Fixed wireless technology, no phone line or cable connection needed, that is what Sprint is offering.
I am talking about the direct integration of wireless and wired broadband, as opposed to a all wired system or all wireless system.
The logic sounds good, wirelessly send a signal to a receiver near a distant community, that is presently beyond the reach of DSL. From the point where the wireless signal reaches the distant community, take the signal and convert it to DSL. Then distribute DSL broadband access, through out the community, over the existing copper lines.
The marriage of these two systems, accomplishes more than either system can achieve on their own. Wireless broadband gets you to areas that DSL can't reach. Once there, DSL gets you around the community, better than Wireless can with its line of sight problem.
As far as I know, no one has developed this model.
Mr.Van Cullens on Aug 17 said he had asked Bill Noll, Westell's chief engineer, to look at this idea.
I can't believe the idea hasn't been considered by others previous to me, and that includes Westell. However I wonder if the political ramifications of tying two competing last mile transport systems together, represents an obstacle in terms of providing a wireless company access to a wired company's existing customers.
However my feeling on that is, either you stay current with the options available in the transport system, or loose mkt. share to a system that can provide solutions, where your system comes up short.
So the next stage is to hear the feed back that comes back from Westell's chief engineer. We don't know if the proposed wireless to wired broadband idea is cost effect enough to be considered when measured against the option of just rolling out additional lines and switching, to provide broadband capacity further out.
We also don't know technically how well such a system would work in terms of meeting the expected level of demand in a given area.
What we do know according to Bill Noll is that a wireless signal can be converted to DSL.
We may know something soon, because Westells CEO Mr. Van Cullens said on Aug. 17, that I should hear something in a few weeks, when more time can be devoted to new ideas.
I just checked my email, and found Mr. Van Cullen sent me the following email yesterday.
Shaw,
Thank you for your continued interest and support. We have had our head down
here up to today when we announced a restructuring and reorganization. Now that
this is behind us, we will be returning to serious strategic and product
planning activities.
I'll make sure the new Product Line Management team, along with Bill Noll, gives
the wireless to wired issue a long look. We have looked at this in the past I
am told, but given how things change, your suggestion that we take a fresh look
is a good one.
Kind regards,
Van Cullens |
