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Domain: towerstream.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to towerstream.com.

Comments · 8

  1. Here's how we do it (same size company) by fsck! · · Score: 1 · on Best IT-infrastructure For a Small Company?

    I am responsible for IT decision making for a similar-sized startup. I have around 15-years of IT-like activities behind me. At my current job, I keep costs low and the organization agile with a few simple rules.

    Everyone gets a refurbished MacBook Pro with AppleCare. If it breaks (pretty much never), the user takes it to the Apple Genius Bar. Once the warranties run out, there's an Apple-certified support center near by. We replace computers every 2-3 years and keep a spare around just in case. Everyone gets a $100 USB drive for TimeMachine backups, so a damaged or lost laptop is at worst a few hours of lost productivity. If a user wants to run something other than MacOS X they're welcome to do so on their own.

    We have no servers in-house other than a small Linux box which serves as a router. The network is managed with the goal that it be no more complicated than anyone's home network. "Network is down? Reboot the router." Granted, we have a symmetrical 10mbps RF link via TowerStream so it's pretty fast, but still, K.I.S.S.

    All email, calendaring, etc are handled by Google Apps. $50 per person per year is ridiculously cheap for what it gets us. Most file server type needs are met by either Google Docs or DropBox.

    For phones, we have an old PC running an Asterisk derivative and some VOIP desk phones from craigslist. We also have a GSM booster on the roof, and most people who need phones to work have company-funded iPhones. We're also looking at moving to Google Voice now that it's included in Google Apps.

    Seriously reconsider the wisdom in running an authentication server for 20 users. You will spend more time configuring, patching, backing up and fixing that directory server than you would managing a spreadsheet of 20 local admin account passwords.

    Run your corporate web server in-house? No effin' way. EC2 or a co-lo, never in house. You cannot cost-effectively match what a decent colocation provider can give you with regard to cooling, power, network capacity, redundancy or room for growth. They's what they do and they almost certainly do it better than you.

  2. Re:Important differences.... by cyphercell · · Score: 1 · on WiMax Folded Into 3G 'Family'

    this is one of the more overrated posts i've seen in a long time, clueless. a company that operates in most major cities? towerstream
    We're talking, DC, LA, New York, Boston, Chicago, etc... oh and some of their press releases date back to 2005, that's three years.

  3. Re:Right Now! by sraasch · · Score: 1 · on What is the Current Status of WiMAX?

    Well... maybe not: http://www.towerstream.com/content.asp?servicearea s seems to suggest that this provider doesn't even know where PA *is*!

  4. Right Now! by USSJoin · · Score: 3, Informative · on What is the Current Status of WiMAX?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiMax Seems to think that it's already out... http://www.towerstream.com/ should already be serving it.

  5. More unlicensed bands for you by ZakMcCracken · · Score: 1 · on Wireless Carriers looking for Elbow Room

    The FCC is indeed opening more unlicensed bands. It is getting to the point that operators can have pretty decent "elbow room" there. For a good idea of what's going to happen with WiMAX in such bands, check out this operator in Chicago, Boston, NYC, LA and some other places...

  6. TowerStream by shadowxtc · · Score: 4, Interesting · on Redundant Internet Access?

    If you live in any of the following areas...

    # Chicago, IL
    # New York, NY # Greater Boston, MA
    # Greater Providence, RI # Newport, RI
    # Westerly, RI

    TowerStream may be something to look into. I use them as our primary connection at the office - they are far cheaper than a traditional T1 ($350/mo for 512k, $500 for 1.5mbit, they can handle around 5GBit max I believe).

    True line-of-site is not required, a reflected signal is usually sufficient. An external flat-panel antenna about 6 inches tall and wide is required, however. With ours setup on the roof, we get 0% packet loss, and have had no problems through heavy snow, rain or thunderstorms.

    I have occasionally had connection issues, where the wireless modem has needed to be power-cycled. I suspect, however, this is simply due to it overheating :).

  7. Better last mile options exist... by patrixmyth · · Score: 1 · on WiFi On Two Wheels

    It seems to me that it would make a lot more sense if ponied up for a data connection from TowerStream or some other pre-802.16 (WIMAX ) provider, and bridged that over to 802.11. Maybe he could mount the antenna on an industrial strength version of those dorky looking bicycle flags.

    I don't know his cell provider, but where I'm from, thats some expensive bandwidth, so $500 a month for T1 connectivity doesn't sound too unreasonable. Be better if there were a Navini provider or someone else that does better with non-fixed signals, but hey, you take what you can get.

  8. Microwave, rf, big bucks and bandwidth by Halvard · · Score: 1 · on 802.16 WiMax Wireless Broadband on the Horizon

    oh my!

    This sounds expensive.

    This sounds only like a service provider tool from a big building to a lot of locations with the downstread demarc connecting to service provider equipment with ethernet out or long haul out to remote locations. I can see this probably will be a tool for telcos or big companies/governments in the 3rd world or other locations in the US. I can see this used to feed bandwidth into more rural areas where high capacity fiber won't be pushed and then the big boys can push DSL while waiting to sell bandwidth do their smaller competitors

    If you've got pockets with money and can pay alot to use a big building's roof ala TowerStream. But you still need your bandwidth from somewhere.

    Wow, the future is the past. Microwave for broadband like AT&T Long Lines. Now it looks like selling those towers off was like Polaroid selling off anything digital.