjunct professor in NYU's graduate Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where he teaches courses on the interrelated effects of social and technological network topology.
David S. Isenberg Check out David's site, David Isenberg's Home for Stupid Networks and SMART People, as well as his newly launched annual get together, F2C: Freedom to Connect. David is a self-described "former Bell Head," who wrote a seminal essay on the "dumb network," wherein intelligence is out at the edges in PCs, rather than inside the network. I find his writing to be consistently thought-provoking and you should too - check out his blog, isen.blog.
Esme Vos, This municipal wireless pioneer has put together one of the most helpful sites around. Published out of Amsterdam, Muniwireless is a great tool to track the wide-ranging events occurring around the globe with regard to metropolitan wireless deployments and includes a newsletter option as well. Sign up for the newsletter, and be sure to check out Esme's site today. Don't miss the free downloads of these three valuable tools : a) the Muniwireless March 2005 Report, which has a comprehensive listing and description of municipal wireless deployments; b) RFP Heaven, which has a model RFP; and c) the City Wireless Network Cookbook provided by municipal wireless consultant Civitium .
EuroTelcoblog This blog gives a good perspective on what's happening in Europe. James Enck, European Telecom Analyst and Global Telecom Strategist for Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Ltd., publishes this blog to track disruptive influences on the telecom industry. This offers a great perspective on wireless in Europe, which provides nuances to understanding what is going on here in the US.
The original website by Glenn Fleishman, jiwire, was devoted to providing info on Wi Fi Hot Spots for business travelers, with his famous Hot Spot guide. Jiwire has since morphed into an on-line media network - see also Glenn's email newsletter WeeklyWire and his blog Wi-Fi Networking News - Glenn does some of the best editorializing on wireless that you can find on the web.
Greg Richardson has rapidly become one of the leading municipal wireless consultants in this new industry. His company, Civitium, is the consultant on many of the RFPs for new metropolitan wireless deployments. Be sure to download his City Wireless Network Cookbook off of the www.muniwireless.com website.
Howard Rheingold's blog, Smart Mobs, was set up to discuss topics in his examination of "A Website and Weblog about Topics and Issues discussed in the book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution". I recommend the book to get an idea of how a ubiquitous Internet in your town could begin to change the way your town operates and interacts.
Jim Baller, founder of the Baller Herbst Law Firm in Washington, D.C., is the leading legal expert on municipal broadband networks and his website has the best resources to keep track of this fast moving issue of state prohibitions and barriers to municpal wireless networks. Jim is a great resource for city planners, and is closely aligned with the American Public Power Association, which is an advocate of community broadband for its 2000 members and the cities they represent.
Kevin Werbach simply is one of the most experienced and best connected mavens in the wireless industry. The Supernova Report is a regular newsletter published by Kevin Werbach. Formerly an FCC wireless expert, and now on the Wharton Business School faculty, Kevin is a leading wireless pundit. His annual conference, Supernova, offers insights into the future of wireless applications and lifestyles, and his blog, Werblog, is timely and insightful.
GigaOm , the blog by Om Malik, covers a wide-range of topics, including broadband, voip, and other digital lifestyle issues. This is a very timely blog, and well read. He seems to have his finger on the pulse.
I, Cringely | PBS I could write a short description, but the blog description is so much better: For eight years from 1987-95, Robert X. Cringely wrote the Notes From the Field column in InfoWorld, a weekly computer trade newspaper. He is also the author of the best-selling book "Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date." Most recently, Cringely is the host and writer of the hit PBS-TV miniseries "Electric Money." (If you'd like to own "Electric Money," you can.) Cringely's work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Upside, Success, Worth, and many other magazines and newspapers. The sex symbol, airplane enthusiast and adventurer continues to write about personal computers and has an active consulting business in Silicon Valley, selling his cybersoul to the highest bidder. And then, this gem: When it comes to information technology, I know what I am talking about. Twenty years in and around the PC business have earned me wisdom, if not wealth. It's not that I am so smart, but that my friends are smart. The best and brightest in Silicon Valley talk to me all the time. It's my job to sift through their thoughts for valuable bits to share with you. But wait, if I am so great, why is this service free? Good question! Maybe it's time to renegotiate my contract with PBS.
Steve Stroh publishes a private newsletter called FOCUS On Broadband Wireless Internet Access.
The Wireless Weblog has fresh news on wireless. This site is worthwhile to track developments more from an industry perspective. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 10:29 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Information - WebsitesPre-MetroNet Service Providers Information Providers Broadband Properties Magazine Seeing this site made me marvel at the content that is out there on the Internet. According to the Mission Statement: BROADBAND PROPERTIES is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of Fiber-To-The-Home and Fiber-To-The-Premises while keeping readers up to date on the available solutions capable of serving their practical needs. I'm curious to hear what you readers think of this site. Broadband Reports This trade journal covers a wide swath of issues on broadband, from product and service reviews to news items, etc. I would visit this site AFTER you have developed a little bit of knowledge of broadband issues, because while it offers a tremendous amount of information, to the uninitiated it will be like drinking from a firehose. Broadband Wireless Business Magazine On your digital magazine rack, this website magazine features news items and in-depth articles that examine wireless technologies offering alternative solutions for backhaul and last-mile access - from wireless LANs to wireless MANs, millimeter wave fixed wireless and free-space optics. A good glossary, events calendar, and other features make this site very useful. For the technologically sophisticated reader, this site is well organized and has a great amount of information. Corante is a premier blog site that covers technology and business issues, so often it has an article of interest in re wireless broadband. As it describes itself: "The world's first blog media company, Corante is a trusted, unbiased source on technology, science and business that's authored by highly respected thinkers, commentators and journalists; read by many of the sector's top entrepreneurs, executives, funders and followers; and is helping to lead the emergence of blogging as an influential and important form of reportage, analysis and commentary." DailyWireless.org At first glance, the sheer amount of data on this website may appear intimidating. However, I've found it to be a rich, if quirky, source of interesting applications and developments in the world of wireless. I've set my browser to launch with this website, because it is kept up to date with the latest news, and has a tremendous set of links to other sites on the web. This is the Swiss Army Knife of wireless websites. Not to be confused with DailyWireless.com, which offers coverage of wireless industry news from more of an industry point of view. eWeek.com this eMagazine has a section entitled Mobile and Wireless. Google This site is the beginning and end of web searches. Search engines grew in popularity as the Internet grew by leaps and bounds - the founders of Google put together the most elegant and robust of search engines, and now, on the heels of their blockbuster IPO last year, Google is the acknowledged "King of Search." Often by typing a few key words, Google will list the website you are looking for. Websites that are the product of Google searches are listed in order of links to other sites and the presence of key words inside the sites that match your search terms, with the logic that good alignment on these parameters gives you a high probability of finding what you are looking for. And it works, 9 times out of 10! Make this a part of your web browser and get used to using it, and your effectiveness in using the Internet, and your level of enjoyment, will rise considerably. Government Technology sponsored by Intel, is a content-rich, professional website that should be bookmarked by those interested in metropolitan broadband. This site also features a section and newsletter titled Digital Communities that will keep you informed via your email of the latest in digital communities that have MetroNets. Lots of good content - for example, I found this document through the Wireless Mesh link. The One Hundred Year Storm: Wireless Disruption in Telecommuncations, is a Deloitte & Touche whitepaper that gives good theoretical backing for why we pay attention to metropolitan broadband - because it disrupts the traditional approach to telecommunciations. Howstuffworks.com This site is great to get started on figuring out the insides of things. Type relevant search terms and browse the results to get expert, detailed descriptions of how things work. Depending on your search, it may be hit or miss, but it is a great learning tool to get an understanding of technology terms. Motorola Connections is an e-zine produced by Motorola's Canopy division. It has very relevant content for cities looking at wireless broadband as an option. National Journal's Insider Update: The Telecom Act This website is true to its title, offering good quality, timely scoop on the goings on in Washington, DC, concerning the rewriting of the Telecom Act of 