Tim, Now that you have made your shameless self promotion sales pitch :-) I thought I'd scrutinize your comments, palying devils advocate :-)
I have not looked at your BOSS software or Firmwre, so I am asking blind at this point. But I am interested in your perspective, since you are interested in WISP markets. > AP and CPE devices will need to use our firmware but > once installed can be managed from anywhere. We currently have our > firmware > ported to half a dozen devices and we're working on adding more ports all > the time. The above was the key comment that got my attention, and how that would reflect the reality of what could be a viable target market.. Is it really realistic to "use a BOSS provider's Firmware on APs and CPEs"? Come on.... WISPs have graduated basic Wifi APs and CPEs. It has taken almost a decade for the Firmware leaders of today to develop feature rich products that WISPs can actually count on working well enough for commercial deployment. (examples... Mikrotik, StarOS, Ligowave, etc). Why would a WISP risk a tried and true solution to convert to something new, just for integration into a BOSS system? Could they risk that? Thats like going to a CLEC provider and saying... "We have this new BOSS system, would you mind just throwing away all your CISCOs.". Generally what WISPs would want more is a BOSS system that could integrate will all their pre-eixsting diverse product lines. As a WISP, we all know there are a lot of tools in the toolbox, and there is the right tool for each type of job. Even the WISPs most religious to staying true to one brand have branched out to use many different product lines, because technical reasons and differences in their technology forced them to, if they wanted to stay competitive. I would find it more viable to have a "agent" application that could be integrated into pre-existing OS, to add compatibility. (although that could also be a huge task technically, and politically also) When a BOSS requires its own Firmware for devices, it usually means that the WISPs will now need two BOSS systems. One for their new proprietary system, and one for all their other stuff. That means duplication of ALL costs. Labor, hardware, CC processing, learning curve, documentation, etc, etc. So teh service subscribption could no longer be justified as a time saver, as it would be yet another application "added" to the list to manage. Also note a platform change is not jsut a technology change, it is also a process change. Do not misunderstand me, I am NOT Bashing your product. I'm just sharing the first thoughts that came to my mind, when I don't yet understand your product, and it would potentually be a thought likely to cross other WISP's minds. How do you feel your product, will or could fit into an existing WISP's operation? And what processes/features could be extended to pre-existing models? To be more politically correct, this is a question not necessarilly directed specifically to your product, but any product that offers a more narrow specialized management solution (such as HotSpot) to integrate into an exist provider's network of any type. A trend I see is many vendors are providing RMS systems for their radio firmware platforms. (I'll spare you the list, but atleast 10 I could name off teh top of my head). However, most are jsut compatible with their own product, which takes away a large part of the value proposition for many WISPs. I personally, see 2009 and 2010 being about increasing BOSS's compatibilty to encompass a much larger models and products. The analogy I like to use is looking at a company like at Comcast or a Verizon. Would they give their support staff 5 different OSS platforms to manage all the peices of their network? WISPS are growing, and there is a dream for one platform that does it all, and it will be even more importnat as teh roll ups occur. Or will it be a technical impossibilty? Tom DeReggi RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Barker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:40 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] Billing and process management system > While you guys are on the topic could I also ask you to look at our > offering? > > We've been selling hot spot systems for the hospitality industry since > 2004 > but over the past year have started putting together a package for WISPs. > We've branded the WISP solution Avansu (http://www.avansu.com). > > Avansu is a B/OSS provided entirely as a service (via the browser), no > software to install. AP and CPE devices will need to use our firmware but > once installed can be managed from anywhere. We currently have our > firmware > ported to half a dozen devices and we're working on adding more ports all > the time. > > Avansu offers the following: > - Billing (subscriptions, credit card payments, scratch cards etc) > - Remote management, configuration and reboot of APs and CPEs > - Monitoring and alerting via SMS and email (with automated failover if > available) > - Fully customizable login pages for CPEs and APs (including own domain) > - Fully customizable credit card billing and subscription pages (including > own domain) > - Reports on usage and revenue for single nodes, groups of nodes or the > whole system > > The main advantage of Avansu is that APs and CPEs work the same no matter > what hardware (vendor) is used. Once the Avansu firmware is installed > nodes > can be deployed by simply copying configuration parameters from one unit > to > another via the server. > > We're still in beta for WISPs, we'll be launching fully in January 2009. > Until launch we're offering free accounts so let me know off list if you'd > like to try our system. > > Sorry for the self promotion but you guys were discussing the topic, I > couldn't help myself ;-) > > > Tim Barker > > Fire4 Systems (UK) Ltd. > Round Foundry Media Centre, > Foundry Street, > Leeds, > LS11 5QP, > UK > > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > UK Tel: +44 (0)7976 122 191 > US Tel: +1 305-914-0364 > > http://www.fire4.com > http://www.avansu.com > http://www.wispzone.com > > > On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 5:02 PM, Butch Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> On Wed, 3 Dec 2008, Mike Hammett wrote: >> >> >While I'm not yet using it, Freeside is quite impressive. I'd like >> >to refer you to Jeremy Davis of maximumtech.us for more >> >information. >> >> While I agree that FS is a good application and can do PARTS of what >> he asked for, it does not do all of it. Jeremy Davis is a good man >> for FreeSide without question. >> >> Perhaps it's the top posting that made is so that you didn't >> remember all the requirements? See my example in this email... >> >> >>Some things it has to have: >> >> >>A system that integrates with a bandwidth management and auto >> >>shutdown for delinquent accounts. >> >> FS can do this in the hands of an Expert like Jeremy. >> >> >>Can process a customer form lead to install and handle trouble >> >>tickets afterward including installer scheduling. >> >> Unless Jeremy has done some extra work with FS, It does not fulfill >> these CRM requirements. >> >> >>Can actually accurately and consistently send a bill by email to a >> >>customer........... <- major importance. >> >> This is what FS does "for a living". >> >> >>Credit Card processing. >> >> This, too. >> >> >>Decent and totally customizable report generating system. >> >>Customer portal. >> >> Both of these are doable in FS and both are customizable. >> >> >>Things that would be a bonus >> >>Inventory management >> >>Network monitoring >> >> FS isn't equipped to do either of these. >> >> See, Mike? I was able to address each section of the request and >> anyone who reads it will be easily able to follow the conversation. >> Also, all irrelevant information has been removed. >> >> >> -- >> ******************************************************************** >> * Butch Evans * Professional Network Consultation* >> * http://www.butchevans.com/ * Network Engineering * >> * http://www.wispa.org/ * WISPA Board Member * >> * http://blog.butchevans.com/ * Wired or Wireless Networks * >> ******************************************************************** >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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! 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/ > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.13/1826 - Release Date: 12/3/2008 > 9:34 AM > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! 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