19.6 Wireless Internet Access

In some areas, broadband access to the Internet is gradually getting away from the ISDN or dial-up access model. This can be attributed in part to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which released 300 MHz of spectrum for the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII). The U-NII band is broken down into three bands: (1) 5.15 to 5.25 GHz for indoor application, (2) 5.25 to 5.35 GHz for campus application, and (3) 5.75 to 5.85 GHz for local access of up to 10 miles. This new spectrum has resulted in the introduction of a new generation of wireless Internet routers, also referred to as Internet radios. Internet radios can be set up on rooftops by an ISP to provide direct Internet access via the ISP Internet hub. These terminals can be configured in a point-to-point or a point-to-multipoint configuration. A good example of such terminals can be seen in Wireless Inc.'s WaveNet IP series, which can be used by an ISP to set up a point-to-multipoint Internet access arrangement completely outside of the public utility. By controlling the cost of local loop access, the ISP can offer better rates and higher-speed access. The WaveNet IP arrangement is sometimes referred to as W-DSL because a network can support DSL-like access with speeds of up to 512 kbps of symmetrical bandwidth.