1996. Bookmark this one and follow their posts! Search Mobile Computing's 802.11 Learning Guide Published over two years ago, this compendium of information on Wi Fi is a must read for a beginner - learn the terms here first and you will not find your time spent in vain. See the Search Mobile Computing website as well - "the Web's Best Mobile Computing Information Resource for Enterprise IT Professionals" - very tech oriented, but a good source of information. TCS: Tech Central Station - Where Free Markets Meet Technology provides a comprehensive window of analysis and commentary from a free-market, corporate perspective on the changing face of technology and how it is reshaping the world to bring greater benefits and increase the size of the economic pie. This site is global in perspective and provides tremendous reach, in both depth and breadth. This site is sponsored by DCI Group, a conservative public affairs firm with reach around the globe. TECHtionary: World's First and Largest Animated Magazine on TECHnology The first time I went to this site, I got lost about 30 minutes of consciousness as I clicked through it, searching for different terms and watching the animated slide shows - it was very similar to how you would become absorbed in a video game. This free site has over 2500 animated tutorials on technology terms. This is another tool for your toolbox on tracking and understanding the changing face of wireless broadband. Whatis.com, the leading IT encyclopedia and learning center If your focus is technology, this guide published by TechTarget is a good source for the very technical terms you may come across in your research. Wikipedia This on-line people's encyclopedia is a great reference guide for just about anything. Move over, Encyclopedia Brittanica. Oh yeah, that's gone now. Type in your word or phrase and up comes a reference. Wikis are a new type of Internet software that allow on-line documents to be edited by anyone, resulting in a large, open-source encyclopedia. This is an encyclopedia by the world, for the world. Move over, World Book. Check it out. WiMAX.com This brand new site was recently established to serve as an information resource for the new technology of WiMAX, which will offer cities another solution for unwiring. The intent of the site is to open up this new technology and raise the level of awareness on the possibilities of WiMAX. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 09:58 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Financial ServicesPre-MetroNet Service Providers Financial Services Agility Solutions Founders Hal Hayden and Bill MacNamarra found a niche over a year ago and began a company to provide consulting and funding to the new wireless broadband industry, with a specific focus on equipment financing for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). A bonus for those of us in the metropolitan wireless networking space is that Hal and Bill have spent the better part of a year sorting through the nearly 2000 WISPs and are now in a great position to help cities align with a reputable, local private sector provider for their metropolitan wireless network projects. Contact Hal Hayden or Bill McNamarra for more information. Eden Polk This investment banking firm specializes in asset backed project finance, with over $2 billion of project finance experience. The company's clients include manufacturers, federal agencies, states, cities, counties, schools, universities, hospitals, and various authorities. Greg Eden developed the concept of tax-exempt leasing in the mid-70s and is recognized as one of the nation's leading experts in the field of public project finance and public-private partnerships. He sponsored the first series of seminars on the subject of tax-exempt leasing in 1981 and has authored in excess of fifty articles on the subject of public project finance and public private partnerships. He has served as a speaker before the GFOA, NACO, the APPA, the National Association of Bond Lawyers, and many other groups. Contact Greg Eden for more information. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 08:13 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Event PromotersPre-MetroNet Service Providers Event Promoters
MicroCast - MicroCast recently teamed up with MuniWireless to put on conferences and other events to promote the metropolitan broadband industry. MicroCast services include Face to Face Events (Conference Calls, Executive Roundtables, Executive Wine-Tastings, Executive In-Person Seminars, Full-day and Multi-day Conferences, Web Seminars); Custom Print and Web Content (White Papers, Case Studies, Executive POVs, Web Logs (blogs), E-newsletters, Topic-specific microsites); and Research (Online Panel Creation, Focus Groups, Advisory Group Creation, One-on-One Taped Executive Interviews, Online Messaging and Creative Testing). Contact Mike Perchowski for more information. W2i: The Wireless Internet Institute This organization hosts good conferences worldwide that bring together this small industry. This is also a good source of white papers and briefs, but for a fee. Worth checking out. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 07:45 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Consultants
Consultants MetroNetIQ MetroNetIQ, producer of this website, specializes in early stage clients seeking to get the ball rolling on their network project. Vendors in the metropolitan broadband industry contract with MetroNetIQ for its insights, experience and industry connections. Public sector clients seek out MetroNetIQ primarily when they are considering a metropolitan broadaband network, for preliminary assessments, help in getting started, and rfor egional collaboration consulting. MetroNetIQ has extensive industry relationships and can work throughout the network planning and deployment process with clients on both sides of the equation, interfacing with all of the vendors listed in this vendor directory, as well as with government clients of all shapes and sizes. Contact John Cooper for more information. See also John Cooper CV as well as MetroNetIQ Client References for more information. Broadband Horizons, is a Central Texas-based solutions integrator with a focus on both Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL) and Wireless Networks. Focused on working with medium and small municipally-owned utiltiies, Broadband Horizons appears positioned to bring a full solution to Rural America. Contact Bobby Mack for more information. Civitium is the consultant on many of the RFPs for new metropolitan wireless deployments, including the City of Philadelphia. Following early work in Houston County, Georgia, and other deployments in 2004, Civitum has rapidly become one of the leading municipal wireless consultants in this new industry. Be sure to download Civitium's Cookbook: "Wireless Broadband: The Foundation for Digital Cities" off of the www.muniwireless.com website. Contact Greg Richardson for more information. Excelsio Communications is an Atlanta, GA-based firm that provides nationwide wireless broadband consulting, engineering and network deployment services to municipalities, ISPs, utilities, cable operators and telephone companies that desire to deploy mobile and fixed wireless broadband networks. Excelsio helps customers with its planning tools including demographic and density site planning, RFP development and management, cell site acquisition, network financial modeling, RF network design and testing, technology assessment as well as network installation services. Clients include HP, Time Warner Cable and the City of Grand Rapids among others. Contact Karl Edwards for more information. EZ Wireless deployed the network that covers much of Eastern Oregon, profiled in the NY Times editorial page. Focused on providing high-speed mobile data for emergency management, industries and communities, EZ Wireless engineers, builds and supports the operation of the wireless network, as well as provides applications to take full advantage of wireless mobility. According to their website, their team of professionals have designed wireless networks all over the world and their engineers have unmatched experience in designing, deploying, maintaining and expanding wireless networks that span cities, counties, and states. With their regional network, they have demonstrated their ability to overcome the technical and political challenges associated with building region-wide wireless networks for public safety and other applications. Contact Fred Ziari for more information. PCC Network Solutions is a west coast wireless integrator (recently changed their name from Pacific Coast Cabling). PCC Network Solutions provides network consulting to cities and enterprises looking to install a wireless network. With their background in cabling and enterprise work, PCC Network Solutions places special emphasis on integration of applications onto the wireless network. Call Richard Harris at 800-313-1911 for more information. Redmoon Broadband is a Plano, Texas, firm with significant experience deploying mesh systems and with a speciality in Public Safety applications. This is a regional systems integrator and metropolitan wireless broadband network consultant, focusing on Texas and the Southwest. Call Bryan Thompson at 972-599-3900 for more information. WFI - Perhaps one of the most experienced national wireless network design, deployment and management firms, WFI cut its teeth building the cellular networks. Now, it has set its sights on designing the next generation wireless networks: metropolitan wireless broadband. WFI's Wireless Network Services division offers four primary categories of services to the wireless telecommunications industry: planning and consulting, design and optimization, deployment and integration, and network management. Their end-to-end network services are supplemented with complete program management expertise to deliver robust network solutions. Contact Al Brown for more information. PBM Networks, Inc. - Professional Broadband Mobile Networks, Inc. a State of Texas Registered Professional Engineering firm, offers strategy, business modeling, engineering, architecture, RF propagation prediction, design, system integration, program management, installation, sales and service of broadband RF access, fixed network distribution, and