Alternative Wireless Broadband for your Neighborhood

An anonymous reader writes "TelephonyOnline reports Motorola has announced a new line of 5GHz *unlicensed* Wireless Broadband point to multi-point solution with a 2 mile range called Canopy. Pricing may allow neighborhoods to gang up and be their own ISP."

Comments

end of ip over fixed telephony?

[tapiwa]

With the everincreasing range of wireless, especially over the *free* spectrum, will we see the end of ip over telephony.

Taken to the extreme, if each 'neighbourhood' is running high speed ip over wireless, and is peering with its neighbours, then the world becomes a true web. Why connect via maBell and pay $$$ lots, when these local wireless networks grow and peer to a level where xx% of your ip traffic can be routed without ever going via the major backbone providers?

Re:end of ip over fixed telephony?

[warpSpeed]

... and is peering with its neighbours

This is a great idea in theory. However if you look at the real Internet there are a handful of major backbone providers due to the fact that it makes sence to aggrigate your traffic to a few major pipes them many multiple smaller pipes.

Chances are that if something like this were to pop up in several ajacent networks the users on the networks would be interested in getting to the outside world, not the next neighbourhood over.

You would still need at least one point of entery to the net, and if you wanted multiple points you would most likley need and AS number, and largish, expnsive routers.

The single biggest obstical is the cost of the equipment, and even more so, the skills set required to configure and maintain the network.

I have had dreams about setting something like this up, but the amount of time to maintain it is too high. When you can get a better routing protocol, cheaper equipement, I can see it taking off. But it is a little ways away, except for the volunteer efforts by some dedicated geeks out there.

~Sean

Actual article URL

[herrlich_98]

Actual Article URL

None of the links in the base topic is actually to the article.

Is this really cost effective?

[teaserX]

> CANOPY STARTER KIT, 6 AP CLUSTER, SUPPORTS UP TO 200 SUBSCRIBERS ON EACH AP MODULE $30,000.00

So let me get this straight. 6 APs supporting 1200 total users (assume residences) for $30k. That's only $25. Oh then there's the Customer Terminal Equipment at $515 a pop and a license at $28.95 ea and bandwith to feed your back haul...

Your talkin AT LEAST $650,000 to set this up for a neighborho(ood). That works out to around $540 per household assuming evreyone in the coverage area gets on board. I guess that's not bad if you amortize it over the year (or two). But what kind of freaky geek commune are you going to find that needs 1200 BB connections in a two mile radius?

Re:Is this really cost effective?

[Innomi]

> But what kind of freaky geek commune are you going to find that needs 1200 BB connections in a two mile radius?

Heaven?