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Microsoft Partners With D-Link To Deliver Speedier Wi-Fi in Rural Regions (zdnet.com)
Microsoft has partnered with networking equipment manufacturer D-Link to deliver speedier Wi-Fi to rural communities around the world. From a report on ZDNet:Dubbed "Super Wi-Fi", the wireless infrastructure is set to be based on the 802.11af protocol, and will take advantage of unused bandwidth in the lower-frequency white spaces between television channel frequencies where signals travel further than at higher frequencies. A pilot of the first phase is commencing in an unnamed American state, with trials also slated to run in three other countries. "D-Link sees ourselves at the very heart of this kind of technical innovation and development. We also acknowledge that we have a role to play in helping all countries and future generations better connect," said Sydney-based D-Link managing director for ANZ Graeme Reardon. "Our goal is to use all of our 30 years' experience and expertise and our global footprint to help deliver Super Wi-Fi as a technological platform for growth to the world's underdeveloped regions."
With the availability of this new low-cost wireless solution for connectivity, I'm looking forward to the elimination of the Universal Service Fee from my phone bill.
Article contains few technical details. This one is just slightly better: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2...
Quotes:
"The 2013 amendment to Wi-Fi is an air interface for “white space” frequencies (from 54 MHz to 698 MHz in the USA; Europe and the UK use a more realistic 490 to 790 MHz), with a maximum per-channel 35.6 Mbps (16 channels can be bonded together to get nearly 600 Mbps)."
And:
"The standard is designed for links up to 1 km in range, the kind of reach that 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi can only manage with a cantenna."
For the metric challenged, 1km = 0.6 miles.
This project is to make use of radio frequencies better suited for the task at hand, which is longer-range wireless than WiFi. This can achieve 1km range without the use of directional antennas. I like having options and an array of technologies to choose from, so I don't see anything wrong with them developing hardware to take advantage of this underused radio band.
Better known as 318230.
Service is poor. No web bill payment...
A rural WISP, serving a handful of customers and not part of a chain, is a small operation. A "Mom-and-POP" if you will. ("POP" = "Point of Presence", the term of art for the site to which the customers are connected.)
Such operations don't have enough revenue to do fancy web design and e-commerce systems. The may be one or a handful of people, some or even all part time, maybe not even the "day job" for the principals. They may even be a hobbiest or some other Net-lover-or-needer who got fed up with the big ISPs ignoring their little rural area (and the downsides of satellite ISPs), brought in a high-speed line, and set up a WISP to offload some of the bandwidth and costs. They are doing well if they're able to keep the net up to their customers.
This is what the Internet was like in the early days, before the telecoms and cable companies got involved. Enjoy!
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
A rural WISP, serving a handful of customers and not part of a chain, is a small operation.
My rural WISP, which got bought out by these jokers, had all of this stuff. (They got it from Quicken.) And I paid $70/mo for the same level of service.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"