Fixed wireless

The thread on somebody’s connection speed issues reminds me …

I currently have a DSL connection - 1500/384 ADSL. Cable is a non-starter as far as I’m concerned because of their “though shalt not run a server on your machine” rules, and no static IP. I used to be happy as a clam with my ADSL - I actually was getting about 4500/500 consistently for quite some time. It’s been degrading over the last several months, though, and SBC (which isn’t my ISP, just my CLEC) has responded by telling me I’m actually 9000 feet from the CO, not 6000 as it said in their database, so I can’t expect that kind of speed, and they just capped me lower rather than attempting to restore stability at the higher speed. Uh huh. What happened - did 3000 feet of copper wire magically grow between my house and the CO? It’s a pity - I really like my ISP (sonic.net), but SBC is a pain in the butt.

Anyway, as I look around for alternatives, it looks like fixed wireless might actually be the most attractive residential service these days. Slightly pricey, but you get symettric service (I’m looking at 1500/1500, with burst to 6 mb), and I like the idea of not relying on data transport via the phone line or cable.

A few questions for anybody that actually has experience with this type of broadband:

  1. How is the reliability? My worry is having the connection go kerflooey every time a bird flies between me and the radio tower. Well, that’s an exageration, but I DO wonder about how well it stays up, and assurances by the provider that it’s solid as a rock are somewhat suspect.

  2. Most of these WISPs seem to have a setup where they offer “residential” service and “SOHO service” at a higher rate, and if you exceed residential usage patterns, you will get bumped up to SOHO. They seem to be fuzzy about exactly what those patterns are. Specifically, I’m not that worried about the caps, but I wonder if operating very low volume ftp/http servers on my machine will trigger them. The sales rep for the company I’m considering (Etheric Networks) was a little unsure about whether I was allowed to, and eventually concluded I could, but I note they advertise “you can run a server” as a feature of their SOHO service, not residential.

  3. Is there going to be consolidation in this business, making my expensive receiver / antenna installation obsolete in the near future? I’m somewhat worried that the WISPs all seem to be independent little operations right now, using competing standards and serving line of sight to their particular towers and repeaters.

Another clam-happy Sonic customer here.

They do offer fixed wireless, but think it’s just in the Santa Rosa area.

Don’t mess with SBC on your own - let the good people at Sonic handle the ugly details. When I get home tonight, I’'ll shoot over the name of the people there that helped me fix my DSL when it went bonkers so you can end-run the first-level phone staff. I’d moved and went from 900 feet to the CO to 10,000 feet. My line had been profiled for 6 MB service, but nobody told the Redback when I moved that 6 MB was now impossible, so my line only stayed up for a couple minutes at a time while the Redback, DSLAM and my DSL modem quarreled about who was right and what was possible. They were able to re-profile me to a rock-solid 3000/384 on static IP, so they ought to be able to get the same for you at 9,000 feet. (Assuming all the wire between your DSL modem and the CO is in good shape!) Of course, if symmetrical speed is an issue for you, 3000/3000 might not be possible at 9,000 feet.

I’m not messing with SBC on my own. Sonic took out the SBC trouble ticket on my behalf. Sonic is responsive and helpful, but ultimately, it’s SBC’s line, and they have to address problems of that sort. Once it gets through the DSLAM and out of the CO, it becomes something Sonic can directly do something about.

Maybe, maybe not. The network gurus at Sonic seem to work pretty closely with the SBC ASI people.

FWIW, the person at Sonic that went the extra mile and a half to get my line working is Ryan. I don’t have a direct email address for him other than the generic support@sonic.net.