core network platforms for total turn-key broadband wireless network implementation and operation. We provide strategy, design, and installation for WiMax, WiFi, 3/4G PCS, LMR, and advanced messaging technologies for in-building, campus, city-wide and national, licensed and unlicensed wireless networks. Our licensed professional engineers offer expert advice, signed and sealed engineering design specifications and implementation program management of turn-key delivery of your small or large wireless networking needs. Bell Industries Tech. Logix Group - As the largest business group of Bell Industries, Inc. (AMEX: BI), the Tech.logix Group is a middle market provider of technology lifecycle services including strategic sourcing, technology integration, and product support. Piepenbrock Schuster Consulting AG - Piepenbrock Schuster Consulting AG was established on 1 March 2004. It was founded by partners in Piepenbrock Schuster Attorneys who, besides offering legal counsel, have for a number of years extended their activities to include advisory services in the economic and technical field - above all in the telecommunications sector, but also in other branches of the network industries. PricewaterhouseCoopers - PricewaterhouseCoopers provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services for public and private clients primarily in four areas: corporate accountability; risk management; structuring and mergers and acquisitions; and performance and process improvement. RFI - RFI Global Services Ltd (RFI) is a leading provider of specialist testing, approvals and product development services to the cellular, wireless, smartcard and electronics industries. With offices, facilities, partners and representation in Europe, North America and Asia, RFI supports its customers worldwide. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 06:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: System IntegratorsPre-MetroNet Service Providers Systems Integrators MetroNetIQ MetroNetIQ, producer of this website, specializes in early stage clients seeking to get the ball rolling on their network project. Vendors in the metropolitan broadband industry contract with MetroNetIQ for its insights, experience and industry connections. Public sector clients seek out MetroNetIQ primarily when they are considering a metropolitan broadaband network, for preliminary assessments and regional collaboration consulting. MetroNetIQ has extensive industry relationships and can work throughout the network planning and deployment process with clients on both sides of the equation, interfacing with all of the vendors listed in this vendor directory, as well as with government clients of all shapes and sizes. Contact John Cooper at +1-512-771-0507 for more information. http://www.aptilo.com/index.htm The Aptilo solution is a complete system for managing and operating professional public wired and wireless LANs (PLAN), as well as defined hotspots or hotzones based on technologies such as WiFi, WiMax or WiBro. Aptilo Networks provides everything you need to offer a packaged service for wireless or wired Internet access. The system is a robust carrier-class system solution with all the features you can expect and many more, both for operators and as a managed service. The solution is designed for smooth operation of advanced Public LANs. The core component is the Aptilo Service Management Platform. It is used together with Aptilo's Access Gateway. Since the solution is based on an open structure, the platform can also operate with gateways from other vendors for basic functionalities. The system solution is aimed at operators running multi-site networks, but is also offered as a managed service for non-operators or operators who can benefit from a short time to market. Contact Eric Dentler at +1-650-888-8787 for more information. Broadband Horizons, is a Central Texas-based solutions integrator with a focus on both Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL) and Wireless Networks. Focused on working with medium and small municipally-owned utiltiies, Broadband Horizons appears positioned to bring a full solution to Rural America. Contact Bobby Mack for more information. Excelsio Communications is an Atlanta, GA-based firm that provides nationwide wireless broadband consulting, engineering and network deployment services to municipalities, ISPs, utilities, cable operators and telephone companies that desire to deploy mobile and fixed wireless broadband networks. Excelsio helps customers with its planning tools including demographic and density site planning, RFP development and management, cell site acquisition, network financial modeling, RF network design and testing, technology assessment as well as network installation services. Clients include HP, Time Warner Cable and the City of Grand Rapids among others. Contact Karl Edwards for more information. EZ Wireless deployed the network that covers much of Eastern Oregon, profiled in the NY Times editorial page. Focused on providing high-speed mobile data for emergency management, industries and communities, EZ Wireless engineers, builds and supports the operation of the wireless network, as well as provides applications to take full advantage of wireless mobility. According to their website, their team of professionals have designed wireless networks all over the world and their engineers have unmatched experience in designing, deploying, maintaining and expanding wireless networks that span cities, counties, and states. With their regional network, they have demonstrated their ability to overcome the technical and political challenges associated with building region-wide wireless networks for public safety and other applications. Contact Fred Ziari for more information. ICOA is a leading vertically integrated, neutral-host broadband wireless Internet network provider. Our complete suite of services and solutions power the unique requirements high traffic public locations, such as airports, marinas, restaurants, and more, while also providing back-office solutions for hotspot operators and wireless service providers. ICOA is the parent company of LInkSpot (RV parks) and iDock (marinas), and provides services to Panera Breads and soon, Dennys. Contact Alan Kobran at 703-542-8261 for more information. PCC Network Solutions is a west coast wireless integrator (recently changed their name from Pacific Coast Cabling). PCC Network Solutions provides network consulting to cities and enterprises looking to install a wireless network. With their background in cabling and enterprise work, PCC Network Solutions places special emphasis on integration of applications onto the wireless network. Call Richard Harris at 800-313-1911 for more information. Plexeon Logistics Plexeon Logistics, a Broadband Power Line (BPL) Network Integration and Services company, develops network infrastructure solutions for the planning, design, implementation, and operations of Broadband Power Line networks. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, the company provides solutions and services in four primary disciplines: 1) Broadband Power Line, 2) Network Engineering and Integration, 3) Remote Network Management Services, and 4) Testing and Network Assessments. Contact Lance Rosen for more information. Redmoon Broadband is a Plano, Texas, firm with significant experience deploying mesh systems and with a speciality in Public Safety applications. This is a regional systems integrator and metropolitan wireless broadband network consultant, focusing on Texas and the Southwest. Call Bryan Thompson at 972-599-3900 for more information. Shpigler Group - The Shpigler Group works with communities and utilities to leverage existing networks and infrastructure to deploy broadband systems. Using technology approaches including fiber, wireless, Broadband over Power Lines, and other access methodologies. The Shpigler Group develops fully functioning broadband access systems in a variety of communities under the brand name, Lighthouse Broadband. Contact David Shpigler for more information. WFI - Perhaps one of the most experienced national wireless network design, deployment and management firms, WFI cut its teeth building the cellular networks. Now, it has set its sights on designing the next generation wireless networks: metropolitan wireless broadband. WFI's Wireless Network Services division offers four primary categories of services to the wireless telecommunications industry: planning and consulting, design and optimization, deployment and integration, and network management. Their end-to-end network services are supplemented with complete program management expertise to deliver robust network solutions. Contact Al Brown for more information. 5G Wireless www.5gwireless.com
Alcatel - Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or to their employees. Alcatel leverages its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services to bring value to its customers in the framework of a broadband world. With sales of EURO 12.5 billion in 2003, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. Booz Allen and Hamilton - Booz Allen Hamilton has been at the forefront of management and technology consulting for businesses and governments for 90 years. Booz Allen, a global strategy and technology-consulting firm, works with clients to deliver results that endure. With more than 16, 000 employees on six continents, the firm generates annual sales of more than $2.7 billion. Booz Allen provides services in strategy, organization, operations, systems and technology to the world's leading corporations, government and other public agencies, emerging growth. Comba Telecom Systems - Comba Telecom Systems provides the infrastructure and coverage solutions that keep people connected in the growing China and international markets for wireless telecommunications. Ericsson - Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world. Fujitsu - Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) leads the industry in innovation. FMA provides high-quality, reliable semiconductor products and services for the networking, communications, automotive, security and other markets throughout North and South America. Fujitsu Microelectronics is one of the first silicon vendors to announce its commitment to producing an 802.16a and WiMAX-compliant