Bay Area Wireless Internet and Messaging

Alternatives to DSL and Cable modem connectivity.
by Jeff Liebermann   jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us  version 3.10 08/29/01


Low speed ISP's, service providers, and resellers that are available today.

Cingular (a.k.a Mobitex, Bell South Wireless Data (Formerly RAM Mobile Data))
    http://www.bellsouthwd.com
SF Bay area coverage map
    http://www.bellsouthwd.com/covapp/start.html?map_file=sw0_reg&layer=1

Blackberry and RIM (Research in Motion)
    http://www.blackberry.net
    http://www.rim.net
Two way email and messaging.  No browsing.  One version delivers email directly to customers MS Exchange server.   Uses various networks depending upon model.
RIM 957 (Almost a PDA)
    http://www.goamerica.net/html/showcase/products/rim_957/
RIM 950 (for Mobitex/BSWD network)
    http://www.goamerica.net/html/showcase/products/rim_950/
RIM 850 (for Motient/ARDIS network)
    http://www.goamerica.net/html/showcase/products/rim_850/

Motient (Formerly ARDIS)
    http://www.motient.com
Formerly Motorola's wireless network for IBM field service.
Covers most of SF Bay area and parts of SCZ and Monterey counties.
    http://www.motient.com/find/

CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data)
19.2Kbits/sec max.  Numerous resellers.  No Monterey Bay coverage.
$40 to $60/month unlimited.  No roaming charges.
Bell Atlantic
    http://www.bam.com/wireless/sanfran.htm   (coverage map)
GoAmerica
    http://www.goamerica.net/html/showcase/service_plans/unlimited.html

Omnisky (CDPD reseller)
    http://www.omnisky.com
Based on Palm Pilot V PDA and Novatel Minstrel V CDPD modem.  $40/month.
    http://www.novatelwireless.com/prodserv/index.html

Aeris.net
    http://www.aeris.net/aeris_web/products_index.html
Uses forward and reverse cellular control channel to send control messages and status messages to various machines at 50 baud.  Used mostly for monitoring, telemetry, and alarm systems.



High speed ISP's, service providers, and resellers that are available today.

Sprint Broadband (formerly Wavepath)
    http://www.sprintbroadband.com
2.5GHz MMDS bi-directional wireless. Various data rates to 1.5Mbits/sec.  Transmitters on San Bruno Mt and Monument Pk (Milpitas).   $50/month + $200 hardware.  1.5-5Mbits/sec down, 256Kbits/sec up.
    Coverage map

Starband (formerly Gilat)
    http://www.gilat.com
    http://www.starband.com  (formerly Gilat-to-home)
Satellite bi-directional service.  About 400Kbits/sec average download, 16Kbits/sec upload.  600msec min latency.  Uses Echostar (Dish) network.
Sold through dealers.  $500 for the radio.  $200 for installation.  $70/month.  1year contract.

DirecPC (Hughes)
    http://www.direcpc.com/index2.html
    http://www.orbitsat.com/cyberstore/Directpc/Main.asp
Satellite downlink with telco return.  Miserable latency.  400Kbits/sec download.  AOL handed Hughes $1.5billion cash which will partly be used to create a two way satellite service.

Tachyon
    http://www.tachyon.net
Geosync satellite.  bi-directional.  Various speeds for $300 to $1500/month.  $4000 for the terminal.  Resold through ISP's.
    http://www.tachyon.net/current.html

Cidera (formerly SkyCache)
    http://www.cidera.com
Various satellite based services for ISP's.  However, if you're into usenet news, this is a good way to get lots of MP3's, stolen software, copyright violations, porno, etc, for about $250/month.
    http://www.cidera.com/services/usenet_news/

ISP-SAT
    http://www.isp-sat.com
2-4Mbits/sec newsfeed via GE3 satellite.  About $250/month.

Terabeam
    http://www.terabeam.com/default.asp
    http://www.airfiber.com/index.htm   (hardware vendor)
622Mbits/sec via laser "mesh" rooftop network.

Silicon Valley North (Petaluma)
    http://www.svn.net/services/wireless.html
900Mhz, 2.4Ghz, and 5.7Ghz ISM wireless ISP.  Speeds to 10Mbits/sec.

Sonic.net wireless
    http://www.sonic.net/sales/dsl/broadlink/
Wireless DSL via BroadLink.  Requires seperate contract from Broadlink.
   http://www.broadlink.com/maps.htm  (coverage maps)

Transbay.net
    http://www.transbay.net/prices.html#wireless

Innetix
    http://www.innetix.com
Antenna farm on top of AboveNet building in San Jose.  900 and 2.4GHz ISM.  Great connectivity.

SOHO Wireless (Network Systems Technologies)
    http://www.sohowireless.com
Antenna farm on top of MAE West building in San Jose.  2.4GHz ISM.  Coverage of downtown San Jose area.

