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GiGoNET
High-Speed Wireless
Wireless
Frequently Asked Questions
- Introduction
to FHSS Wireless?
- What
kind of Hardware is required?
- What
kind of signal is being used?
- What
an End User needs to know?
- What
is Alvarion?
- What
is Wireless Broadband Internet Access?
"Broadband" is a term defined by the FCC as providing
Internet Bandwidth access in excess of 200 Kbps downloads and
uploads. There are three major wireless camps today. The Cell
phone/PCS guys have a non-broadband data rate of up to 64 Kbps
and eventually 128 Kbps for use in the WirelessWeb 2.0 and some
handheld devises. The larger Phone companies and Utilities have
adopted the LMDS/MMDS licensed band system that has a longer range
and uses a higher frequency and sports throughput up to 1 Mbps
such as WorldComm, Sprint and ATT (as of the writing of this Sprint
does not sell Fixed Wireless Broadband any more and AT&T,
closed their operations, and WorldCom had declared Bankruptcy),
and regional operators serving underserved and un-served area
with Fixed Wireless Broadband Internet Access like GiGoNET. All of these systems use radios to send packetized data
between the distribution point and a client system.
- Why
the 900 Mhz, 2.4 Ghz and 5.2-5.8 Ghz Frequency range?
These frequency range(s) have been set aside by the FCC, and is
generally labeled the ISM band. A few years ago Apple and several
other large corporations requested that the FCC allow the development
of wireless networks within this frequency range. What we have
today is a protocol and system that allows for unlicensed use
of radios within a prescribed power level. The ISM band (2.4 Ghz
Band) is populated by Industrial, Scientific and
Medical devices that are all low power devices, but can
interfere with each other. Larglely the 900 Mhz and 5.2-5.8 Ghz
are largely un-used and now opening up to more general public
use such as the 802.11a standard (5.8 Ghz).
- Who
designed these radio units?
GiGoNET uses radio units made by Alvarion formally
named BreezeCom. They are
an Israeli outfit, originally named LanAir, that designed these
systems for use in tank-to-tank, and tank-to-HQ, real-time communication
for telemetry and computer communication for the Israeli military.
Each unit is programmable to use different frequency hopping patterns
within the 79 frequencies in the spectrum, and to hop between
these frequencies at 10-30 times per second. A client radio picks
up this sequence from the sending unit and they hop in an identical
pattern. Individual packets can be lost or dropped and there is
no data loss.
- What
is the 802.11 standard?
802.11 is the wireless Ethernet standard. This allows a standard
Ethernet system to have sections that are wireless without modifying
the standard Ethernet standards or methods. A short
802.11 tutorial is available here.
Check out these groups, the Wireless
Lan Alliance and the Wireless
Ethernet Compatibility Alliance.
GiGoNET
uses a proprietary algorithm of the 802.11b standard which makes
the system, up to this date, repellent to outside attackers ...
I am sure someone someday will figure out a way. But for
all other 802.11b systems a simple spectrum analyzer and an
802.11b wireless card with scanning capabilities can break into
virtually every 802.11b system today except the Alvarian Breeze
Access II, Frequency Hopping System.
- What
about all MMDS/LMDS?
These systems are still in initial stages of deployment. They
all tend to use licensed frequencies, the drawback there being
the cost of acquiring licenses. The systems promise to scale well
in densely populated areas, but are very costly to use in a rural
territory. Startup costs for these systems have been said to be
in the 7 to 9 figure range. As noted above the major players
have all left the field except for the bankrupt MCI WorldCom and
with AT&T announcing that they are delaying
any new wireless internet deployment until they have the funding.
- What
about wireless data using cell phones?
Current cell phone technology operates at between 9600bps and
14,400bps. It's just too slow for today's Internet uses. So much
so that the cell industry is having to make up a whole new protocol
and web server system just to pare down the data into transmittable
size for use on a PDA or the newer cellular phones. Note that
you no longer see the term "cellular" being used by
the cell phone industry. Cell Phone carriers are trying very hard
to establish a foot in the door of the emerging wireless data
market.
- Will
this work with the Palm units?
Not at this time, we deploy a Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
where the Palm 802.11b, iPaq, and Microsoft stuff all use the
Direct Sequencing Spread Spectrum.
- How
does this access method compare to Cable?