baseband ASSP. Huawei Technologies - Incorporated in 1988 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Huawei Technologies specializes in the R&D, production and marketing of telecom equipments, providing customized network solutions in fixed, mobile, optical and data communications networks. Huawei is a key player in Chinas telecom market and is quickly becoming an active participant in global market. Huawei focuses on WCDMA, CDMA2000, NGN, xDSL and data communications. Currently Huawei has 22, 000 employees and sales in 2003 reached 3.83 billion US dollars. Juniper Networks - Juniper Networks is a leading global provider of networking and security solutions that support the complex scale, security and performance requirements of the world's largest and most demanding mission critical networks, including the world's top 25 service providers and eight of the top 15 Fortune 500 companies. LCC - An industry leader in wireless consulting, design, deployment and operations & maintenance services, LCC has been helping wireless operators design and build their networks since 1983. Today, LCC serves the wireless industry in more than 50 nations around the world. LG Electronics - LG Electronics provides total solutions ranging from wired and wireless handsets to telecommunication equipment. The company is a leader in the innovation and development of cutting-edge technologies in next-generation wireless telecommunications and is steadily expanding its global market share in 3G(WCDMA / cdma2000) wireless systems. Lucent Technologies - Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucents customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. Marconi - Marconi Corporation plc is a global telecommunications equipment, services and solutions company. Our core business is the provision of leading-edge and reliable optical networks, microwave radio, broadband routing and switching, broadband access technologies, multimedia softswitch, network management and services. We are a multiregional business supporting customers in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Central America and the Asia-Pac region. The company's customer base includes many of the world's largest telecommunications operators. mmWave Technologies - Active in the wireless industry in general, and the Cellular/PCS market most notably, mmwave offers a wide range of communications relates solutions to the Canadian and Mexican markets. The company provides turnkey wireless networks, PCS/Cellular network coverage measurement and remediation, design and implementation consulting, test solutions, and custom hardware and software solutions. mmwave has been involved in the awarding of over 24 community based broadband wireless projects in Canada, is a an AIR partner of Alvarion, as well as several other WiMAX members. Motorola - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is a global leader in wireless, broadband and automotive communications technologies that help make life smarter, safer, simpler, synchronized and fun. Sales in 2003 were US $27.1 billion. Motorola creates innovative technological solutions that benefit people at home, at work and on the move. The company also is a progressive corporate citizen dedicated to operating ethically, protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which it does business. Murandi Communications Ltd. - Since 1992 Murandi Communications has provided market leading wireless designs to clients around the world. With the successful development of broadband wireless access designs at many frequencies we have the design talent, disciplined development processes, and specialized facilities to design superior, low cost, wireless products. Our complete product development services include radio frequency, embedded software, digital and analog hardware, antenna, and automated manufacturing test suites. Nokia - Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. Nortel Networks - Nortel Networks has designed, installed and launched more than 300 wireless networks in over 50 countries across the globe. Nortel Networks was the industrys first supplier with wireless networks operating in all advanced radio technologies (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO, UMTS and WLAN), and is the only end-to-end provider of all next generation wireless solutions. Samsung - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is a global leader in telecommunication, semiconductor, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2003 parent company sales of US$36.5 billion and net income of US$5.0 billion. Employing approximately 88, 000 people in 89 offices in 46 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Telecommunication Network Business, Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, and Semiconductor Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is the worlds largest producer of color monitors, color TVs, memory chips, TFT-LCDs and VCR's. Siemens Mobile - Siemens mobile offers its customers worldwide solutions and products for the entire spectrum of mobile communications: mobile phones and accessories, cordless phones and telephone systems, smart phones, wireless modules, base stations and intelligent networks, switching systems, applications and comprehensive services. Trillion - Trillion is a leading provider of wireless broadband services, high-speed Internet access and IP telephony solutions for the public sector including education, healthcare, government and libraries. Trillion specializes in designing, installing, operating and maintaining wide and local area network systems that use state-of-the-art wireless technology. ZTE Corporation - Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, ZTE Corporation is the largest public telecommunications equipment manufacturer in China. It develops and manufactures end-to-end wireless and wire line equipment, and solutions for various telecommunications markets. With nearly 16, 000 employees worldwide, ZTE has several R&D facilities located in China, North America and Europe, and Sales Offices in over 50 countries. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 05:57 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Last MileMetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers Last Mile Connectivity equipment providers This is one of the meatiest parts of the Directory. These vendors make products that form the foundation of the wireless infrastructure that will, in turn, form the backbone of your network and your value proposition. Spend your time with these companies, get to know their products, and you will learn a wealth of knowledge about wireless in the process. The challenge here is that with WiMax, we are at the birth of a new industry, with new industry standards for manufacturers less than six months old and products only now coming off the line: most of the vendors in this directory make pre-WiMax gear. With Wi Fi Mesh, we're in ever deeper water. There is no industry standard to guide prospective network owners on the relative merits of Wi Fi Mesh vendors. As I see it you have options. You can examine these on your own, get on the phone and get on the emails - meet these people and make your own assessments on where you want to plant your flag. Alternately, you can work with your neighbors - divide and conquer. I call that Regional Collaboration. Or, you can check out the Consultant area of this directory and get a little preliminary help. Contact MetroNetIQ, or one of the many quality consultants in the directory. Get some insight on who's who before going further, the money you spend will be a sound investment in your future. For, you see, there are a lot of quality companies in these lists, and there are any number of entrepreneurs and pioneers who just may have the killer product that becomes the basis for the next industry standard, or alternately, they may have the next Betamax idea that ends up on the slag heap of history. Not to despair, that's what this directory is for. Happy Hunting! Posted on February 01, 2006 at 03:32 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: (Pre)WiMax VendorsMetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers Last Mile Connectivity equipment providers Editor's Note: Special thanks to WiMax.com for most of this content. Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint (WiMax) wireless network gear Under construction - watch this space for new entries Adaptix - Founded in 2004 to meet the exploding demand for converged voice, video and data applications and services, ADAPTIX offers service providers, municipalities and other organizations a scalable, cost-effective broadband wireless platform. Advantech AMT - Advantech is a world leading designer and manufacturer of Microwave Communication products for Satellite Ground Stations (L-Band to Ka-Band) and for Wireless Base Stations (PCS, MMDS, 3.5GHz and LMDS). Airspan Networks - Airspan Networks is a worldwide leader in Broadband wireless communications, having delivered systems with more than 1 million lines to over 300 customers in over 95 countries. Today Airspans products are being used to deliver carrier-class voice, high-speed data and Voice over IP (VoIP) services. Airspan is proud to introduce AS.MAX, its family of WiMAX base stations, backhaul solutions and customer premises equipment. Airspan¹s EasyST is the world¹s first commercially-available indoor, self-installable WiMAX CPE. The introduction of the AS.MAX portfolio, together with the acquisition of its VoiceMAX platform, will make Airspan the leader in tightly-integrated Voice over WiMAX solutions. Aeras Networks www.aerasnetworks.com Alvarion www.alvarion-usa.com Alvarion - With more than 2 million units deployed in 130 countries, Alvarion is the worldwide leader in wireless broadband, providing systems to carriers, ISPs and private network operators, and also in extending coverage of GSM and CDMA wireless networks to developing countries and other hard to serve areas. Aperto Networks www.apertonetworks.com Aperto Networks - Aperto Networks is a leading provider of WiMAX-class multiservice broadband wireless access systems for global markets. It was founded to provide a breakthrough solution to one of today's critical network bottlenecks - limited availability of last mile broadband access to millions of prospective users worldwide.
