[wsfii-discuss] Re: [MeshAPuser] fixed wireless costs

Sat Sep 17 10:58:21 UTC 2005

Dear Sean,

Sean Fioritto wrote:
<snip>
> 
> I am currently a student in the University of Arizona's
> Entrepreneurship program. We are developing a business model that will
> hopefully revolve around wireless mesh networking.
The business model most often assumed is one where real costs for 
network build, share of internet backhaul and service support are 
distributed between its users. This works out expensively unless there 
is a high level of active collaboration, slow growth and carefully 
managed expectations of service. Even then costs and draw on time can 
prove exhausting.

Boundless.coop is a large mesh network centred in South East London 
using MeshAP and attempting this balancing act; experimental mesh 
technology, inexperienced userbase and a highly competitive broadband 
market.
The problem is, I
> have not been able to convince my professors that mesh networking is
> better than other fixed wireless solutions such as WiMax or other
> proprietary systems.
Well its better when you are using opensource/free software and where 
non proprietary componants are in use to contruct the system people can 
own and extend to suit themselves rather than to fit prescriptive models 
for profit. Wimax 802.16 and sibling schema are being engineered into 
propretary consumer electronic products tied end to end for profit and 
to obstruct lay entrepreneurship/enterprise.
> 
> I have been reading about and creating mesh networks for a while now,
> and I am fully  convinced of the technology's usefullness, however
> certain subtleties are flying over the heads of my advisors, and even
> with pictures they are having a difficult time understanding the
> concept. 
You should put all that reading to use and start building a mesh right 
away not least so your first hand experience can inform your academic 
aganda and convince your advisors.
They also don't believe my numbers for the costs of building
> out this kind of network, and I know that my numbers are accurate and
> realistic since they are based on actualy real-world deployments.
well it wold be interesting to hear more about the models you have 
experience of and the costs you anticipate. In my experience the low 
cost in $ is quickly overrun by hight level of support and maintenance 
required. (an overhead for any network building initiative so often 
ignored or underestimated)
> 
> What I am wondering is if anybody on this list has had experience with
> traditional fixed wireless systems. What were the costs? How much did
> it cost you to add a customer? I think a direct comparison should get
> us over this hump. Thanks in advance for any input.
presume here you refer to point 2 point fixed wireless systems i.e. 
fixed frequency & licenced interconnection or stand alone access points 
on conventional backhaul - ADSL or cable.. where adding customers has a 
more linear cost implication than in a mesh network where client and 
carrier roles are more entwined.
> 
Come to London next weekend 1st-2nd OCT and participate in a weekend 
debate and practice exploration of mesh networks - community action and 
much more.. during WSFII 2005 http://www.okfn.org/wsfii/

easy

James

> Sincerely,
> Sean Fioritto