Cable access speeds varies depending upon the provider, two way cable providers are now starting to
catch the vision of fast speeds to the end user, most are fairly
fast download speeds and upload speeds are usually quite a bit
less 128kbps or 256kbps. Some cable speeds are capable of 3 Mbps speeds downloads.
However, Cable has it own problems, if you are fortunate enough
to be near the head end you could experience great speeds nearly
all the time, but as kids come home from school and as more users
log on in your neighborhood your speed will denigrate to the speed
of dial up.
We have many who call up and had Cable and the speeds
where great for a while and then they are back as dial up speeds
at various times of the day.
- How
does this method compare to DSL?
Wireless is much faster, more widely available in rural areas
and is less expensive. DSL is limited to the copper plant in use
by the Telco. Wireless speeds range from 400kbps up to 2.2 Mbps
( a T1 is 1.544 Mbps) DSL services are not currently available
in much of rural Arizona. Even when and if DSL does arrive,
it will not be deployed outside the zones that are close-in to
the Telco hub (18,000 foot limitation from the Central Office).
Wireless will go anywhere you can create a relay point.
- I
live in a valley. Is there any hope for me?
Perhaps, but unfortunately there will be places that will be impossible
to service with wireless. Being in a low spot will not help, unless
of course you're right next to the hill where a broadcast point
is. We have made a commitment to take the wireless service wherever
there is enough demand to justify the expense of creating a relay
point. Give us you and 15 other people that would use the service
and we'll install a mini (wpop) Wireless Point of Presence down
to service you.
- Why
aren't the HUGE corporations using this?
The large players are after large dollars and that means heading
for densely populated areas. In heavily populated areas there
is a much greater chance that this bandwidth would be saturated,
not only by other users, but by other ISM band devices. 2.4 Ghz
is also unlicensed and would reach a maximum density point long
before they ran out of customers. The 2.4 Ghz is an unlicensed
frequency, so they cannot buy an exclusive right to use it, the
way they can with the LMDS/MMDS bands. ISPs that want to deploy
2.4 gear are running into frequency congestion in heavily populated
areas and are finding out that DSSS systems have some very serious
shortcomings in many deployment scenarios.
- Update
Most recently Sprint and AT&T entered the fixed wireless market
and quickly closed up shop, for two very different reasons and
neither for lack of demand. One was a political internal
move based upon the political power of the cable division not
wanting to compete with its own fixed wireless division within
the company and the other due to being cash strapped after spending
far to much to deploy fiber to the curb and not get the last mile
solution developed. MCI/WorldCom has deployed cautiously in a
few markets and appears to being doing OK, but is still struggling
with rolling out a new service at a large company, technical support,
and customer service has always been a headache for the large
Telco's. AT&T Wireless just announced that they are waiting
on additional funding and better market before deploying their
CMDA Wireless Data architecture.
- What
are the radios and who makes them?
The radio units are about the same size as two packs of cigarettes.
The radios are currently being produced by a variety of manufacturers
and the various chipsets and parts are also being produced by
several companies. DSSS chipsets are made by Lucent
and Harris.
FHSS chipsets are made by Symbol
and Alvarian and a
host of other companies. Everyone who employs a FH system is making
their own chipset. Many companies are now rushing to create FHSS
products. The Alvarian units we employ have a rugged metal
case and are extremely lightweight.
- How
do I connect to the radio?
You connect your computer to the unit using a standard Ethernet
cable that runs between the radio and the Ethernet card of your
computer. This cable can be up to several hundred feet long, allowing
the radio and antenna to be in one place and the computer to be
where you want it. The antenna connects to the radio with a short
proprietary "strain relief cable", and uses a larger
and longer section of radio signal cable to continue the run to
the antenna. Antenna cable comes standard at 15' to 50', and extension
and custom length cables can be added to gain length.
- How
do I control the radio?
The radio is programmed by GiGoNET and is not programmable by
the end user without the proprietary configuration cable. This
helps to ensure the security of the Wireless network. This generation
of client radios BAII has the ability to be reprogrammed on the
fly, to allow for upgrades to the firmware as well as remote service
adjustments.
- Will
radios from different manufacturers work with each other?
The 802.11 standard(s) were designed to, and should,
allow manufacturers to produce radios that will interoperate.
It *is* up to those manufacturers to fulfill the promise of the
802.11 standards. This scenario is similar to the v.90 modem rollout,
where modems that should have interoperated took a year or more
to actually do just that. One of the reasons we chose the 802.11
standard was the potential for competition that will drive down
the cost for the end user. We like the idea of consumers having
choices.
