2.5G/3G to Vehicles:
Verizon’s unlimited 2.5G service uses 1XRTT for dial-up speeds at $99/mo. Cisco dual-band access points could deliver local coverage. For faster, cheaper “wireless DSL”, the Data Only mode of 2.5G/3G might be used. IPWireless provides mobile speeds up to 9 Mbps. Missoula, Montana used it for the “first commercially available 3G wireless broadband service” in North America. Other mobile “wireless DSL” providers include Airvana and Monet Mobile.
MMDS to Vehicles: Licensed alternatives like Sprint MMDS will use Navini and IO Span for “wireless DSL”. Lots of non line of sight technologies are becoming available for MMDS (and the 700 MHz band). The 700 MHZ band might even provide high speed connections - at 70 miles per hour. Flarion is hot to trot. Dual mode wireless terminals with flash-OFDM for wide area connectivity and 802.11 for local wireless might save millions.
Unlicensed band to Vehicles:
A 5.8 Ghz link using Aperto Networks, BreezeNET, Wavesat or WiLan’s 5.8 Ghz sector allows mobile (but not moving) access. A flat-panel antenna (or an electronically steerable antenna), pointed at a fixed tower should do the trick. Mesh Networks could deliver the last 3000 feet. They put mesh networking on a chip for broadband mobility. Their system works with a variety of protocols including 802.11a/g and their own proprietary system. It hops through neighboring radios if it can’t find a direct link to an access point. Ultra Wide Band imagers can even see through walls. Link ‘em.
Sharing the cost of “blanket” 802.11a/b/g networks might make sense. Police, fire, EMS and city bureaus could save millions using “hot spots” instead of costly CDPD, 3G or multi-million dollar custom-built radio networks. Licensed wireless broadband like MMDS and 3G (Data Only) could deliver “wireless DSL” backbones with better range and reliablility (at higher cost). One access point using separate backbones might provide redundancy and reliability for both private and public networks.
A Pocket PC with built-in 802.11b ($600) or tablet PCs like the Acer Tablet ($2000) or XP-handhelds like the Tiqit or OQO ($1000) can do double-duty. Mount them on your dash, bike or belt.
Ashland Unwired gets an extra push by city government itself: the Ashland Fiber Network, the municipally owned cable TV and Internet service, which is working in partnership with two Internet service providers to get local companies “unwired.”
Sales force automation can use wireless Voice-Over-IP and Videoconferencing at low cost. Fire departments use hand-helds running REACTecn while Port of Seattle Police use PocketBlue Wireless Handhelds at the airport and harbor. Automatic roaming and switching between “hot spots” and cellular networks is a done deal.
Getting everyone to talk (and work) together might be the biggest challenge. Access points are expected to mushroom from 3 million today to 60 million in 2006. Residential subscriptions to wireless broadband in the U.S. is estimated to grow from 338,000 in 2001 to 3.1 million by 2006. Licensed-exempt services will have the greatest growth with 2.5 million subscribers expected by 2006.
If public agencies don’t follow the homeland security money trail they may wind up a day late and $10 million short.
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