BelAir Networks - BelAir Networks currently markets three wireless networking products; the single radio BelAir50c wireless mesh cluster node, the dual-radio BelAir100 wireless multi-service node and the four-radio BelAir200 wireless multi-service switch router. Cambridge Broadband - Cambridge Broadband started in January 2000 as a group of experienced individuals with a collective single aim: to deliver the world's leading broadband fixed wireless access system. As a team, Cambridge Broadband brings together the best engineers, academics, and commercial management in the fixed wireless access business, the same team that developed and successfully deployed 50,000 units of the market-leading fixed wireless access system in 1999. Ceragon - Ceragon Networks Ltd., a pacesetter in broadband wireless networking systems, enables rapid and cost-effective deployment of high-capacity network connectivity for mobile cellular infrastructure, fixed networks and private networks. Chantry - Chantry Networks specializes in WLAN technology that offers solutions for the wireless convergence of voice and data transmission. In particular, in the fields of seamless transfer between access points and voice quality, Chantry Networks has the very latest in state-of-the-art products. Colubris Networks - Colubris Networks is a global provider of multiservice Wireless LAN (WLAN) systems for enterprises and service providers, delivering highly scalable, flexible solutions for wireless voice, data and video networking. Colubris solutions make it easy and affordable for organizations to give their employees, guests, customers, suppliers, and partners mobile access to network services. DragonWave Inc. - DragonWave Inc. is a leading innovator in high capacity broadband wireless networking systems for network operations and service providers. Since its founding in 2000, the company has achieved customer recognition for quality, innovation, and technical advances in delivering wireless point-to-point networks for the transport of data, voice and video communication systems, including comprehensive service and support. Elcoteq - Elcoteq Network Corporation is a global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company with design capabilities. We are focused on communications technology customers and products. Firetide - Firetide is a privately held wireless mesh technology company that develops networking equipment to deploy high performance, scalable wireless mesh networks quickly, easily and affordably. Infinet Wireless Limited - InfiNet Wireless has been a worldwide leader in broadband wireless access since 1993. Our products have been deployed by more than 300 customers in over 30 countries. The company was created to provide ISP and telco carriers with breakthrough wireless solutions for last mile broadband access to millions of prospective users in the Emerging Markets of Russia, China, and India. Today, InfiNet Wireless is a leading provider of pre-WiMAX multiservice broadband wireless access systems for hundreds of global markets. KenCast, Inc. - KenCast makes software solutions for reliable datacasting via satellite and other networks. KenCast's flagship product, the Fazzt Digital Delivery System, enables multimedia content providers and publishers to deliver large digital files reliably to many remote sites at high speeds. LOGUS Broadband Wireless Solutions - Founded in 2004, LOGUS Broadband Wireless Solutions Inc. is engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing cost effective WiMAX products & solutions for the Cable, Telco and WISPs worldwide. Lok Technology, Inc. - Privately held Lok Technology, Inc. is an innovator in secure, integrated network infrastructure appliances. The AIRlok Appliance by LokTek is a single integrated, turnkey network provisioning appliance for cost-effective and scalable wireless and wireline network deployments. M/A-COM, Inc. - M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, is an established industry leader in the design, development and manufacture of radio frequency (RF), microwave and millimeter wave semiconductors, components and technologies for the wireless telecommunications, automotive, aerospace and military industries. MemoryLink - MemoryLink is The Personal Bandwidth Company(tm), empowering people with communication technology and products to enhance the quality of their lives. Since 1998, MemoryLink has been working toward the goal of connecting people - from where they are to where they want to be - to ensure that their Personal Bandwidth(tm) requirements are satisfied as they discover the unbounded possibilities that wireless broadband offers for visual and audio communications. Motorola - Canopy Navini www.navini.com Navini - With the largest commercial deployment in the world, over 30 commercial networks in 6 continents and strategic partnerships with industry leaders, Navini Networks is a leader in providing personal, plug-n-play broadband wireless access solutions. Navini delivers on the vision of mobile WiMAX today with patented phased array smart antennas delivering a price/performance combination that is superior to other broadband offerings in the marketplace. NEC America, Inc. - NEC America, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions and services. NEC America serves all communications industries from carriers, to enterprise, to wireless and is an affiliate of NEC Corporation, a Global Fortune 500. company and one of the leading patent producing enterprises in the world. Nera Networks AS - Nera is a world-leading global supplier of fixed wireless and satellite communication equipment and systems. Nera designs, develops, manufactures and markets point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio link equipment, satellite terminals and gateways for mobile and fixed satellite communications. NextNet Wireless - NextNet is the industry's most widely deployed provider of NLOS plug-and-play broadband wireless access systems. The company was founded in 1998 and acquired by wireless pioneer Craig McCaw in early 2004. The ExpedienceÃâî system is deployed today over licensed frequencies on five continents. It is the service providers' choice for National deployment in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Orthogon Systems - The Orthogon Systems Family of Wireless Ethernet Bridges offers simple, cost-effective solutions to the challenge of establishing reliable, secure, point-to-point network connections. Whether operating in a Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS), long range Line-of-Sight (LoS), adverse or marginally adverse environment, our wireless systems are leading the industry with the successful deployment of broadband connectivity in areas where others cannot connect. P-Com - P-Com, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets highly secure and reliable wireless mesh routers to the licensed exempt telecommunications market worldwide. The company's wireless mesh routers are designed to combine high performance, multiple operating frequencies and hardware AES encryption to provide networking professionals the most flexible, scalable and robust mesh routers for integrated network requirements of Internet access and private networks including security and surveillance requirements. Powerwave - Powerwave Technologies, Inc., is a global supplier of end-to-end wireless solutions for wireless communications networks. Powerwave designs, manufactures and markets antennas, boosters, combiners, filters, repeaters, multi-carrier RF power amplifiers and tower-mounted amplifiers and advanced coverage solutions, all for use in cellular, PCS and 3G networks throughout the world. Pronto Networks - Pronto Networks, based in Pleasanton, Calif., provides carrier-class Operations Support Systems (OSS) that enable network operators to deploy and manage large public hot spot and hot zone networks. The company's software handles provisioning, configuration, authentication, access control, security, pre-paid and post-paid billing, and roaming settlement for large public WLAN networks, in addition to remotely managing and updating multi-vendor hardware and Wi-Fi switches. Proxim - Terabeam Wireless is the business name of YDI Wireless, Inc. Terabeam Wireless is a world leader in providing extended range, license-free wireless data equipment and is a leading designer of turnkey long distance wireless systems ranging from 9600 bps to 1.42 Gbps for applications such as wireless Internet, wireless video, wireless LANs, wireless WANs, wireless MANs, and wireless virtual private networks. Radionet - Radionet is a wireless technology company specializing in the development, design and sale of city wide outdoor wireless broadband networks. The company is a pioneer in wireless broadband technology and has developed its own outdoor network solution. Radionet's technology is based on the WLAN standard conforming to IEEE 802.11. Radionet offers comprehensive broadband Internet base station networks for operators, Internet service providers, telephone companies, power utilities and system integrators. Radwin - RADWIN addresses the dynamic market of fixed wireless communications. We offer you a winning business proposition: off-the-shelf solution of TDM and Ethernet over one wireless platform at a competitive price, outstanding quality and supreme performance - SIMPLY CONNECT! Redline Redline Communications - Redline Communications is a technology leader in the design and manufacture of standards-based broadband wireless access solutions. Using industry leading OFDM technologies, Redline's award-winning products provide unmatched high capacity and non-line-of-sight capabilities with proven performance, reliability and security. Ideal for a variety of access, backhaul and private network applications, Redline products meet the needs of carriers, service providers and enterprises worldwide. Remec - REMEC develops and manufactures telecommunications infrastructure products for voice, video and data transfer over wireless networks and sophisticated microwave electronic subsystems for defense radar, communications and electronic warfare applications. Solectek Corporation - Solectek, based in San Diego California, designs, manufactures and markets a full suite of broadband wireless connectivity products. We provide cost-effective, high-performance products for both indoor wireless LAN and outdoor wireless WAN markets. SR Telecom - SR TELECOM - designs, manufactures and deploys versatile, Broadband Fixed Wireless Access solutions. For over two decades, carriers have used SR Telecom's products to provide field-proven data and carrier-class voice services to end-users in both urban and remote areas around the globe. SR Telecom's products have helped to connect millions of people throughout the world. Stratex Networks - Stratex Networks has achieved international recognition for quality, innovation, and technical superiority in delivering data, voice, and video communication systems, including comprehensive service and support. Stratex Networks, with its broad product offering and worldwide sales and support organization, is strategically positioned to serve its customers' needs in wireless, high-capacity transmission technology. Strix Systems - Strix Systems Access/One Network family of products deliver high performance wireless mesh network systems. Access/One Networks employ a multi-radio, multi-channel, and