Update ... However,
the security we have enabled in the radios we deploy today will
not allow you to communicate with other 802.11b or 802.11a devices
... with extra security come some sacrifices.
IEEE 802.11
Working Group is a great place to learn more about the future
of the wireless Ethernet standards efforts. 802.11a and 802.11b
are well on their way.
- What
are the antennas like and who makes them?
The antennas range in size from a 2" x 3" indoor antenna,
to a 24" x 36" grilled directional unit, most are 11"
x 11" x 1" flat panel directional antenna. There are
also many other antenna choices within the range of the frequency.
A link to a few antenna pictures and other data is here.
Most of them are very lightweight and are no more difficult to
install that a DishTV or DirectTV dish. The cables used for exterior
mounting come in set lengths, but can be ordered longer, and sometime
shorter depending on the application. The cables are 1/4"
and 3/8" in diameter, with the connectors being slightly
larger. The cable is fairly stiff and should not be bent too sharply.
RG-59 and LMR400 are the two most common cable types.
- What
is the power output?
The radio outputs less than 1 Watt. Through antenna gain, a EIRP
4 Watt signal is as high as the unlicensed use of the band is
allowed to go in point to multipoint (PtMP) and 6 Watts EIRP in
point to point (PtP) Just for reference your average microwave
puts out over 1000 watts.
- What
is the power consumption?
The Alvarian radio unit uses 5 Volt @ 1.5 Amps, and uses a power
block that plugs into 120AC.
- What
are the environmental concerns for using wireless?
The indoor portion of the radio should be protected from the elements
and should be not be used below freezing or above 110 degrees
Fahrenheit. The outdoor portion of the radio is made for the harsh
Arizona summers :) GiGoNET has seen only water intrusion
as a source for weather related problems.
- What
is gain, anyway?
Think of a radio signal being a ball of radio waves being emitted
from a single point. By reshaping the signal you add gain, or
power, to the signal strength. In the case of an omni-directional
antenna, the top and bottom of the ball are squished down and
up to flatten out the signal, creating a doughnut shaped pattern.
In the case on a Uni-Directional antenna, the signal is reshaped
by not only squishing the top and bottom, but by changing the
shape as well. Imaging looking down on the ball and being able
to cut into the six o'clock position and then reshaping it so
it looks like a piece of pie with the left edge at 10 o'clock
and the right edge at 2 o'clock.
In each case the total power is compressed into a tighter pattern
thus resulting in a gain of the effective strength of the signal.
- How
many radios can co-exist in one area?
Alvarian recommends no more than 15 Access Point radios be deployed
in such a way that they can see each other with their antennas.
Instances have been reported of hanging antenna units off the
four sides of a large building, thus quadrupling the density .Clever
shielding and creative use of lower powered directional antenna
can increase densities dramatically over larger areas. Using a
micro-celluar deployment approach allows for even greater densities
to be supported, facilitating rollouts in even extremely dense
areas.
- What
is the power level of 2.4 Ghz?
The FCC limits the signal strength to an EIRP of 4 watts. At the
radio connector the signal is 100mW of power. ( a PC-Card runs
at 50 mW) Through the process of antenna gain the signal is effectively
boosted to higher levels, not to exceed the equivalent of 4 watts
EIRP.
- What
is FHSS & DSSS?
This really deserves
its own section.
Frequency
Hopping Spread Spectrum and Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum is the quick answer.
Both operate from 2.400-2.485 GigaHertz, in what is known as
the ISM band. The 802.11 wireless standard covers both DSSS
and FHSS, although not all manufacturers employ or fully adhere
to 802.11. Both FHSS and DSSS use the middle 79 frequencies
and must leave the top and bottom 3 alone as a "buffer".
The
DSSS system utilizes "sets" of frequencies in a sequential
progression and uses "channels" 1,6 and 11. There
are 11 channels available in the spectrum, but each uses frequencies
such that only three channels can coexist and not overlap. To
obtain 11Mbps under the 802.11 DS must separate the carrier
frequencies of each channel by 30 frequencies and there are
only 79 to go around restricting colo use to 3. DSSS can sustain
throughputs from anywhere from 4.2Mbps and up depending on the
manufacturers claims and methodologies. DSSS can also maintain
a higher throughput over distance than FHSS. DSSS is much more
susceptible to detrimental interference. DSSS can only coexist
with 2 other units in RF proximity, severely limiting its use
in a point to multi-point application. A Alvarian DS11 WBS can
associate with 128 WBC clients, although throughput would suffer
greatly at those densities.
