We conducted a few focus groups here. Most of the attendees were in the
18-24 yr. age bracket. It was amazing how many didn't identify with the
word broadband. The words they responded to best were 'high speed
internet" Wireless was way down the list. Too much confusion with
cellular.
That said, I think wireless will hold its own as a marketing term
eventually. Wireless is the sexy new darling of the world. It will be
worth trading on the word eventually. The other part of this is that we
are building brands as wireless providers, so it makes sense to keep
that in the mix until the world catches up. In 95-96 I was out trying
to sell people on the words internet, email and website. Those words
didn't register then but they are now a permanent part of the American
lexicon and in the American brain. The word wireless and what it
represents will eventually do the same.
chris
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Tom DeReggi
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 10:13 AM
To: WISPA General List
Subject: Re: [WISPA] DSL vs. Wireless Broadband
Agreed excellent point (wireless scares and confuses people), except....
Why associate your service with DSL, a low grade $39 a month service, as
advertized by Verizon?
Why not associate it with T1 or just Broadband, higher quality services?
If you associate it with DSL, then your are also associating it with the
same quality and price. They think you are ripping them off charging
$150 a
month when they can get it for $39 a month down the street. When in
accuality you are saving them 70% off their T1 line.
Let me share a case that happened just yesterday. I got a call for DSL,
they currently had voip and data on a T1, and they were looking for a
DSL
line to transfer the Internet Data to, to free up bandwidth on their T1
for
their VOIP. It was a 15 minute close over the phone, since we had the
MTU
building lit, and represented we could have their new circuit installed
the
following day. I represented we were selling broadband, a T1
replacement. I
made the mistake of leavingthe labeling of the contract heading as
"Wireless
Broadband Agreement". The customer saw Wireless and didn;t sign, and
asked
to cancel order. I'm now likely going to win the client back, after most
of
yesterday on the phone answering questions from everyone under the sun.
The
problem was the customers computer consultant, had used Wireless in
Texas,
and had nothing but troubles. He stated tons of Lightning related
electrical
problem that disrupted service regularly. (It was a Wifi service he was
using, there.) The question they asked me was, why is my service able to
compare againt T1 apposed to DSL, to justify the higher price? They
looked
at it as a lower grade service. My solution however, was a high end
service. It was an Engineered 30 mbps TDD 4 mile link with a Direct path
from the building to my core fiber peering point. I even have fiber in
the
building at $500, but don't use it, because the fiber has 4-5 hops to my
transit location compared to my wireless that is a direct shot and
bypasses
many points of failure. I'll probably still get the business but after
much
sales agrevation and providing a good number of references.
So its a valid point that Wireless does still scare some people. And
Poor
quality Wireless providers ruin the rep for the good quality WISPs. But
my
bigger point is that some customers actually think DSL is more reliable
than
an engineered wireless link used to replace Fiber and T1s. So branding
Wireless as DSL, does not helpthe industry, it lowers the value of what
we
do.
I've been plaqued by this problem, as my company name is... "RapidDSL".
It
gets me the leads, but it also starts every sales call out with why I'm
charging more than $50 a month for my service, that I generally get
$150-$500 a month for.
We now market our service as "Broadband" period. It has made all the
difference. We don't lie about using wireless, its plastered all over
our
website. But why advertise something that just confuses everyone and
costs
everyone time to sort out.
Tom DeReggi
RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc
IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 8:55 AM
Subject: Re: [WISPA] DSL vs. Wireless Broadband
great point! :)
Scott Reed wrote:
Who says the L in DSL must be Line? Call it Digital Subsciber Link
and
it works for the customer and uses our normal language for the radio
connection.
Scott Reed
Owner
NewWays
Wireless Networking
Network Design, Installation and Administration
www.nwwnet.net <http://www.nwwnet.net/>
*---------- Original Message -----------*
From: Rick Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: WISPA General List <wireless@wispa.org>
Sent: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:39:48 -0400
Subject: Re: [WISPA] DSL vs. Wireless Broadband
> We find we can NOT sell our service as "Wireless Broadband"
>
> As soon as we market it to customers as DSL or just plain
> "High Speed Internet", we start scoring.
>
> Too many in this area have been educated against "Open WIFI"
> being BAD...
>
> The cable we install to the radio is a "line", right ?
> It carries digital signals, right ?
> It allows our customer to become a "subscriber", right ?
>
> DSL... ;)
>
> KyWiFi LLC wrote:
>
> >I'm noticing more and more WISP's selling their wireless
> >broadband service as "DSL" or "Wireless DSL". I know
> >that 75% of the people who call our sales number have
> >a difficult time understanding what Wireless Broadband is.
> >They already know what DSL is and that is what the majority
> >of them ask for so I would be interested in hearing everyone's
> >opinions on the pros and cons of a WISP labeling their
> >wireless broadband service as "DSL, wDSL or Wireless DSL"
> >instead of "Fixed Wireless, WiFI or Wireless Broadband".
> >
> >If the masses are more familiar with the term DSL then I
> >think we would generate more sales leads by advertising
> >our (WISPs') broadband as DSL instead of Wireless
> >Broadband. I'm sure the local telco would just love to see
> >all of us selling "DSL". Are there any legalities to this? Does
> >wireless broadband qualify as DSL or a form of DSL in the
> >eyes of the law? Is it legal for a WISP to sell their wireless
> >broadband service as DSL?
> >
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >Shannon D. Denniston, Co-Founder
> >KyWiFi, LLC - Mt. Sterling, Kentucky
> >http://www.KyWiFi.com <http://www.kywifi.com/>
> >http://www.KyWiFiVoice.com <http://www.kywifivoice.com/>
> >Phone: 859.274.4033
> >A Broadband Phone & Internet Provider
> >
> >==============================
> >Wireless Broadband, Local Calling and
> >UNLIMITED Long Distance only $69!
> >
> >No Taxes, No Regulatory Fees, No Hassles
> >
> >FREE Site Survey: http://www.KyWiFi.com <http://www.kywifi.com/>
> >==============================
> >
> --
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