Subscribe to podcast
by Wireless Tech RadioTechnology Talk Radio for the wireless industry: manufacturers, WISP, enthusiasts, analysts, owners, and more. Streamed LIVE every Wednesday at 10AM Easter, 7AM Pacific, and 3PM GMT (London) from www.WirelessTechRadio.com.
Recent podcasts
February 2, 2005 Wireless Tech Radio Show
02/02/2005
Industry News: Steve Stroh and Marlon Schafer The merger of AT&T and SBC - One wireless angle is that AT&Ts announced plans to offer AT&T Wireless as a MVNO running on Sprint is likely dead, dealing a small blow to Sprint/Nextels planning. Apple is shipping (the first) Bluetooth 2.0 in its refresh of its PowerBook line. Koreas SK Telecom and Earthlink are have announced SK-Earthlink, which will do an MVNO running on Sprint/Nextel and Verizons networks. The Associated Press reports that RADAR systems at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida are experiencing false targets, possibly as a result of the use of Wireless systems that operate in the 5.6 - 5.8 GHz range.www.bwianews.com
VOIP for WISPs : Is This Sticky Enough - Tony SurakVoice Over IP is shaping up to be the next killer Internet application. Wireless ISPs everywhere are looking to add voice calling and enhanced feature capabilities , its sticky, adds value and brings them additional revenue. Tony Surak of Newforth Partners joins us to discuss VOIP technologies and the important choices ISPs and WISPs need to consider. Tony explains not only why wired and wireless ISPs should offer VOIP services (customer stickiness & retention, higher ARPUs), he will also discuss the ways to implement them. Should you build, it, buy it or partner up Each has its costs and advantages. Mr. Surak is Senior Director of Newforth Partners, an M&A advisory firm which also provides business & technology consultancy. He was a cofounder of TalkingNets, one of the first all VOIP based CLECs, which was later acquired by DSLnet. www.newforth.com
Wireless Remote Rebooting Product - Myron AnduriMarlon Schafer has been fascinated with this unique variant of rebooting equipment that uses paging services instead of dedicated lines or IP addressing. He met Myron Anduri of Nighthawk Systems first at WISPCON and recently at EXC EXPO in Denver. So now you have an untethered way to reboot a digital camera in your deep-in-the-woods deer blind or jumpstart recalcitrant equipment at the most inaccessible tower location. www.nighthawksystems.com
If you have any questions you want to ask the guests or you have any of your own comments about a topic, please Instant Message us at AIM: JimSuttonVA, Marlonoffice, or SteveStroh2.. Hope you get a chance to listen in!
If You Missed The January 26th Show ... Check it out below!
Industry News: Steve Stroh and Marlon Schafer Steves picked out some interesting topics for this weeks wireless industry news and developments. www.bwianews.com
WiMAX: Can it live up to the Hype - Michael YoungI predict that WiMAX stories in 2005 will be the wireless industry equivalent to National Enquirer articles on busty starlets. Everyones interested in them and boy those covers sell! So heres our first bodacious cover story article on WiMAX for 2005. The WiMAX interoperability plug fest has reportedly slipped out to year end which suggests theyll not be official WiMAX gear until 2006. Michael Young, founder and former CTO for YDI Wireless, joins us to suggest some good points, bad points and some recommendations on what to BUY while were waiting. "If you are ready to deploy now, do not wait for WiMax. There are several radio manufactures that make good outdoor OFDM P-P and M-MP systems that are very effective. CAUTION: Do not buy systems that use straight 802.11a or g WLAN cards that run the standard .11a/g protocols."
Back to Basics - Mounting Antennas, Doing Cables & Connectors Right, Weatherproofing - Marlon Schafer "I bet 90% of WISP equipment failures are mechanical in nature." says Marlon Schafer, WISP Owner, Operator, and Consultant. "For example, an antenna installed with the weep holes facing upward. We see it every day." Marlon brings us Back to Basics with tips on smarter ways to mount antennas, how to construct cable and connectors properly, and since its Winter - he cant pass up weatherproofing. Hes suggested some excellent links from the Times Microwave website that offer excellent streaming instructional videos. www.odessaoffice.com
First Anniversary Show - Wireless Tech Radio February 16, 2005
25/02/2005
Industry News: Tsunami Relief Efforts - Mike Outmesguine Steve Stroh is traveling to Chicago for WISPNOG that begins this week. Mike Outmesguine, Co-founder of SOCALWUG, joins us to bring us up-to-date on Tsunami Relief Efforts. He has some thoughts on wireless networking and wireless technologies as disaster relief platforms. www.bwianews.com
Part 1: Consumer Wireless (WiFi) Equipment - Mike Outmesguine, Matt Wilkinson The first segment on relief planning status and efforts continue in the second segment. Matt Wilkinson joins the discussion in mid-segment as the relief effort updates are completed. Matt kicks off his discussion of consumer router gear and choices aided by Mike Outmesguine who, too, has considerable expertise in choosing and deploying consumer equipment.