SS was co-invented by Hedy Lamarr in 1942. Her genius gives
us, some 50 years later, a technology that allows us to utilize
radio frequencies in a much more secure, reliable and efficient
way. FHSS uses 78 frequency hopping patterns employing all 79
frequencies. This allows for the collocation of 15 FHSS radios
in one location without loss of throughput.
FHSS
also can overcome moderate signal interference better than DSSS.
FHSS can have packet loss on several of the frequency hops with
no need to retransmit packets. The 802.11 standard and the FHSS
has redundant data built into its methodology that allows for
radio packet loss without the loss of the data being sent and
the need to retransmit that data.
- What
can I expect for sources of interference?
The 2.4 Ghz frequency range is affected by some industrial lighting
devices, some wireless house phones, microwave ovens, the coming
Bluetooth (although BT is such a low power device it is likely
to be useless in an area where any other 2.4 is deployed) and
other radio equipment that uses the 2.4 Ghz range. In rural settings,
these sources of interference are minimal and can be avoided by
proper positioning of the antenna units. In an urban or city environment
the sources of interference could be extremely debilitating.
- Will
this signal interfere with any/one/thing else?
These radios put out a very low power signal and as such are not
likely to interfere with other devices. Some hospital equipment
can be affected by these signals if, and only if, the unit
is used in very close proximity to some devices. Hospitals are
one of the largest users of 2.4 Ghz Wireless LANS.
- What
is "clear line of sight"?
The ability for the antenna units to see each other without obstruction
is clear line of site.
- Do
I have to have "line of sight"?
Live by this phrase, but know that there are no absolutes. "If
you can't see it, it likely won't work". With that said there
are always exceptions. Reception points within a half-mile (give
or take) have been shown to operate without line of site, but
these are conditions where the signal is capable of either penetrating
or reflecting. Many factors influence and affect the radio signal.
Building materials such as "Low-E" or other coated glass
as well as foil insulation are very good barriers to the signal.
Concrete can be penetrated in close proximity to the antennas.
Wooden buildings can be penetrated.
trees
baaaaad Trees are mostly water and stop the signal
very effectively, but again, if proximity to the antenna is
close enough, the signal will penetrate some foliage. BUT, and
this can not be stressed enough, the signal will not penetrate
any volume of trees at distance. Distance being defined as more
than a 1/2 mile, but again, it isn't a black and white issue.
There are cases where ISPs have literally burned through trees
using amplifiers and highly directional antenna, but these are
exceptions not rules, and they may be overpowering the systems
in order to achieve these penetrations. In some cases, trees
can be over come by using more frequent installations of access
points in a micro-cellular deployments. Pine trees are easier
to penetrate than an oak or maple tree. Installations performed
during winter months may stop functioning during leaf out in
the spring.
- What
is the fresnel zone?
The fresnel zone is a conical shaped area extending out from an
antenna in the direction the signal is traveling. Think of it
as a megaphone. The fresnel zone for antennas one mile apart,
has a radius of 27' in the middle where the two cones are as large
as they get.
- Can
this zone be partially blocked?
Yes. But the more blockage/distance there is, the less signal
is received. We have one application running at 8 miles, where
the lower portion of the zone is significantly blocked by trees,
but manages to keep a low level signal.
- What
is the range of the signal?
Currently we are running a 9-mile link from one high point to
another, and have tested links as far away as 18 and 32 miles.
Longer runs must absolutely have clear line of site. Servicing
customers from an Omni antenna can be supported up to 8 miles
out with the use of an Amp at the both the client and the access
point. An Omni antenna can service out to 5 miles, while an Powered
omni will improve signal strength for most clients and extend
the range to 7 miles. Panel antenna can generally be thought of
as doing the above, but without the additional power, and can
increase the range ability. All of the above is conditional on
the LOS qualities of each link.
- Can
the signal be boosted?
Yes! Amplifiers are being used by us and many other people. The
same FCC regulation applies that you cannot exceed the 4 Watts
EIRP. An Omni 8 antenna with 100' of cable can be used with a
500mW amp and not exceed the power restriction. Amps can significantly
improve signal quality, but line of sight is still required. Again
FCC regulation must be adhered to with regards to certification
of equipment.
