Steve, I think Mesa Networks former CEO (if your not familiar with our company we are a spin off of Mesa Networks) Todd Bergstrom attributes part of our success by leasing equipment early on as a WISP. He wrote an article here about leasing that might change your mind. http://tinyurl.com/5uowsx
Basically look at it this way. If you lease your equipment, it allows you to build that next tower site, get customers installed, increase your revenue. You end up paying more in the long run because of the interest, but you may also save money by being able to buy in bulk from your vendor instead of individual or 5 packs. Todd probably explains it better in the article. Other than this, I've been racking my brains on things that another WISP can replicate to expand... and the only thing I can think of is equipment related... I know we couldn't have built our network using an 802.11a/b/g solution (although our networks first couple hundred customers were on KarlNet) because you hit an oversubscription on the AP really fast. We had many many AP's with 50+ customers... we would not have been successful without timing and the ability to place so many customers on an AP. Our WISP almost failed back in 2002 (before I joined Mesa) because we hit the limitations of the KarlNet system. My experiences with a Tranzeo network in 2006/2007 lead me to believe things really haven't changed that much (its all still 802.11 and its hard to make significant improvements to it). So while this is probably along the lines of rip out your network and start over... the really big WISP's all deploy Canopy I think for a reason. My 2 cents, take them for what they are worth (which 2 cents isn't worth much anymore) Daniel White 3-dB Networks > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Steve Barnes > Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 3:53 AM > To: WISPA General List > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Client Speeds > > I guess maybe I am old school but leasing the CPE just makes it so that > the monthly fee has to pay the CPE cost instead of the install. You > still have to pay for it. It may make cash flow easier but the ROI > takes longer due to interest rates and labor dealing with lease Co. > Can you help me with that one. > > > > Steve > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Travis Johnson > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 11:45 PM > To: WISPA General List > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Client Speeds > > > > Honestly, the fastest way to grow is to lease your CPE. Then the install > fee covers your cost on every install, and you aren't "upside down" on > every new customer. > > Travis > Microserv > > Chuck McCown - 3 wrote: > > You are doing it. Just keep bootstrapping. Once you get 1000 > subscribers > things will be a bit better. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve Barnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org> > <mailto:wireless@wispa.org> > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:32 PM > Subject: [WISPA] Client Speeds > > > > > I have read many post on this list about how much bandwidth > different > WISP offer. I want to discuss that as well as the recommended > equipment > that is so often discussed on this list. > > > > I am a startup. Little to no startup capital. I had to pinch > each > penny to get as much as possible out of it. My goal was to > service the > clients no one wanted in a county that had no Fiber or DSL other > that > what Verizon holds hostage. So now after 2 years I have 8 > towers with > 320 clients. > > > > The service I offer is a $39.99 basic level 640k x 256k and a > $59.99 Pro > Level 1M x 512k. You guys are talking about 10Mb. If I turn > off the > speed control on AP's and let people play I don't get over 3.5M > on any > of them. ( 2.4 MT or StarOS, and Tranzeo CPE's) I use a StarOS > Full > Duplex Link to Backhaul to a Fiber connection that I Share cost > of with > another WISP my size. The investment I would have to make to > achieve > 10MB to each client is financially Impossible. > > > > Surely some of you big guys out there have been in my shoes. > What do > you recommend a small WISP in my situation to do in the future. > > > > Please don't start with the statement, "How you should have > started you > service". I was providing a solution. So this is what I have > and I > know of at least 6 other small WISP's on this list who are in > the same > boat. > > > > So BIG GUYS think back. How do I grow into new BROADBAND > definition > without rebuilding my network from the ground up. What is > everyone > charging and what does the client get for that price. Financing > is not > readily available and the Boss hopes to one day get some ROI. > No > Grants available and no big group wanting to invest or challenge > Verizon. > > > > Steve Barnes > > RC-WiFi.com > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -------- > WISPA Wants You! 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