My Favorite Consumer Wireless (WiFi) Equipment - Matt Wilkinson So you are headed out to BestBuy to get that wireless router, finally, now that the new work laptop has its Intel branded wireless networking embedded somewhere inside. Or, your latest customer hasnt even heard of Wireless 101 and you need this advisor role like a hole in the head. Lockergnome IT channel editor and creator of JustCallMatt.net, Matt Wilkinson, joins us to discuss Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, Apple, SMC, D-Link and Hawking Technologies gear hes used and installed recently. www.JustCallMatt.net
Wireless Tech Radio Show - February 23, 2005
04/03/2005
Industry News: Wrap-up of the WISPNOG Conference in Chicago - Steve Stroh Steve Stroh has returned from Chicago where he attended the first and highly successful WISPNOG (Wireless ISP Network Operators Group) conference last week. He has a report on WISPAs organizational efforts and more. www.bwianews.com
Incumbents Will Staunchly Oppose Municipal Wireless Efforts- Jim Carlini Northwestern University Professor and expert witness Jim Carlini says "there are MANY things going on including the sudden defense of the "traditional phone companies" trying to BAN municipally owned infrastructure (both fiber and wireless).". The bogus NMRC report is only one example of output from "White paper for hire" firms paid directly by the incumbent telephone companies. www.carlinij.com
IIndustry Leading Ultra-Wideband Capabilities - John SanthofffJohn Santhoff, CTO & Co-founder of Pulse~LINK, joins us to discuss the recently announced availability of the worlds first UWB radio for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). The Pulse~LINK platform delivers wireless Gigabit data rates at Personal Area Network (WPAN) ranges and data rates capable of supporting multimedia and HDTV data streams at WLAN ranges. Pulse~LINKs technology is different than that of MB-OFDM and DS-UWB forms of Ultra Wideband presently pursued by other groups. www.pulselink.net
Wireless Tech Radio Show - March 02, 2005
04/03/2005
Industry News: All Signs Looking Good For Mesh Networks - Steve Stroh & Marlon Schafer Firetide has some new mesh products, more evidence that mesh is really starting to take off. Biggest news is that Aloha Partners got their adjacent channel waiver to start 700 MHz service in Tucson. Thats a big deal, and not just for 700 MHz. Minor news is the paper LPTV mini-scandal. www.bwianews.com
Orthogon OS Spectra Product Launched - Phil Bolt I want to say the hot new OS Spectra product is like the Gemini on steroids - faster speeds, larger bandwidth, dual payload capability, better ERA but Im not so sure thats the politically correct phrase anymore. Orthogon Systems CEO, Phil Bolt, joins us again to discuss improvements in this product platform and who its targeted to serve. There are some very interesting and unusual applications the market is finding for the robust Orthogon products that I hope well have time to explore. www.orthogonsystems.com
Wireless Tech Radio - March 09, 2005
11/03/2005
Industry News: Clearwire/Bell Canada - Steve Stroh It may be too dramatic to opine that Telco execs are going to have a rough nights sleep tonight with the multiple bombshell announcements from Clearwire and Bell Canada. But maybe not ... Clearwire announced that Bell Canada will be their VoIP backend and that Bell Canada is purchasing a $100 Million stake in their company. This leapfrogs Clearwire around any number of ILEC induced obstacles. Steve Stroh will connect a lot of dots tomorrow as hes been watching Clearwire closely for more than a year. Also, Sprint has committed to 1xEV-DO, not the potentially faster variant that would have taken a few more years. So, no leapfrogging Verizon. Two rival factions on UWB are going to merge; finally some rationality on UWB. www.bwianews.com
Broadband Wireless Innovation Lags Technologys Pace - Scott Shamp Is there enough true innovation in the wireless field Or are we just refining, rather than revolutionizing its use Professor Scott Shamp, Director of the University of Georgia New Media Institute, joins Wireless Tech Radio Wednesday to discuss innovation in the wireless Industry: The technical capability of wireless has outstripped creative uses for the technology. Putting our advanced technology to creative use will be the center of innovation. Many believe VOIP or adding voice services to broadband wireless is the next killer application. But is this innovation, voice is the original use of telephony dating back more than a hundred years So what is innovation and who will drive it ?It will be content? and ?I will argue that it has to be young people -- they are unencumbered by restrictive paradigms -- they wont let existing models hold them back say Shamp. This innovation [content] will not come from the commercial domain, either. ?There isnt room for radical experimentation here. Profit is too crucial to these groups. Universities will play a major role. Professor Shamp will discuss the Mobile Media Consortium and examples of types of innovative projects that are underway. www.nmi.uga.edu
Anti-Municipal Broadband Legislation - Rick Harnish According to MuniWireless, 11 states had legislation presented this Spring concerning this topic. Five of those states have avoided this legislation as it has died in committee, has been pulled by the author or has been delayed. The states of Colorado - SB 05-152, Florida SB 1714 and HB 1325, Iowa SSB 1136 and HSB Bill 182, Nebraska, Tennessee HB 1403 and SB 1760 and Texas - HB 789 are still active. For the record, I am generally opposed to MuniWireless projects unless all other options to partner with current private providers in the general area have been exhausted say Harnish. As most WISPs know, what looks good on paper today, in reality is a very challenging business. Our real world experience should give us expertise to partner or offer to cooperate with the municipalities that choose to move forward on wireless projects. I look at MuniWireless not so much as a threat but as an opportunity. Rick organized an email list of 40 WISPs in the state to keep them aware of the legislation calendar and language and to urge them to contact their legislators. He also worked directly with the Department of Commerce office in a series of meetings to discuss the bills, language and possible solutions.
Concerning Legislation:
Beware of deceiving titles: Anti-Municipal Broadband Bill may mean PRO-RBOC Broadband Bill or Anti-Competition Broadband Bill Content of the bills language is what is important. Read it once, then reread it again, speculate what each line can mean to your future in the business Contact your State Department of Commerce or related agency that oversees broadband deployment, make a name for yourself with the people who count Begin to organize with other WISPs and ISPs in your state to battle and amend legislation and even to formulate solutions for various MuniWireless projects Sources of Information: State Legislation Websites, if you dont know it, Google it!, Muniwireless.com, Wispa.org, wispcentric.com. Most important point here is Get Connected, Get Reading, Get Active or Get Run Over! www.oibw.net