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Wireless ISP Innovators Create a 3.65 GHz Virtual Map of Exclusion Zones to Aid Adoption in the US
A group of independent broadband wireless ISP operators have collaborated to build a database driven visual search tool to locate 3.65 GHz exclusion zones and stakeholders for the US.
Sometimes I just have to love this industry. I have blogged before
on how important I think the 3.65 GHz changes that the FCC enacted last
summer could become. And based upon the feedback I have gotten from
several operators plenty of independent broadband wireless service
providers share my opinion. And while the opportunity is real, there
are caveats to using the technology; one of the main ones being the
exclusion zones that were grandfathered in. Two groups Zing Wireless an independent wireless ISP and WirelessGuys, an equipment distributor and integrator decided to collaborate on a solution.
Scattered mostly, with some exceptions, on the East and West coasts
of the US are a series of exclusion zones where existing ground based
satellite operators have existing operations. Now the rule as the FCC
defined it was that you cannot set up shop using 3.65 GHz gear within
these 150 kilometer exclusion zones without permission from the
operator. Granted, in many parts of the US this is no issue; there is
no conflict, but what if your operations border on an exclusion zone?
Well, then you must negotiate with one or potentially more than one
fixed satellite service (FSS) operator to gain permission.
As it turns out, according to Tolly Marcus with Zing Wireless there is
no easy way on the FCC site to search via zip code, GPS coordinate or
city name to find a listing of these FSS operators. So Zing and
WirelessGuys set out to build a tool to fix this. They set up a free
mapping site at http://zing.naviciti.com/ powered by Virtual Earth to help with this problem.
The site is easy to use with FSS sites visually represented and the FSS
operator name pops up when crossed by a mouse. The site offers the
ability to search by zip code, for example, and to zoom in until the
virtual border is visible. The site also enables quick search info for
each FSS operator. However, here is where the rub is. The site
developers are having trouble finding detailed contact info for all of
the FSS operators, at least in terms of identifying all of the correct
people to speak to. And they have asked for help from the community in
fleshing out the database. Those with information please contact Tolly at Zing Wireless. Your help would be appreciated.
Tim Sanders,
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