On Fri, 18 May 2007, Chadd Thompson wrote:
I am sorry but as I mentioned above I can not see from the outside what WISPA is doing or has going on. Maybe I am not paying close enough attention, I don't know.
I'll just mention TWO examples. Direct $ for $ examples, too. You may not be using these services, but they answer the question, and both were posted right here on this list.
1. Kris Twomey (even now) is selling the legal service of doing the filing for CALEA at $100 (or $125...I can't recall) for WISPA members. He charges $250 to do it for NON WISPA members. That is a direct $125 (worst case) savings. If you use this service, the "real" cost of a WISPA membership is $125.
2. Frank Muto sells an email filtering service (Postini) and has offered to pay for your full WISPA membership with the purchase of some level of service with him. I can't recall the specific details, but his offer makes WISPA membership absolutely free.
Those are just 2 examples, both of which were posted right here on this free list.
Looking from the outside it doesn't always appear that the ORG is able to uphold the code of ethics. This is mainly based off of discussions held on the freelist. I see comments from members, officers of the ORG that I feel do not uphold the above listed items from the code of ethics.
I'd really like to understand what you see that makes this a true statement.
Again please read this as an outsider looking in, trying to understand what WISPA has going on or as done for our industry and what the value is for me to join. I am not saying WISPA is not doing or has not done anything for our industry. I just need some help understanding.
I am not gonna "sell" you the organization. But I will work on answering this a little.
1. WISPA is right now working on a standard that will make CALEA safe harbor VERY INEXPENSIVE for WISPs. Not just members. This is an INDUSTRY solution.
2. WISPA has been urging WISPs to file the 477 forms, which is important because it will make us, as an industry, a larger portion of the broadband deployment in the US (statistically) as far as the government is concerned. Why is this important? Besides being the law, government is working to insure that "every American has access to broadband". If we are providing that service in an area and they don't know about it, they will still work on a way to get that access available.
3. WISPA has urged (on several occasions) WISPs to file comments on various spectrum issues that would be beneficial to WISPs. WISPA has (as an organization) filed comments as well. Because we don't have the $$ to hire a lobby, this is the best effort in this regard.
Now it's time to ask YOU what YOU have done for our industry. Have you filed comments on the issues that will impact your business? For the most part, over the past couple of years WISPA has. Have you filed your 477?
If you're not going to join, then just don't join. Stop making excuses about "what are you doing"...You claim to be on the list since the beginning and you can't see what's been happening? What advantage does WISPA offer you? Give me a break. WISPA has done a LOT, considering the $$ that they have to work with. Either join or don't, but stop acting as though you need to be "sold" because you can't find anything on the website giving you what the value of WISPA is.
FWIW, I do agree that WISPA needs to do a better job of selling itself on the website, but the point (in your case) is that you are just using it as an excuse, IMO.
-- Butch Evans Network Engineering and Security Consulting 573-276-2879 http://www.butchevans.com/ My calendar: http://tinyurl.com/y24ad6 Training Partners: http://tinyurl.com/smfkf Mikrotik Certified Consultant http://www.mikrotik.com/consultants.html -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
