Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

Yes, that's right

That depends... If there are customer level wimax basestations I guess they are using unlicensed frequencies and that their transmission power would be limited. According to wikipedia article unlicensed band for wimax is around 5 GHz. I don't know if there is any terminals available for 5 GHz band..

Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

On the name thing, I read something on the Wippies support forums that you could rename the access point. Is it possible people are renaming theirs and accidentally making it impossible to tell it's Wippies? If so that's rather a stupid option... :-)


Sorry, yes, obviously this would require a new generation of handsets. If they became available though, presumably this Fon/Wippies model would work much better than it does now?

I would still worry about how the ISPs would react though, which makes it interesting that Saunalahti are doing this because they're an ISP too.

Someone on the Wippies board suggested that Saunalahti should give away free access to anyone who sets up a Wippies router, which might be an interesting way to grow the network quickly.

Like you say though, if the network can't be picked up in the street or nearby buildings, there's no point in building it.

Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

If consumer wimax basestations would have same 200 mW maximum ERP as wi-fi and 5 GHz frequency, I don't see it working any better than 200 mW wi-fi at 2 GHz. Of course I or my assumptions might be wrong.

Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

...so where does this idea come from then that Wimax has a much longer range than Wifi?

I can't remember much from physics lessons, but could it be that Wimax's higher frequencies penetrate further through walls etc?

Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

Higher frequency penetrates less. Higher the frequency, more line-of-sight connection is needed.

Operator run wimax basestations can use much more power. For example 3G basestations can have 40 W or even 60 W antenna power. High power transmitter needs network planning and guarantee that nobody else is using the same frequency. That's why operators need lisenced spectrum.

I guess that wimax has better channel coding than 802.11b/g which would mean slightly better performance. But 802.11n (the new wi-fi) is giving the same promises for consumer level wireless network. Given that I haven't seen any wimax basestations for consumer market and 802.11n-draft basestations have been sold "for ages" means that most likely 802.11 is the way for homes.

Re: Wippies: a Fon-like service run by a phone network operator
 

So is there any standard likely to be available to consumers which will be able to reliably transmit to people in the street outside?