- How
secure is the signal?
GiGoNET is very satifisied with the security if the System.
The Israeli Military used this system long before we ever got
to see it.. Obviously, if we can use it, they have something much
better. The nature of FHSS makes it very difficult to intercept.
The hopping sequence could be observed but only in the case of
one unit transmitting as an access point without other units in
proximity. As soon as more than one unit is in use, it becomes
exponentially more difficult to isolate one signal. A community
string is used to allow only approved radios clients to associate
with an Access Point. If this is not enough security, encryption
can be used to further secure the signal at the radio level. In
addition, more robust encryption boxes can be positioned at each
end of the link to further protect the signal. Hardware and software
VPN (Virtual Private Networks) are running with great success
over the GiGoNET Infrastructure today.
- I
live in a heavily populated area, how will this affect the signal?
As was mentioned in various places in the FAQ, the higher the
density of population, the more likely other devices will cause
detrimental interference. In point-to-multipoint applications
this interference will be much more of a problem in densely populated
areas. In point-to-point application, the directional antennas
will greatly reduce the likelihood of interference being noticeable.
The largest source of interference in the city/urban environment
would most likely be lighting systems and other ISM band communication
devices.
- How
does a user interface with Wireless?
Their computer needs an Ethernet card and a Cat-5 Ethernet cable
to connect to the radio. The end users system is configured as
if it was using a direct Ethernet connection to a LAN with Internet
access..
- Will
any Ethernet card do?
Any standard 10BaseT Ethernet card will work fine.
- Can
I plug in a hub instead of a computer?
No. The signal must terminate to a device with a valid MAC address,
such as a computer, or router.
- How
may computers can a client radio support?
There is a single client radio and a 8-client radio, having one
and eight Ethernet ports respectively and a full bridge offering
up to 512 users internet access for the business. For wireless
links above a single computer the wireless bridge unit can also
be employed. A computer acting as a proxy/masquerade/router/mail-server
could be the one machine attached, and also provide services to
the other computers in the system. The wireless link is much more
flexible than a standard leased line. Each device is priced separately.
One or four additional computer are allowable from the single
client radio for a small additional fee per computer (presently
being waved).
- How
fast will it go?
This is very dependent on the strength of the signal. The burst-able
throughput we have seen is up to 640kbps and the radios support
up to 3.0 Mbps, less overhead actually allows up to 2.2 mbps throughput
to the home/Business. GiGoNET systems will be in place eventually
that will allow the offering of speed levels in excess of 45mbps
to any business location.
- Can
I buy a slower/faster connection through Wireless?
The new Breeze Access II system allows for CIR, CDR, RADIUS, Telnet,
Voice services and many other handy capabilities. Today GiGoNET is only using the BreezeAccess II product for the Customer Premise
Equipment (CPE).
- Can
I buy a guaranteed throughput?
Yes. This is offered to business customers only. On a point-to-point connection we can work with a customer
to guarantee throughput. This would be similar to a leased line, but the recurring fees would
still be less than a leased line.
- What
will I need for hardware for a wireless Internet connection?
The client will need a receive radio (GiGoNET Provides
the radio, cable and antenna), a network capable computer, the
antenna and the cable running to it. We also highly recommend
that battery backup and surge devices be used with all computers
and their various connections.
- How
can I tell if wireless will work for me?
A site inspection will need to be performed for almost all potential
customers to evaluate the ability to use wireless where you are.
If you know where our antennas are, and you can see one, then
you should be able to get a working signal. A site survey must
be done prior to installing any wireless hardware at no charge.
- How
much does the hardware cost?
The equipment cost is significant however at this time GiGoNET is funding the
cost and not charging an install or activation fee.
- Can
I rent the hardware?
No, there is no need to rent when we provide the equipment as part
of the service.
- Is
wireless as reliable as Cable or Telco services?
We have found that it is more reliable than the Telco systems
we currently use. We have no first hand information on the reliability
of Cable Internet, but we assume that since it is a wired system,
it is subject to those types of problems.
- What
about lightening?
This is probably the most significant threat to your wireless
gear. Although lightening is just as likely to affect a cable of
a Telco
connection or CableTV connection as well. Proper protection devices are available to
protect the antenna and radio units, as well as protecting the
Ethernet connection to you computer system. We must take the same
precautions with regards to lightening as placing a TV antenna
on your home or business.
