AT&T Aims WiMax at Rural Areas - Southern rural broadband push planned
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AT&T Aims WiMax at Rural Areas
Southern rural broadband push planned
(old news - 10:08AM Monday Sep 17 2007)
tags: business · wireless · alternatives · AT&T Southeast
AT&T is gearing up for a WiMax service launch in the second quarter of 2008, according to anonymous sources. AT&T has lined up suppliers (almost always where such leaks come from), who hint that the service will be used primarily as a way to service rural customers in areas where DSL is difficult to deploy. AT&T's limited spectrum holdings could make it hard for the operator to take on serious deployment outside of the South:
Spectrum will also be an issue for AT&T if it wants to deploy outside the South. The 22 2.3 Ghz licenses that it holds come from the BellSouth merger and only cover some of the Southern markets that operator provided service in. AT&T sold off its remaining 2.5 Ghz licenses to Clearwire LLC earlier this year.
The fixed WiMax plan is not intended to compete with Sprint's WiMax service, which now goes by the brand name Xohm. While that service is aimed at mobile devices (and should see commercial launch next year), AT&T's service aims to be solely a fixed line alternative to traditional broadband offerings.

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AT&T's Alascom subsidiary has started offering Juneau, Alaska, residents WiMax broadband service starting at $19.95 a month. The company is using Alvarion’s IEEE 802.16e-based WiMAX gear to offer speeds up to 1Mbps symmetrical, with expansion outside of Juneau planned for next year.

What about outside Alaska? "AT&T will evaluate opportunities to deploy fixed wireless technologies in other areas of the country based on customer needs and the results of its existing deployments," the company says.

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DrModem @ 17th Sep 10:10AM:
Heh

Deploy around Boston, VA please.
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Jonbo298 @ 17th Sep 10:17AM:
Better then nothing and potentially cheaper

Deploying WiMax to an area would seemingly be cheaper in the long run. You only maintain the towers rather then trying to maintain all phone lines still and deploying DSL capabilities.
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anon @ 17th Sep 10:23AM:
Sprint WiMAX vs. ATT

Actually, Sprint is also rolling out WiMAX to compete with DSL as well. Sprint doesn't have much last-mile landline connections and intends for WiMAX to compete with DSL, as well as to be used in mobile devices.

Good to see that AT&T hopped on WiMAX though as it helps the momentum. It's unfortunate they can't do it nationwide, which is the Sprint/Clearwire advantage.

Will be interesting to see what Verizon does. They don't have enough spectrum to rollout 4G, so may have to rely on getting some 700mhz spectrum. Even then, they'll probably only get 10-20Mhz of 700mhz spectrum for 4G while Sprint has over 100mhz of spectrum in every market. If WiMAX devices are created for the 700mhz space but EVDO is not, it would seem Verizon will have no choice but to deploy WiMAX as well. But the 700mhz space won't be available for a couple more years.
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pnh102 @ 17th Sep 10:26AM:
Good to see WiMax in Action

It would be nice to see this technology actually be used in a manner that is accessible to standard, residential customers. We've heard a lot of hype about WiMax over the years, but if it is deployed and is actually a practical wireless broadband solution, then other companies might follow suit and deploy it to other areas.
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk.
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ansar @ 17th Sep 10:46AM:
Sign me up!

Let me know when I can sign up! :) I live in rural Mississippi. I would love to see this happen, but I am not holding my breath.

I believe BellSouth has had wireless on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans for awhile. I would love to see this move north some. :)
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anon @ 17th Sep 11:04AM:
Re: Better then nothing and potentially cheaper

This would be great. I live in the South and we are just outside of DSL range and our local cable company (Charter) doesn't provide internet service to the area yet. I'm not sure they ever will, as it is "planned" but keeps getting "delayed" and has been for over 2 years now.
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SD6 @ 17th Sep 11:21AM:
Re: Sprint WiMAX vs. ATT

said by wimaxr :

Actually, Sprint is also rolling out WiMAX to compete with DSL as well. Sprint doesn't have much last-mile landline connections and intends for WiMAX to compete with DSL, as well as to be used in mobile devices.

Good to see that AT&T hopped on WiMAX though as it helps the momentum. It's unfortunate they can't do it nationwide, which is the Sprint/Clearwire advantage.

Will be interesting to see what Verizon does. They don't have enough spectrum to rollout 4G, so may have to rely on getting some 700mhz spectrum. Even then, they'll probably only get 10-20Mhz of 700mhz spectrum for 4G while Sprint has over 100mhz of spectrum in every market. If WiMAX devices are created for the 700mhz space but EVDO is not, it would seem Verizon will have no choice but to deploy WiMAX as well. But the 700mhz space won't be available for a couple more years.
Sprint/Clearwire WiMax (Xohm) will be in major cities across the country, but will not be nationwide. It would be nice if the mobile devices that will work on Xohm (Intel chipset/Nokia tablet computer) will also work on other WiMax networks (AT&T and others).

The 700 MHZ bands will not be available soon, and creating WiMax chips for them will be difficult because they are US only.
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Edward1978 @ 17th Sep 11:48AM:
All I have to say is

Ya right.
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xenophon @ 17th Sep 11:51AM:
Re: Sprint WiMAX vs. ATT

That was me in OP. Couldn't sign in.

Yeah, I meant that Sprint will be doing major cities nationwide, not the entire voice network. ATT can only do the South and Verizon probably doesn't have enough spectrum to do any 4G.

It will be interesting to see how WiMAX devices are created. It's more expensive to have multiple radios in a device for 2.3/2.5Ghz and 700mhz. Will the Intel chipset and other devices support many or just one?