multi-RF mesh networking architecture that delivers highly scalable and extremely flexible networking systems. Symbol - Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company, is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Teletronics Internations, Inc. - Teletronics International, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures a complete line of products and solutions for high speed wireless broadband systems, including RF amplifiers, up/down frequency converters, wireless network bridges and routers. Since 1984, Teletronics has been a pioneer in developing cost-effective products and solutions for the ever-evolving broadband wireless industry. TenXc Wireless - TenXc Wireless provides next-generation intelligent RF solutions for today's mobile wireless networks and their evolution to broadband. Targeted at network operators and wireless base station vendors, our solutions for improved spectral efficiency and signal quality enable service providers to meet growth demands by addressing capacity, quality, and coverage constraints with reduced network costs and engineering time. TenXc has unique spectrum efficiency technology that provides significant improvement in terms of performance/cost on both a site and network basis versus purchasing new spectrum or acquiring new cell sites. The operator will realize major performance improvements such as: increased network capacity, improved quality of service and higher throughput for data services. With an innovative digital architecture interoperable with todays installed base of base stations, TenXc's products provide the needed flexibility for operators to target network hotspots and evolve their network as required. Terabeam Wireless - Terabeam Wireless is the business name of YDI Wireless, Inc. Terabeam Wireless is a world leader in providing extended range, license-free wireless data equipment and is a leading designer of turnkey long distance wireless systems ranging from 9600 bps to 1.42 Gbps for applications such as wireless Internet, wireless video, wireless LANs, wireless WANs, wireless MANs, and wireless virtual private networks. Towerstream www.towerstream.com Trango Broadband Wireless - Trango Broadband Wireless, a division of Trango Systems, Inc., emerged in response to the demand for an alternative to costly and cumbersome wireless technology for high speed Internet access. Engineered to meet a wide spectrum of applications, Trango Broadband products operate in most license-exempt bands and are designed for high performance and ease of installation. Tranzeo Wireless technologies - Tranzeo Wireless Technologies Inc. has emerged as an industry leader in designing, manufacturing and distributing high-speed wireless broadband communication systems all over the world. Our continued commitment to design excellence and years of experience provide our clients with custom designed wireless Point-to-Point and Point to multi-Point solutions. Tropos - Tropos Networks is the proven leader in delivering truly ubiquitous, metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network systems. We deliver the fastest, lowest cost and simplest wireless broadband access solutions, as demonstrated by the world's largest installed base of metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh networks. VCom Inc. - VCom Inc.,established in 1988, is a leading designer and manufacturer of high quality, state-of-the-art products for the Cable Television (CATV), Data over Cable, Digital Video, and Wireless Telecommunications industries. Vivato - Vivato, Inc. is a wireless systems infrastructure company with technology that is based upon an innovative signal processing and antenna design. Vivato's unique system architecture enables cost-effective, large-scale outdoor and indoor wireless deployments for metros, rural communities, airports, seaports, warehouses and universities. Vyyo, Inc. - Vyyo(R) offers broadband end-to-end solutions used by cable and wireless operators to deliver telephony services (T1/E1) and high-speed data connections to business and residential subscribers. The technology uses a modified version of the cable industry standard DOCSIS(R) architecture to deliver circuit-switched services (telephony), as well as voice and data over IP. The company sells systems directly to service providers and systems integrators worldwide. Vyyo's solutions have been deployed in North America, China, Southeast Asia and other areas of the world. WaveIP - WaveIP is an emerging leader of Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) systems. WaveIP delivers Point-to-Multipoint as well as point-to-point solutions for both licensed and unlicensed spectrums. WaveRider Communications - WaveRider Communications Inc. is the world leader in non-line-of-sight wireless broadband technology and deployments. With WaveRider's industry-leading product line and strong management team, the company is positioned for growth and to compete successfully in the world broadband market. WiLan www.wi-lan.com Wi-LAN - Wi-LAN is a global provider of broadband wireless communications products and technologies, offering businesses, including telecom service providers, and government enterprises effective, economic and secure wireless high-speed communications solutions. Wi-LAN specializes in high-speed Internet access, data network extension, wireless Voice-over-IP, and wireless data and telephony backhaul, utilizing its high quality products and industry-leading technologies. WiMetro www.aiirnet.com WiNetworks - WiNetworks mission is to enable broadband network operators to become full Multi Service Operators (MSOs), by integrating triple play services providing any service, on demand, anywhere. More and more customers are looking for bundled multi-service packages over a single bill. Telco, DBS and Cable operators are seeking fast and cost-effective ways to upgrade and extend their infrastructure to deliver triple-play services (Voice, Video, and Data). Winova Wireless - Winova Wireless, Inc. provides technology, equipment and services to merge Long-Range Broadband Wireless with IP/Ethernet 802.11 (Wi-Fi) Broadband Networks. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 03:20 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Wi Fi Mesh Gear VendorsMetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers Last Mile Connectivity equipment providers Wireless Mesh Gear & Systems Airespace - Acquired by Cisco in 2005 http://www.aptilo.com/index.htm The Aptilo solution is a complete system for managing and operating professional public wired and wireless LANs (PLAN), as well as defined hotspots or hotzones based on technologies such as WiFi, WiMax or WiBro. Aptilo Networks provides everything you need to offer a packaged service for wireless or wired Internet access. The system is a robust carrier-class system solution with all the features you can expect and many more, both for operators and as a managed service. The solution is designed for smooth operation of advanced Public LANs. The core component is the Aptilo Service Management Platform. It is used together with Aptilo's Access Gateway. Since the solution is based on an open structure, the platform can also operate with gateways from other vendors for basic functionalities. The system solution is aimed at operators running multi-site networks, but is also offered as a managed service for non-operators or operators who can benefit from a short time to market. Contact Eric Dentler at +1-650-888-8787 for more information. BelAir Networks features wireless networking solutions that are built on a patented cellular LAN architecture, which integrates wireless access with wireless backhaul in an innovative multi-radio mesh to provide a high-capacity wireless backbone. To create the mesh, Belair Networks uses unique, outdoor wireless internetworking platforms that beam Wi-Fi signals into buildings from the outside. Multiple backhaul radios in each node are configured point-to-point with directional antennas. Each node can connect to multiple others and the combined connections form the wireless backhaul mesh. Contact Craig Reid at +1-650-587-3843 for more information. Cisco Wireless Mesh Network solution enables cost effective, scalable deployment of secure outdoor wireless LANs, providing government agencies and individuals with access to fixed and mobile applications to enhance public safety, efficiency, productivity, and responsiveness. Cisco launched its solution in Fall 2005, using the Cisco Aironet 1500 Series lightweight outdoor mesh access point to extend IP networks to metropolitan-area environments in a mesh-type architecture, primarily using 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g technologies for high-speed access. Contact Cisco at X for more information. Cohda Wireless Mobile Broadband is a developer and supplier of multi-hopping digital wireless communications products, which enable new mobile field applications. Focused on public safety clients, Cohda enables such applications as real time incident video, through reliable high bandwidth communications capability while traveling at high speeds. Contact Mark James at +61 (8) 8364-4719 for more information. Firetide was launched in 2003 to provide equipment for quickly, easily, and affordably deploying large Wireless Instant Networks. Firetide solutions support existing public "hotspots" and the company is developing instant networking technology that will deliver everywhere, all-the-time wireless data communication services to hotzones and hotregions. Contact Leslie Green at +1-408-399-7771 x 116 for more information. LocustWorld, Bio-Diverse Networking Unleashed, has a vision of a world where communities download free software and organically develop a mesh network. Located in the UK, LocustWorld is an early mover on the global market. Contact Jon Anderson at +1 360-227-5519 for more information. Motorola's MeshNetworks Enabled Architecture (MEA™) technology leverages patented and proven routing techniques originally developed for battlefield communications. By pushing intelligence and decision making to the edge of the network, high performance and scalable broadband networks can be built at very low cost. MEA technology supports both infrastructure and client meshing. MEA’s infrastructure meshing creates a robust and scalable network, while client meshing enables end users to instantly form a broadband wireless network among themselves – with or without the inclusion of network infrastructure. In fact, Motorola Multi-Hopping™ technology can turn a client device into a router/repeater. Clients can form large, ad hoc peer-to-peer networks virtually anywhere, anytime. Peer-to-peer networking reduces the demand on network Access Points, freeing up capacity for other users. All these capabilities create low-cost, seamless and simple to deploy wireless PAN, LAN or WAN solutions. Contact Motorola at x for more information. NeoReach Wireless was incorporated in 2005, as the technology division of MobilePro Corporation to manage the company's wireless service offerings, including municipal deployments, wireless ISP acquisitions and ZigBee chip initiative. NeoReach Wireless is the first to deploy a city-wide, border-to-border wireless network in the City of Tempe, Arizona. There are other wireless networks, including those launched by municipalities themselves, however none to-date cover entire cities. Nortel Networks