Broadband Wireless Internet Access (BWIA) News

Interview on Plutopia News Network Podcast

Plutopia News Network - STEVE STROH: BROADBAND ACCESS

(April 29, 2021) With Scoop and Jon, technology writer and broadband consultant Steve Stroh discusses broadband access, rural wireless Internet providers, satellite-based Internet, fiber networks, and much more.

“If you can get fiber, do it. Because it is the best, highest quality – not just fastest, but it’s the best option for broadband Internet access. Because, basically, it’s pure data. You’ve got a pair of glass fibers dedicated to you, typically straight between your house or business and the central office. Or wherever it’s going to be hubbed out of. It’s immune to electrical interference, it’s generally immune to everything – water doesn’t bother it, it’s not shared with other people, and about the only thing that can take out fiber is squirrels or backhoes.”

Steve writes about about Broadband Wireless Internet Access systems and technology. In 1997 he started a column about wireless for Internet Service Providers called Wireless Data Developments in Boardwatch Magazine in April, 1997. He’s currently thinking and writing about Independent Broadband Networks, small broadband networks usually in rural areas.

Direct link to MP3 audio file of the interview:
https://media.blubrry.com/plutopia_news_network/s/plutopia.io/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Steve-Stroh.mp3

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My wonderful wife Tina frequently accuses me of under-promoting myself, and I'm guilty as charged. I should have posted this a couple of weeks ago as soon as it was publicly available.

This interview was a fun conversation with Jon Lebkowsky, a techie of long-standing (exceeding my long standing techie-ness) and his podcasting partner-in-crime Scoop Sweeney on their eclectic podcast Plutopia News Network.

This interview came out of writing my story Why Starlink Will Win Rural Broadband. Jon and I are participants in "a certain online community (which I cannot name)" and as part of the discussions in that community about Starlink, Jon invited me to do an interview. Jon and Scoop were easy to talk to and asked good questions. They teased out the quote which quite dramatically starts the podcast. The hour plus of our conversation flew by quickly.

Thanks for reading!
Steve Stroh
Bellingham, Washington, USA
2021-05-13
Portions Copyright © 2021 by Steven K. Stroh

 

Policy experts debate the role of wireless in universal broadband

Rick Harnish, my old colleague from the WISP industry and former Executive Director of WISPA, mentioned this article on LinkedIn:

Policy experts debate the role of wireless in universal broadband (LightReading)

In his new role as Director of Development at NextLink Internet, he said:

I have to think that this debate should have been done 20 years ago. Well actually it was, but politicians put it on the back burner back then. Due to Covid lockdowns, broadband is nearly mandatory in all homes and businesses. Politicians suddenly grasped the sense of urgency, when all of their constituents were calling their offices. All technologies have improved immensely over the past 20 years and all should be considered to connect the unconnected at speeds >50 Mbps. Very few households use or need more than 100 Mbps and most won't pay for more. Gig access is great, but it would be another 10-20 years before the whole nation could be wired with fiber. Wireless and hybrid (fiber/wireless) networks can be rapidly be deployed to alleviate the demand. Let's get to work, I know we are here at NextLink!

(Points off from NextLink for not already having Rick on their "Our Team" section.)

Rick is absolutely right (well, mostly; there are some of us who will pay for gigabit connectivity, especially if it's fiber... but just a few). The now-everyone-understands-this requirement to work / school / socialize from home during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 and 2021 vividly demonstrated that we need to focus on good enough broadband available now rather than the long-deferred long term potential of Gigabit Fiber - One of These Years (or Decades).

Between WISPs like NextLink accelerating their deployments, and the emergence of Starlink, rural residents aren't going to have to wait much longer for usable, affordable Broadband Internet.

Thanks for reading!

Steve Stroh
Bellingham, Washington, USA
2021-03-23