Broadband Reports says; Cheer Up, Qwest:
It has to be a painful experience getting rejected by Worldcom, which not long ago was the laughing stock of American Industry. But cheer up Qwest, you’re at least making some smart moves when it comes to DSL.
…Some good news for Qwest – maybe: As part of the Verizon/MCI and SBC/AT&T mega-merger process, regulators may force both companies to sell certain network assets to competitors. Or, as many analysts have been predicting for years, Qwest could find itself a target of acquisition by BellSouth, whose next-gen network plans are equally feeble.
Hey, that’s an idea. Qwest and Bell South.
Why not? Bell South has some licensed 2.5 GHz MMDS frequencies. A Clearwire MMDS partnership could add more, while the 3.560-3.700 band is easy to get. Unlicensed 5.8 GHz (even 700 MHz) might provide the last mile. Qwest could be a real threat to the Verizon/MCI, ATT/SBC and Sprint/Nextel troika.
Forcing Verizon to over pay is a good move. Qwest can now deliver broadband wireless to their heart.
Look at Speakeasy. They’re rolling out (pre)WiMax. Today. Glenn Fleishman was there at the launch of their pre-WiMax service and shot these photos.
Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS VL, with a range up to 12 miles, is being used from the Space Needle to enable OFDM non-line-of-sight broadband wireless services at up to 26 Mbps. Initially the service will cover Seattle’s business district, but Speakeasy expects to expand the reach to the greater Seattle metropolitan area in the near future.
The Space Needle is 600 feet tall, but the Bank of America tower, at 937 ft, is the city’s tallest building. Transpacific fiber terminates in the Westin Building.
Alvarion’s BreezeACCESS VL (pdf datasheet), used for Speakeasy’s launch in Seattle (and an earlier demo in Las Vegas), don’t use Intel chips, as Unstrung’s Dan Jones points out. It uses Atheros 5.8 GHz 802.11 chips with a “proprietary ASIC on board that deals with media access control” (MAC) layer functions. Alvarion uses Intel’s WiMax chip in the BreezeMAX 3500, their 3.5 GHz line, however.
A metro-wide, WiMax-like wireless network was demonstrated by Intel at InterOp (MP-3) in Las Vegas last week. While Intel’s Sean Maloney was on stage, people scattered about the city broadcast live video directly back into Maloney’s computer on stage. An Elvis impersonator was driving around in a recreational vehicle. Someone else was on a golf course. Four outdoor Alvarion BreezeMax units provided sector coverage. Intel expects WiMax capabilties will be incorporated into its Centrino chipsets in 2006.
Speakeasy is delivering speeds up to 6 Mbit/s, with monthly tariffs starting at $500 for a 3-Mbit/s or $800 for 6-Mbit/s service.
Could one $800/month, 6 Mbps connection feed an entire neighborhood (like New Columbia)? It might be a good bet. Charge $10/month times 500 homes. Pay for 6 months, get a free WiFi dongle and reflector. Is that a business model or what? Is the Free Triple Play next?
If Qwest doesn’t get on board, neighborhood associations and schools will.
That’s not a theat. It’s a promise.
