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What Do You Need for a Wireless Signal?There are two things a wireless network needs to get you connected: an access point (call it a WiFi node or call it a cell site) and a backbone (call it backhaul and it usually is broadband). The beauty of towers is that they can get you connected from miles away (because they’re tall) and all they need for backhaul is a T-1 line to the phone company’s existing line. That was then. This is now. A wireless signal needs speed and bandwidth. Broadband over a landline has speed and bandwidth, but push it out into the air and it won’t go far and it certainly doesn’t like walls blocking it. Now comes WiFi that can at least travel 300 feet. Hang the WiFi node on a pole and you’ve got a miniature cell site. Great! Cities and counties are bringing WiFi to their streets where broadband exists and helping the ISP or the WiFi provider get the signal to the masses. You can hang a “bridge” out your window and pull the signal in from further than 300 feet. “Wait a minute!” say the cellular carriers. “You’re jumping into our market while regulating our cell sites. That’s not cool.” Don’t make us laugh, say the cities. Our access points are small while yours are huge. We bring our citizens the Internet while you sell voice. We can zone your towers and we get rent for our poles. We’re different. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my Internet Protocol telephone is ringing. It might be that guy who wants to put video over our public WiFi system. Gotta make money, you know. |
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Kreines & Kreines, Inc. |
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