What is a WISP? WISP stands for wireless internet service provider, and sometimes gets referred to as “fixed wireless.” This is an alternative to a wired internet hookup, with the internet being delivered wirelessly. While traditionally used in more rural areas, where a wired connection is not available, there is a trend to use WISP technology as a competitor to cable and fiber offerings.

The advantage of a WISP is that their “Last mile solution” is a wireless one. This often makes it less expensive to deploy and maintain. In a rural setting, with customers spaced out and less densely, therefore the upfront investment is reduced compared to a wired solution. The favorable economics also are proving to be an advantage in the urban deployment for the WISP to compete on price. Most of us are more familiar with mobile wireless solutions. These include our smartphones, 3G/4G tablets, and those USB dongles, and mobile hotspots that are popular with travelers to avoid the shoddy and often overpriced hotel Wi-Fi. However, while all of these are wireless broadband, it is not a WISP. These mobile broadband solutions are delivered via LTE, but tend to be expensive (many use the word “overpriced”), with data caps that would not support a month of typical usage by a family without going over the data limit. While this type of situation would be ok for a vacation, this is not the type of internet access anyone would really want if there was another option. However, LTE is not a WISP. Rather, a WISP is a broadband solution where the internet is either uncapped, or has a far more generous cap. The delivery is also via fixed wireless antennas, typically mounted outside the home, on a rooftop or pole. While a wireless delivery model is less common in the US, where the cableco’s dominate with their coax delivery methods, WISP’s are more popular outside the US. In fact, reportedly, the US is only 20% of the WISP market, although there are over 1000 WISP’s in the US. Upstart Starry have been trialing a novel solution. While so far we have only seen their router, big promises have been made to disrupt the industry with their millimeter wireless solution of delivering internet. They currently have a pilot underway in Boston, with claims of Gigabit speeds via an antenna that can hang out of a windowsill, along with a claim of internet access at a “Fraction of the cost of traditional broadband.” While this all sounds intriguing, it is currently in a closed beta, and it is not publicly available. While Starry has appeared in the press on several occasions in the last year or so, other providers have WISP technology that is currently deployed. One such provider is Vivint, which is present in Utah. They offer a 100 Mbps symmetrical connection for an affordable $59.99 per month via a 24 month contract. Their distribution model uses fiber to distribute the internet. The fiber stops at cellphone towers, and then it goes to a radio antenna. The signal then gets sent to an antenna on the hub home, via the unlicensed 28 GHz spectrum (which is just below millimeter wireless). Each hub home has three antennas on the roof: one to connect to the tower radio, and two others which transmit the internet to up to 24 additional homes in a 1000 foot radius. The retransmission is sent via unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum. One of the intriguing aspects of this is that the hub homes are given a free internet connection for the roof real estate they are providing. While this all sounds enticing, and a 100 Mbps connection is quite solid, there are variable reviews of the service. While a WISP may not be ideal for all users, another option for internet is rarely a bad thing, if for no other reason than to remind your current ISP at renewal time that other option(s) are available. This site can let you know if a WISP is available in your area. Feel free to discuss your experiences and opinions with WISP’s, including Vivint and Starry in the comments below. This article was contributed by the DSLReports.com community. If you'd like to receive payment for writing content like this for our front page, please drop us a line.







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Most recommended from 64 comments



Pashune

Caps stifle innovation

Premium Member

join:2006-04-14

Gautier, MS ·AT&T U-Verse

6 recommendations Pashune Premium Member Great where available... I think it's just bad luck on our part but for the last couple of years I've been trying to set my mother up with a local WISP known as DSL-by-air. The speeds are nothing to write home about but the plans are uncapped.



Unfortunately due to a dispute with an agitated neighbor the WISP can no longer use the nearby tower and as such there is no longer coverage on her road. We would have to foot a $2000+ bill to construct a new tower on her property for things to work.



The only options available include satellite and maybe some really expensive $200+ monthly plan through a 3rd party AT&T/Verizon hotspot carrier. Hotspot plans through Verizon and AT&T aren't practical for family usage relying on it as a home connection and neither T-Mobile nor Sprint have coverage.



My hope is perhaps someday another WISP will step up to the plate and be able to offer coverage but I'm not holding my breath for now.



As for myself I'm on an uncapped cable business plan at 50/5. If a gigabit WISP with unlimited data ever stepped up with competitive prices you can bet I'd sign on right away.