If WiMAX devices support all ranges, perhaps Sprint devices could work on ATT and vice versa.
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en102 @ 17th Sep 11:51AM:
Re: Sprint WiMAX vs. ATT

Nice to see that its actually being deployed where its 'needed', and not just another urban alternative to wireless/WiFi.
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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neosolace @ 17th Sep 12:50PM:
Re: All I have to say is

My thoughts exactly.... I'll believe it when they actually put it into action here. :mad:
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HateTank @ 17th Sep 01:37PM:
Wireless is the future.

This actually sounds like good news. Sign me up because I'm ready. I'm turning blue from holding my breath already.
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tc1uscg @ 17th Sep 06:01PM:
Re: Sprint WiMAX vs. ATT

said by SD6 :

said by wimaxr :

Actually, Sprint is also rolling out WiMAX to compete with DSL as well. Sprint doesn't have much last-mile landline connections and intends for WiMAX to compete with DSL, as well as to be used in mobile devices.

Good to see that AT&T hopped on WiMAX though as it helps the momentum. It's unfortunate they can't do it nationwide, which is the Sprint/Clearwire advantage.

Will be interesting to see what Verizon does. They don't have enough spectrum to rollout 4G, so may have to rely on getting some 700mhz spectrum. Even then, they'll probably only get 10-20Mhz of 700mhz spectrum for 4G while Sprint has over 100mhz of spectrum in every market. If WiMAX devices are created for the 700mhz space but EVDO is not, it would seem Verizon will have no choice but to deploy WiMAX as well. But the 700mhz space won't be available for a couple more years.
Sprint/Clearwire WiMax (Xohm) will be in major cities across the country, but will not be nationwide. It would be nice if the mobile devices that will work on Xohm (Intel chipset/Nokia tablet computer) will also work on other WiMax networks (AT&T and others).

The 700 MHZ bands will not be available soon, and creating WiMax chips for them will be difficult because they are US only.
No nation wide but over 300 million customers will have it at their door step.. I would say that's a SIGNIFICANT foot print. There are only 3 LARGE markets getting Sprints wimax 4th qtr 07, I know that Detroit (one of Sprint's largest data hungry markets) is getting in 1st qtr 08 and various other cities. The EVDO deployment approach I'm sure is the model they are using. Start in the large city's and expand out. I'm sure once WIMAX is in place and has shown to be reliable, could we be seeing some form of wireless over IP or even VoIP service from Sprint and/or AT&T? Only the "insiders" know the master plan.. ;)
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MalibuMaxx @ 17th Sep 06:42PM:
THANK GOD

Thank GOD AT&T is doing something right... oh im sorry at&t b/c their cool now...
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byrdog @ 17th Sep 10:27PM:
high speed wireless

Ho Hum Yawn. I work in the offshore industry way down in south Louisiana and keep reading all about high speed wireless that is available, but can't get squat down here. Right now, at&t (cingular) is the most popular, but many people get their signal robbed by Petrocom which operates the offshore towers (even at the dock). Consequently, many times, guys get their bill and it's outragous from paying the international prices (but I didn't know it was offshore, I was at the dock right here in Port Fourchon). Have to admit though, alot of guys have had the additional expenses removed from their bill. A good high speed wireless suystem would be more than welcome down here, since we literally have thousaonds of perople passing through every month. I think that the companies are missing the mark in their marketing surveys, 'cause they all live somewhere else. So when they do their surveys, it only shows a few that actually live here, and they don't realize the gold mine that exists.
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BayouTech @ 17th Sep 10:50PM:
Re: Sign me up!

Bellsouth did have some in NO and Baton Rouge. Most of La and Miss's 2.3/2.5G is owned by Sprint(was Nextel, was Worldcom, was Wireless One which had most of the SE USA for video service in the late 90's and did some limited 2way wireless internet until '03 when Worldcom sold that off to Nextel).
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AMDonUT2004 @ 17th Sep 11:05PM:
nice

this would be great for rural areas like me, and you can take your laptop anywhere ya want to go or enjoy broadband on your pc :)
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b10010011 @ 18th Sep 12:50AM:
If only Clearwire could figure this out.

I still can not figure out how Clearwire stays in business.

Why don't they go after the rural market like AT&T?

In my area Clearwire is trying to serve the exact came market already served by Comcast and Qwest.

Yet there are literally thousands of rural customers in the surrounding area that can not get cable or DSL.
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korym @ 18th Sep 07:14AM:
Re: Heh

Why? Just build your own community WISP. I'd rather do something like that and have it run/maintained by the community rather than letting another corporate drone come in.

Just my two cents. :)

Regards,
Kory
--
The Virginia WiFi Company : Richmond Free WiFi : Mohr-or-Less
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plk @ 18th Sep 10:04AM:
Lip service

Time will tell I suppose, but I will guess its just propaganda pending the 700mhz band auction ahead. A bait and switch tactic.
If they get the band, or part of it it will be deployed in the cities like Clearwire. Again, a pipe to Rural America down the drain.
--
Thermaltake 2000a/Asus P4C-e/p4 3.4/ocz3500 2x512/WD.2x200g/raptor2x74 raid 0/ATI 9600/APC sua 1500/Logitech z-680/ Samsung 213t LCD/MX 1000
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anon @ 18th Sep 05:50PM:
sprint\clearwire

motorola and intel is partnered with Sprint and Clearwire on the WIMAX rollout. If Clearwire falls then their other partner Sprint will pickup the pieces.
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