City governments and municipalities benefit from enhanced employee safety and efficiency as well as from an improved business climate. Our Wireless Mesh Network solution addresses the market requirements for networks that are highly scalable and cost-effective, offering end users secure, seamless roaming beyond traditional WLAN boundaries and provides easy deployment in areas that do not (or cannot) support a wired backhaul. Nortel's Wireless Mesh Network solution is well-suited for providing broadband wireless access in areas that traditional WLAN systems are unable to cover. Contact Nortel at +1-800-4NORTEL for more information. PacketHop describes their difference from standard mesh network vendors: Conventional wireless broadband networking is dependent on fixed access points and centralized, network-based servers. Fixed 802.11 networks have their shortcomings, as users are tethered to access points and hindered by bounded coverage, limited roaming, latency and single points of failure. The PacketHop Communication System changes the landscape by making infrastructure completely optional. Contact PacketHop at 650-292-5005 for more information. Rajant Here's a unique approach to wireless. Rajant's BreadCrumb® family of products offers instant wireless broadband connectivity, adaptability, ease of deployment, security and flexibility. Rajant developed wireless broadband systems and components that have multiple applications in homeland security, public safety, emergency and enterprise networking sectors. Rajant's wireless LAN systems are portable, mobile, battery powered, meshing, self-healing, *highly secure, 802.11b access points. The company works with government, military, civilian agencies and first responder organizations to define customer needs and to identify or create funding sources for customers as well. Rajant has succeeded in developing both the private sector and federal customer base. Contact Rajant at +1-484-582-2200 for more information. RoamAD RoamAD is the leading supplier of software for large-scale metro Wi-Fi networks, campus hotzones, and railway / highway Wi-Fi networks. RoamAD's approach is somewhat unique, in that they offer a radio-agnostic, software-based platform that can be installed on commodity hardware. The company's infrastructure-mesh network design provides multi-storey, indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi coverage in dense urban environments and over wide-areas. RoamAD's wireless network solutions provide multi-storey, indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi coverage in dense urban environments, campus hotzones, and on highway Wi-Fi networks. The technology can also be used for cellular backhaul. RoamAD networks are scalable and, with their low-latency and fast-handoff attributes, are optimized to support mobile VoIP/VoWiFi. RoamAD's metro Wi-Fi network technology allows full service telecommunications service providers, ISPs, utility companies and municipalities to cost-effectively and efficiently deliver telco-grade triple-play mobile broadband services (voice, data and video) in built-up metropolitan areas and in other wide area environments. Contact Martyn Levy at +1 (310) 601 8314 for more information. SkyPilot In late 2004, SkyPilot came to market with a carrier-class broadband wireless solution that delivered on a vision and technology four years in the making, and the validation came quickly: over 120 customers in more than 30 countries in the first nine months. Their architecture blends two significant wireless innovations into a single solution: with an Advanced Antenna Array combined with a Synchronous Mesh Protocol, SkyPilot effectively solved the most serious RF issues facing broadband wireless deployments. The array of high-gain, high-power, sectorized antenna enabled a unique combination of extended reach, high modulation, and 360° coverage. Furthermore, this antenna array allowed a sophisticated protocol to provide bandwidth scheduling and intelligent routing in a way that provided significant benefits for both RF management and mesh networking. Contact Wes Schaefer for more information at +1-512-756-5030. Strix Systems Strix’s Access/One™ products are the industry’s Only Modular (chassis-based) mesh system delivering the Largest capacity, Highest throughput and Lowest latency for the new generation of broadband mobility and reach-ability to support voice, video, and data applications. Sold globally by a network of first-class distributors and integrators, the Access/One™ solutions have been deployed in hundreds of networks worldwide, outdoor and indoor, for metro, public safety, government, energy, transportation, hospitality, education, enterprise, residential and carrier access markets.Contact Strix for more information. Telabria designs and manufactures the mSystem range of outdoor mesh products that utilize multi-radio technology to create scalable wireless network solutions. These include CampusMesh™ for local area Wi-Fi coverage, CityMesh™ for metro-scale hot zones, and MobileMesh™ for portable Wi-Fi access using 3G cellular backhaul. Contact Telabria at +0845-658-1940 for more informaiton. Tropos Networks Installed in over 300 customer sites worldwide, Tropos Networks' MetroMesh architecture includes the innovative and patented Tropos MetroMesh OS with Predictive Wireless Routing Protocol (PWRP(TM)), the Tropos Control element manager software suite and purpose-built outdoor, mobile and indoor MetroMesh routers. Started over 5 years ago, Tropos is a pioneer and leader in metropolitan wireless networks, whose wireless mesh dynamically routes traffic along the highest throughput path to the Internet, which scales to thousands of nodes with the lowest routing overhead in the industry, not exceeding 5% of available bandwidth regardless of network size, and features the industry's only purpose-built mesh routing protocol built on the important principal of optimizing client-server throughput. Contact Ryan Fix at +1 408-331-6892 for more information. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 03:10 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Network OperationsMetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers Network Operators and Software Providers Under construction - please keep browsing, and watch this space for new entries Airpath , an OSS and Roaming hosted solutions provider for wireless ISPs, service providers, network providers and systems integrators, is focused on wireless broadband services delivery for metropolitan area networks and venues. A key benefit of working with Airpath for carriers is the ability to quickly negotiate, activate and settle roaming agreements with other carriers. Airpath's back office solutions seek to make the fragmented nature of wireless broadband availability a thing of the past. Contact Dan Thompson at 781-250-3551for more information. http://www.aptilo.com/index.htm The Aptilo solution is a complete system for managing and operating professional public wired and wireless LANs (PLAN), as well as defined hotspots or hotzones based on technologies such as WiFi, WiMax or WiBro. Aptilo Networks provides everything you need to offer a packaged service for wireless or wired Internet access. The system is a robust carrier-class system solution with all the features you can expect and many more, both for operators and as a managed service. The solution is designed for smooth operation of advanced Public LANs. The core component is the Aptilo Service Management Platform. It is used together with Aptilo's Access Gateway. Since the solution is based on an open structure, the platform can also operate with gateways from other vendors for basic functionalities. The system solution is aimed at operators running multi-site networks, but is also offered as a managed service for non-operators or operators who can benefit from a short time to market. Contact Eric Dentler at +1-650-888-8787 for more information. ICOA is a leading vertically integrated, neutral-host broadband wireless Internet network provider. Our complete suite of services and solutions power the unique requirements high traffic public locations, such as airports, marinas, restaurants, and more, while also providing back-office solutions for hotspot operators and wireless service providers. ICOA is the parent company of LInkSpot (RV parks) and iDock (marinas), and provides services to Panera Breads and soon, Dennys. Contact Alan Kobran at 703-542-8261 for more information. NetNearU Pronto Networks Pronto Networks provides carrier-class Operations Support Systems (OSS) that enable network operators to deploy and manage large public hot spot networks. The company's software handles provisioning, configuration, authentication, access control, security, pre-paid and post-paid billing, and roaming settlement for large public WLAN networks, in addition to remotely managing and updating multi-vendor hardware and Wi-Fi switches. Pronto Networks is funded by BV Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and the Intel Communications Fund. In 2003, Pronto Networks received several awards including Wired Magazine's Top 25 Wi-Fi Companies to Watch, the AlwaysOn list of Top 100 Private Companies, and Computerworld's Innovative Technology Awards. Contact Lars Nilsson at +1-925-251-5678 for more information. Wayport Billng Aria Systems - Aria Systems provides customized billing and customer management solutions for individuals, small businesses, and enterprise organizations. Our service works with your business and current systems to ensure your end-users are satisfied and your business increases in value and profitability. Billing Concepts. Inc. - Billing Concepts, Inc. (BCI) offers outsourced billing solutions through a wide range of proprietary LEC processing products and wireless Internet clearing and settlement services. E-Z.net - E-ZY.net specializes in indoor and outdoor Wireless LAN 802.11b WiFi bridging and routing solutions. Our complete outdoor wireless LAN solutions are designed to meet our customers' demands for high-speed wireless connectivity. RAMS Group - RAMS Group is a provider of billing, mediation, provisioning, revenue management, revenue assurance and payment services to a variety of customers with repetitive monthly requirements for service providers such as Internet Service Providers (ISP's), Utilities, Application Service Providers (ASP's), Enterprises, Financial Services companies, maintenance companies, property management companies and more. Our systems issue invoices and collect payments by way of credit and debit cards on a fee-for-service basis within a service offering we have labeled "Revenue Management". In effect RAMS Group takes the administrative load, secures the customers' revenue flow and enhance the customer experience thus allowing the customer to focus on running and building their business effectively. Posted on February 01, 2006 at 02:07 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: WISPs and ISPsMetroNet Equipment Providers and Service Providers Aiirmesh Communications is a wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) and pioneer in the industry. The company launched the nation's largest Wi-Fi Hot Zone in 2003, blanketing the city of Cerritos, California, an 8.6 square mile community with over 60,000 residents, with wireless broadband service. Aiirmesh continues to utilize the latest in Wi-Fi, WiMAX and other robust technologies to design and deploy metro-scale broadband networks for communities across the county. WAZMetro operates the various municipal networks owned and operated by NeoReach Wireless, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of MobilePro Corporation, a publicly traded company [NASDAQ symbol = MOBL]. NeoReach's collective group of networks function through joint partnerships with government municipalities and private-sector relationships. Examples of recent and upcoming deployments are Posted on February 01, 2006 at 12:43 PM | Comments (0) MetroNetIQ Vendor Directory: Stakeholder Interest Groups
