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Fixed Wireless Business

Finding Wireless Prospects

Members of the ISP-Wireless discussion list talk about finding out which potential wireless customers do not have access to DSL and cable Internet options.

[December 17, 2002]

Recently, on the ISP-Wireless list, members discussed different methods for pinpointing target markets with their high-speed fixed wireless services. Specifically, RW asked:

"Is there a way for me to find out what the DSL and cable coverage areas are in my footprint, so that I can send our sales staff into these areas that have poor or non-existent coverage for both services?

If anyone else is doing this, how did you find the resources to get this information?"

[CJ advised] "You can use the DSL pre-qualification tools from your local phone company to determine if service is available. You can get the phone numbers from the phone book. The database is not 100 percent accurate, so you need to talk to residential customers also and find out the reality on the street and call a few people.

AT&T broadband also has a pre-qualification tool based on street addresses. This tends to be accurate. But here again, you need to talk to some of your prospects to figure out if they are happy with their cable broadband service. In our area, we have found that most people associate high-speed Internet with DSL (thanks to the massive Yahoo!-SBC online type advertising) and generally do not view the cable company as favorably."

[LY cautioned] "Warning! Warning! Don't hit those pre-qualification sites too hard. Most of those 'finder' sites are used by the DSL and cable logistics folks to determine the level of interest in their services, in a particular area. If they see a particular neighborhood has a large amount of demand, they will be more likely to expand into that area. So, use pre-qualification sparingly so as not to attract attention."

[BM recommended] "DSLreports.com has a fairly accurate database of COs (Central Offices) with DSL capabilities throughout the U.S. I'd take a look at them, plot them on a map, and draw 15,000 feet out. The dead spots are where your salespeople need to hit."

[KS recommended] "Tim Sanders from www.thefinalmile.net has a good article with some useful tools and tips on how to find cable and DSL coverage.

In the article, he says a successful fixed wireless company strives to position its service to cover the underserved areas, rather than fighting for customers with the phone company and the cable company.

Certainly, there are tools that WISPs can use to plan effective deployments, plotting around COs and using cable TV plant maps. But the information is often not very accurate. Nothing replaces good, old-fashioned leg work."

—End