- Will
it interfere with pacemakers?
It is suggested that people with pacemakers not be in the immediate
path of the signal. This means closer than a few feet. These units
are less likely to cause a problem than a microwave oven.
- What
Operating Systems is this compatible with?
Any Internet/Network-able computer can use wireless. Win98
or above and OS 7.51 or above.
- Will
I still need my modem?
Wireless customers may request a dialup account to use as a backup
in the event their wireless link stops functioning for a small
nominal fee. This dialup account is not meant to be used as a
primary access method, nor should it be shared or used in combination
with a working wireless access system. Wireless customers who
abuse their dialup access while a wireless customer will be charged
for a standard dialup account in addition to any wireless charges.
- Will
I need to keep my second phone line?
No. But remember if your Internet access is critical to your business
success, you should have a suitable back up solution in the event
that the Internet Access goes down.
- Is
there a limit on the amount of traffic I can send/receive?
We want everyone to have the speed of wireless available
to them. Those that misuse this availability of speed will face
additional charges. What they will
love is the speed at which the webpages load when connected via
wireless. A subscriber who uses all of the bandwidth allotted
to them all of the time will need to pay for what is actually
being used.
- Can
I run servers on this connection?
The running of servers of any kind
is prohibited in the basic wireless access plan. Servers are only
allowed on the Commercial/Business accounts. Please notify your
sales Rep you are planning to run a server on the wireless connection.
- How
big are the antenna units?
A typical client antenna would be a BreezeAccess
II Subscriber Unit is about 11" square. The largest unit
for Point to Point Business applications is the Uni-24 and it
is 36" wide and 24" high. The mounting process in very
similar to a TV antenna or a DishTV/DirectTV dish.
- Can
I put my antenna in my attic?
Most likely the answer is, no. If you are very close to a broadcast
point and your attic is un-insulated, you might be able to get
away with it, but even then, any blockage to the line of site
will have a negative effect on the signal. A proper placement
would be on the facia or the gable of the house, roof mount and
if needed a tripod mount. On business locations we us a
non-penetrating roof mount or a side of the building mount.
- What
about lightening protection?
Lightening arrestors are available for the external antenna units.
Further measures are recommended to protect your entire system(s).
A surge arrestor is available for the Ethernet connections, as
well as power the phone connections. We highly recommend that
be used, in addition to a battery backup for the power pack on
the radios and the computer.
- Why
did GiGoNET
choose the Alvarian products?
Throughout this FAQ we reference the Alvarian, and in various
places our history as an ISP comes up. Make sure you have read
the intro at the top of the page, and then continue here. When
we first started playing with the Alvarian, we had no clue how
far it would take us, we were mostly hoping to find a workable
wireless solution. At the time there were a few people dabbling
in wireless internet, but it was mostly point to point solutions
that had been in place and in use for years. The 802.11 radios
were just emerging, and they looked like a natural choice. The
Internet runs as a big routed Ethernet, so what better to way
to extend the connection, than with a wireless Ethernet.
Alvarian is a developer
of radio technologies. They developed versions of the radios
we now use for the Israeli military for real time battlefield
communications. The US military uses similar technologies. Knowing
that they had cut their teeth designing FHSS radios, let us
know they had solid foundations. They were conservative to a
fault. The literature states that the maximum range to maintain
a 3Mbps radio connection is 3 miles. We have experienced tests
at 12+ miles under excellent conditions.
We chose Alvarian
because;
- The
802.11 standard that promised the availability of competitive
radios becoming available
- FHSS
is a more secure and reliable long term solution than DSSS. FHSS
makes the best use of available spectrum.
- Alvarian
has shown a history to produce reliable well engineered products,
and backs them up with an engineering staff.
- Scalability.
No other system can scale the way the Alvarian system can. DSSS
can not be deployed in as high a density as FHSS, period, end
of tale.
- Cost.
No other solution offered the ability to supply multiple high-speed
connections at such a low cost of entry. When we started, we were
able to set up broadcast for about $18,000, and could hook up
a customer at between $800 and $1300. At the time this compared
to any alternative in a very favorable way. it sure beat the cost
out of a leased line service! Today, DSSS alternatives are being
sold at much less money, but they are solutions that are short
lived in many cases. We anticipate a cost reduction in the Customer
Premise Equipment (CPE) hardware over the next year that will
remove any obstacle to the success of FHSS.
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