Stakeholder Interest Groups Under Construction - please be patient as we add entries American Public Power Association, the national organization for municipally-owned utilites and strong supporter of local economic and community development, has a Community Broadband Initiative that is a good reference source for communities. Center for Digital Government A private organization based in Folsom, CA, the Center has advisory services, online resources, and special reports to provide public and private sector leaders with decision support, knowledge, and opportunities to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st Century. This national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government has valuable white papers and research documents for downloading, including a good document that will get you to thinking about the potential value of a partnership with a private sector firm. Follow this link to download the document, Essential Partnerships: A Guide to the Successful Creation of Public-Private Partnerships. Intel - Digital Cities Initiative is an exciting resource offered by Intel to promote the expansion of metropolitan broadband wireless networks. According to Intel, "A growing number of city and government leaders are implementing eGovernment services using innovative technology to enhance safety and security, citizen satisfaction, and a greater return on tax revenues. Opportunities offered by technology include an integrated infrastructure or 'fabric' for government services, delivered through both broadband wired and wireless information and communications technologies. These core technologies fundamentally transform the way citizens live and work, and serve as the foundation for the Intel vision of the digital city." Go to this site to see examples of applications that will transform your city once you have a broadband wireless network. Intel - WiMAX - Broadband Wireless Access Technology: Connecting the Next Billion People is a website set up by Intel, which explains: WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including 'last mile' broadband connections, hotspots and cellular backhaul, and high-speed enterprise connectivity for business. WiMAX is a complementary technology to Wi Fi Mesh, and is expected to complete an integrated broadband wireless network solution for towns and cities. On this website, WiMAX in Action, Intel works with the wireless industry to drive deployment of WiMAX networks. To find out more about what WiMAX is and how it is revolutionizing broadband wireless delivery, Intel includes these sections: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 5116 broadband interface, WiMAX Overview Demo, WiMAX Experiences - Case Studies & Videos, Industry Collaboration, and White Papers, Training & Articles. NASCIO, the National Association of State CIOs, represents state chief information officers and information resource executives and managers from the 50 states, six U. S. territories, and the District of Columbia. State members are senior officials from any of the three branches of state government who have executive-level and statewide responsibility for information resource management. Representatives from federal, municipal, and international governments and state officials who are involved in information resource management but do not have chief responsibility for that function participate in the organization as associate members. Private-sector firms and non-profit organizations may join as corporate members. NATOA is the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, whose mission is to support and serve the telecommunications interests and needs of local governments. NATOA is a professional association made up of individuals and organizations, who are either responsible for or advise those responsible for telecommunications policies and services in local governments throughout the country. This is a great site for keeping tabs on the role of municipalities in the current debate over telecommunications policy in the US. The aim of INEC is to promote, facilitate and institutionalize cooperation by means of exchange, best practice programs, business development, missions, benchmarking tools, and joint project implementation. Collectively, the INEC partners aim to excel as leaders in E-community development. As an organization, INEC facilitates exchange & benchmarking instruments, as well as the business development tools and best practice programs to further that ambition. Permanent matchmaking facilities and missions facilitate business development, and private sector parties directly involved in smart community development and the creation of innovative services receive active support. http://www.smartgrowth.org/default.asp - In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined with several non-profit and government organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN), in response to increasing community concerns about the need for new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and enhance community vitality. The Network's partners include environmental groups, historic preservation organizations, professional organizations, developers, real estate interests and local and state government entities. The SGN works to encourage development that serves the economy, community and the environment. It is a forum for 1) Raising public awareness of how growth can improve community quality of life; 2) Promoting smart growth best practices; 3) Developing and sharing information, innovative policies, tools and ideas; and 4) Cultivating strategies to address barriers to and advance opportunities for smart growth. The Wi Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 200 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). Seeking to enhance the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, over 2,000 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM), encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets. WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, non-profit corporation formed to promote and certify compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products under the the IEEE 802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN wireless MAN standards, aka "WiMAX". Posted on February 01, 2006 at 10:40 AM | Comments (0) How to Get the Most out of this WebsiteWhat good is a tool without a User Manual? I created this site to provide a gentle on-ramp to the world of metropolitan broadband, with a goal of getting those interested in this exciting new area to absorb this new world and so enjoy a more rapid learning process. Follow the steps on this page to get the most out of this dynamic, growing educational tool. Familiarize yourself with the tabs on the right side, across the top, and down the left side of this Web site. Let's take a brief tour. DOWN THE LEFT SIDE Featured Topic: This spot is where I will showcase items of special interest, whether a glossary term (one way to gain a vocabulary is to learn one word a day), or an event, or a special addition to the website. Orientation: This is the meat of the site, what makes it different from most chronological blogs, and I'll dive deepest on this topic, but not now. Let's save it for last: see the description at the bottom of this page. WikiMetroNet User's Manual - This link will take you to another website, a Wiki, where we will come together as a community and share what we have learned about metropolitan broadband networks, building a shared database of group knowledge that will be accessible to all. Search: As the term implies, search this site by key word, and you can also go out to search the Internet with the Google tool bar located here. RSS Feed: One of the most important buttons on this site. You can check in on this site daily to look for added content, or you can register here (it's easy!) and the new content will come to you. Some people think that this function, when it catches on, will make a huge difference in how we surf and use the Internet. I urge you to sign up, because I'm adding more content daily, and its good stuff! Downloads: In case you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you'll want to get it here so you can look at the massive amount of information in all the downloadable documents on this site. Privacy Policy: This section is a required element in these litigious times - it tells you I respect your privacy and will act like a professional, as well as describing just what I am and what I am not responsible for. Acknowledgements: This is my favorite part of the Web site, because this is where I get to say Thank You to all my friends who have helped. It's a big, complex world, and I really do "get by with a little help from my friends." ACROSS THE TOP Weblog: Like the traditional blog, this section has the short inserts of input on this site, organized from most recent to most dated. Click this tab to turn the middle section into a blog site. About Us: This section tells you the MetroNetIQ story and explains why I did this. Contact: How to get a hold of me when you need to. Login: Come to this tab to log in to the members area, which will feature special things like an archive of newsletters, special downloads, etc. Create Account: Stand up and be counted. Become a part of the MetroNetIQ community. Register here with MetroNetIQ to get email newsletters, special downloads, documents, etc. DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE Recent Entries: Keeps a running list of the most recent posts to the Web site. This section provides an at a glance tool for those who want the hot news, right off the press. MetroNet Vendor Directory: Together with the Orientatin on the other side, this is perhaps one of the most valuable tools on the site. Use this to browse the industry and learn Who's Who. Surf these great sites to check out what else is going on. These links can help you identify allies and resources as you contemplate a metropolitan broadband network. AND NOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY FOR Orientation(continued): This is where you go to sort through all the resource information that is included herein. New to networks, you need to orient yourself to the new environment, so the Orientation category provides such information as Posted on February 01, 2006 at 12:11 AM | Comments (0) |
METRONET VENDOR DIRECTORYMY OTHER BLOGSMetroNetIQ E-Store - Be sure to visit the MetroNetIQ E-Store and pick up a copy of The ABCs of Community Broadband: How Digital Transitions Will Transform America's Communities, One at a Time. The E-Store will offer special discounts on this valuable guide for community leaders, discounts that won't be available to the general public on Amazon! |
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