Support Your Local Sheriff

WaveRider's non-line-of-sight products are generating a buzz among municipalities across the country. Some WISP operators are picking up a piece of the action when local authorities learn these are not 3G wireless systems—spread spectrum technologies are Generation Four.

by Patricia Fusco Managing Editor of ISP-Planet [December 6, 2001]

What's the difference between so called "third generation" (3G) wireless technologies and the fourth reincarnation of the dream? Simple, 4G wireless broadband connections are rooted in 802.11 technologies—so they're real and ready to connect consumers right now.

One of the first municipalities to deploy WaveRider's Last Mile Solution (LMS) is the City of Buffalo, Minnesota, located just outside Minneapolis.

The city council recognized it needed high-speed Internet services to attract businesses and residents to the area. Conventional wired communications providers chose to ignore Buffalo's 10,000 residents and deny broadband deployment to the area. So the city took action and built a Wi-Fi network for itself, successfully connecting its first clients mid-November.

The City of Buffalo is one of the first municipalities in the U.S. to install, own and operate its own broadband network. Since telecommunications spending has decreased and the expansion of existing infrastructure slowed dramatically, non-traditional service providers—such as municipal governments—are examining new ways to bring broadband access to denizens. And Buffalo has already hosted representatives from other cities and states demonstrating its WaveRider-fueled network.

But not every municipality has the wherewithal to get into the WISP business. Some localities are looking for the right Wi-Fi technical team to help them build wireless networks. Be on the lookout for Wi-Fi funding in your locality courtesy of proactive city council members or through county and state government grants.

One hotspot of governmental appropriations is emergency communication and security systems. If you're not spending time at your local city councils get-togethers to stay informed, you could be missing WISP business opportunities in your service area.

Marlon K. Schafer of Odessa Office Equipment is just one WISP operator that has recently been called upon to support his local sheriff. What started as a one-time Web camera setup to thwart repeated thievery of a remote residence has grown into a long-term relationship between Schafer's WISP business and local authorities.

Because the system Schafer set up proved to be quite successful, local authorities decided to pursue "WirelessDSL" high-speed services for all department vehicles.

"The local P.D. is going to get equipment for their vehicles as soon as they can and light up all the patrol cars," Schafer said. "Once the patrol cars have wireless equipment in them we will be building a VPN system to connecting the vehicles to the office so that they can do much of their police work while still out in the field."

Meanwhile, the city of Odessa, Wash. picked up federal grant money to deploy "advanced services" to the area and struck a deal with Schafer to utilize his Wi-Fi system for high-speed connectivity. The city is using the grant money to buy the needed equipment from Odessa Office Equipment and get connected. Because Schafer already had established a rapport with the local Sheriff, he was tapped to set up a wireless network for the city.

"The city received a grant that will let them buy the wireless equipment from me and we'll donate free access for the connections," Schafer said. "The county clerk and maintenance shop, along with the local police and library, essentially get wireless broadband access for next to nothing. "

For Schafer, the relationship is great for his WISP network—you can't buy the type of advertising that his business is getting.

Now is a great to time investigate whether your WISP's service area is in the process of bringing wireless broadband access home to the range. Spend a little time educating local authorities about what your WISP offers. Whether your business picks-up a one-time build out fee setting up a municipal network or plants a seed for a long-term business relationship, you need to make sure local authorities understand the difference between three and 4G wireless technologies.

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