Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Census of Wireless ISPs Estimates as Many as 1,800

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 19:27:09 -0500

Census of Wireless ISPs Estimates as Many as 1,800

According to a new report from industry analysts In-Stat/MDR,
the number of wireless ISPs (WISPs) operating in unlicensed
spectrum in the United States has soared to between 1,500 and
1,800. The large number shows just how much of a factor in the
landscape fixed wireless broadband in unlicensed bands has
become, and also suggests a significant market for hardware.
In-Stat/MDR estimates that global end user revenues from
infrastructure in that segment reached $265.2 million for 2002.
Over the next couple of years, the firm expects that number to
climb, and then to gradually fall back to 2002 levels as the market
matures.

Readily available equipment and unlicensed spectrum have allowed
the segment to grow with astonishing speed. However there are
some challenges. One in particular, according to In-Stat/MDR is the
misperception that all unlicensed wireless is Wi-Fi. Thus some
potential users are reluctant to go with an unlicensed solution
because of perceived weaknesses in Wi-Fi's security standard,
while others are wary of using a wireless standard developed for
LAN applications as a last mile access method. For more about this
and other broadband industry-related news, read the latest edition
of Communications Today's sister publication, Broadband Business
Report.
http://www.TelecomWeb.com.

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