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| Vote for me in Wireless LAN (WLAN) Top Sites List |
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Here for International Mobile Rates Starting at $0.05 per minute from
Your Wireless Phone.
The proprietary Ricochet network is a totally different model of wireless data. It's legendary high speeds allow for true remote connectivity with speeds that rival DSL and ISDN technology. Based on a Micro-Cellular Data Network (MCDN), Ricochet works from poletop receivers to provide speeds guaranteed at 128kbps, but in reality exceeds 192kbs. This technology was recently acquired by Aerie Networks for a song; over $1bln spent in infrastructure purchased for $8.5 million. The question is not whether the technology works - I personally saw 410kbps sustained transmission capable from a PC Card Modem - but whether someone can make this fly with a profitable business model is another question.
The best situation for this network is a WWAN within a remote area, such as limited bandwidth, or somewhere that it won't have to compete with too many Cable / DSL providers. Rural first world or developing nations would love this type of network since the rollout is pretty wide; as long as you have streetlights, you have the potential for using this type of device.
Pricing will be key in keeping this attractive in the next few years; most people aren't willing to pay $80 US per month for a wireless access that is twice as good as dialup, but not a prevailing technology.