The State of Digital Communities
The municipal wireless phenomenon was born within a paradigm shift fueled by two elements. The first involves a desperate need from government officials to solve real problems and the second has to do with the arrival of the right technology. The intersection of these two elements has resulted in an exciting market which seems to have doubled in momentum since last year and is fueled by the ability to deliver more efficient government services and foster economic prosperity.
When I first stumbled onto the municipal wireless field in late 2003, I mistakenly saw it only as an alternative to access. If you are familiar with Intel's Digital Community initiative and the great companies who foster this initiative, you know that it has little to do with access, but instead promotes solutions. Solutions for example, which enable mobile workers, provide life saving capabilities for first responders, and enable device monitoring and control which enable greater efficiencies for local government. In almost all cases, the visionaries and project managers behind these wireless initiatives are leveraging the network asset to achieve broader economic and community benefits which extend to citizens and local business. But enough talk about the initiative. There are four topics which have occupied my thoughts recently.
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The views expressed in this Guest Commentary are those of its author and are not necessarily reflective of Tropos Networks. Tropos Networks, its partners and customers are not responsible for the third-party Guest Commentary content
Tropos Networks Introduces MetroMesh OS 5.1
Continuing market leadership demands continuing innovation. Tropos Networks MetroMesh OS 5.1 defines this mantra by delivering the most advanced metro-scale mesh networking capabilities in the industry. These software innovations give service providers and municipalities critical capacity and functionality to allow them to build and operate metro-scale Wi-Fi networks that support demanding current and future broadband applications. Release highlights include metro-scale automated channel planning and dynamic channel assignment, mesh edge rate management, support for nationwide service provider authentication systems, and instrumentation for Tropos Insight and Tropos Drive, among others.
St. Cloud, Florida, Launches Nations's First 100% Citywide Wi-Fi Network
A milestone event in the evolution of the Municipal Wireless movement is launched. With full operational deployment, the City of St. Cloud, FL, a suburb of Orlando, has become the first community in America to provide every resident and business 100% free citywide high-speed wireless Internet access as a public service.
At a time when the United States has slipped to 16th in the world in broadband penetration (source - International Telecommunication Union), the City of St. Cloud has refused to take 2nd place, let alone 16th, when it comes to providing economic and social opportunities for its residents.
From Disaster to Technology Leadership
In the six months since hurricane Katrina slammed their city, New Orleans officials have been improvising a plan to put its information infrastructure back together. Wireless mesh networks have played a pivotal role in the rebirth of the city's IT and communications infrastructure. Here's an in-depth look at disaster recovery, under the gun.
With the critical communications infrastructure humming, New Orleans officials didn't take time for a much-needed vacation.they turned their attention to providing invaluable broadband connectivity to the public. While cable and DSL connectivity is still virtually non-existent to most residents of the city, several MetroMesh deployments are providing free Wi-Fi connectivity to those who need it most.
Mr. Taxman.Keep Your Hands off My Wi-Fi!
President Bush has established the important goal of achieving universal broadband availability for all Americans by 2007. Yet, in a little-noticed portion of its budget, the Administration urges Congress to enact a new tax, euphemistically described as a "user fee" on unauctioned spectrum licenses that give holders the right to transmit radio signals. It is hard to discern precisely what is intended by this obscure proposal, but within 24 hours of its release the White House said it had no intention of taxing Wi-Fi services that operate in unlicensed spectrum. Are you serious?!?
A Quantum Leap.Municipal Wi-Fi Style
Incumbent service providers have long opposed municipal Wi-Fi initiatives, and have devoted tremendous resources to their legislative battles.but is there a fundamental sea change in the works? Leading indicators might suggest that the 800 lb. gorillas have begun to see the value in fast, low-cost and simple broadband delivery. CTIA, the industry organization for the world's telcos and wireless carriers, has reversed its anti-muni broadband position. And cable operators and MSOs are embracing metro-scale Wi-Fi as an important service offering. Who says competition isn't good for consumers?
Earthlink and Google Partner for San Francisco Wi-Fi Proposal
Speaking of 800 lb. gorillas, two of the Internet industry's most recognizable brands, Earthlink and Google, have teamed up to respond to the San Francisco Wi-Fi network RFP. Talk about your brilliant moves.the joint response proposes a two tier approach to Wi-Fi access; free, rate-limited access funded by Google's location-based ad revenue and broadband residential and business connectivity provided by Earthlink.
Hey, Partner.Let's MuniFi
As written in Fierce Wi-Fi, "When two heavyweights partner, we should all take notice". Tropos and Alvarion announced a partnership to deliver a municipal wireless solution without equal. Tropos' market leading Wi-Fi mesh architecture, coupled with Alvarion's innovative point-to-multipoint products, particularly in the 4.9 GHz spectrum for public safety, delivers best-of-breed connectivity for municipal broadband networks.
Market leading MetroMesh architecture coupled with Juniper's products and services delivers best-in-class solution to evolving municipal broadband market. This joint solution offers municipalities and service providers a flexible, carrier-grade solution for wireless broadband delivery. As part of the alliance, the companies will have co-marketing activities and joint sales engagements to deliver best-in-class product solutions of Juniper's security and IP routing with Tropos' metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh networking.
Freedom to Connect
Washington, DC
April 3-4
CTIA 2006
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
April 5-7
The Wireless Event
Olympia, London
May 16-18
W2i Digital Cities West
Los Angeles, CA
May 24-26
LEIM
Grapevine, TX
June 5-9
MuniWireless Santa Clara, CA
San Francisco, CA
June 19-20
Muni Light Reading Event
Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 21-22
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