SFLan
    http://www.sflan.com
I dunno what to say about this one.  Each user becomes a message passing node on their wireless lan.  Connectivity largely depends upon connectivity via other users.

HMMWV
    http://www.hmmwv.net
2.4GHz ISM wireless in Santa Clara.

MobileStar Network
    http://www.mobilestar.com
Wireless internet access in Starbucks, hotels, convention centers and airports.

Wayport
    http://www.wayport.com
Wireless internet access in hotels, convention centers, and airports.

Nokia Wireless Routers (formerly Rooftop Communications)
    http://www.nwr.nokia.com
Each user becomes a message passing node on their wireless lan.  2.4GHz ISM band radios.
ISP access is currently through merr.net (but nothing appears on their web pages).  Bought by Nokia.



Real-Soon-Now (not yet), Science Fiction, and Interesting Technology

Teledesic
    http://www.teledesic.com
Medium earth orbit (1400km) satellite system with 288 planned birds, that has spent more money since 1990 than Iridium, and delivered zilch.  Still waiting.

Clearwire
    http://www.clearwire.com
Not available in BA yet. Manufacturer of wireless connectivity hardware. They may be worth watching as Verio is reselling their technology in Dallas-Ft Worth TX area, and might be induced to offer the service locally if sufficiently rationalized.

Accelernet (Houston TX)
    http://www.accelernet.com
UHF TV downlink, ISDN or dialup return. Not available in BA yet but basically a good idea.

Angel Technologies
   http://www.angeltechnologies.com
HALO (High Altitude Long Operation) aircraft that flys in a 2.5 mile dia circle at 10 miles altitude.  Sort of a low flying satellite.  Use hardware will include a steerable VSAT dish to follow the aircraft.

Skystation
    http://www.skystation.com
ISP in a 13 mile high balloon.  Not available in BA.  Scheduled to test in Los Angeles area in 2002.

Bluetooth
    http://www.bluetooth.com
This is NOT a wireless ISP. It's a technology endorsed by about 2000 companies designed to get rid of wires and cables. Speed is 1Mbit/sec. Freq = 2.4GHz ISM band.  FHSS.

Home RF
    http://www.homerf.org
Yet another 2.4GHz ISM band wireless conglomeration using frequency hopping.

Time-Domain Wireless
    http://www.time-domain.com
Cell phones and wireless by spreading the signal over almost the entire RF spectrum (DC - 2GHz).  In theory, the average power in any frequency band is so low (and almost undetectable) that there should be no interference.  They also claim that no FCC approval is required because no test equipment can measure such low power over such a wide bandwidth.

Astrolink
     http://www.astrolink.com
9ea GEO birds with gobal coverage.  Bi-directional and bandwidth on demand.  2001 launch date.

CyberStar (Loral)
    http://www.cyberstar.com
3ea Ka-Band GEO birds with global coverage.  Currently testing via SkyNet-Loral.



FreeNet's, Organizations, and Other Wireless Resources

FREE SF Bay Area Wireless 802.11b access point list
    http://www.toaster.net/wireless/aplist/

Bay Area Wireless User Group
    http://www.bawug.org

High speed internet access via satellite index
    http://dmoz.org/Computers/Data_Communications/Wireless/Satellite_Communications/
    http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/Telecommunications/Satellite/
These are mostly for commercial carriers and people with money.

WISP (Wireless internet service providers) lists and directories
    http://www.cmc.com/lars/engineer/wireless/w-isp-list.htm
    http://dmoz.org/Business/Industries/Telecommunications/Wireless/Service_Providers/Internet/
    http://www.wirelesstcp.net/frames/compare.html
    http://www.toaster.net/wireless/community.html
    http://www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/index.htm

WAP Services Directory
    http://www.wapall.com

Directory of wireless LAN hardware.
    http://hydra.carleton.ca/info/wlan.html
    http://www.bbwexchange.com/Broadband%20Wireless%20Vendors/a.htm

Wireless Communications Alliance (of Northern Calif)
    http://www.wca.org

Wireless Integration Magazine
    http://www.broadband-guide.com/wi/

Broadband Wireless Magazine
    http://www.broadband-wireless.com

Spread Spectrum Scene
    http://www.sss-mag.com/

IETF Mobile IP Working group.
    http://www.ietf.cnri.reston.va.us/html.charters/mobileip-charter.html

Wireless Data Store (Mail Order PDA, GSM, CDPD, etc)
    http://www.mobileplanet.com/wireless/

Problems with satellite TCP and extensions.
    http://ctd.grc.nasa.gov/5610/tcpextensions.html
    http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-tcpsat-res-issues-12.txt

Linux Wireless
    http://www.rage.net/wireless
    http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/
How to do your own wireless link.

Wireless design aids, calcs, and construction hints
    http://www.qsl.net/n9zia/index.html
    http://www.ydi.com/calc.php

Mikrotik
    http://www.mikrotik.com
Router software and hardware specifically for wireless.



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