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Alternatives: Tuning In on Wireless Broadband

In September 2000, retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Tom McDaniel couldn't get a DSL or cable connection at his home in Colorado Springs. But he had a relatively unobstructed view of Cheyenne Mountain, upon which Sprint had recently built an antenna tower for delivering wireless broadband.

"Sprint Broadband Direct was the first high-speed connection available to me, so I took it," says McDaniel. "These days I could get DSL or cable, but I have no complaints with my wireless connection."

Fixed wireless isn't like satellite service or cellular. Setup involves attaching a radio antenna to the subscriber's building; the antenna then receives signals from the ISP's tower and sends them to a broadband modem attached to the subscriber's computer. For current fixed-wireless products, a fairly clear line of sight between antenna and tower is necessary, but more-flexible technology is in the works.

Shared Airwaves

Like users of cable Internet services, fixed-wireless users must share bandwidth (in this case, airwaves); so the more people online, the slower the connection. But since fixed wireless has fewer than 100,000 U.S. subscribers, there's plenty of bandwidth to go around. "I normally get DSL speeds," says McDaniel, "but there are times when I hit 2 or 3 megabits per second."

Pricing for fixed wireless varies. In our survey, 76 percent of fixed-wireless users said they were satisfied with the value of their service. Mike Paxton, a senior analyst with Cahners In-Stat Group, says that fixed-wireless subscribers pay about $10 more per month on average than cable or DSL subscribers pay. McDaniel's monthly bill for Sprint Broadband Direct is $45. And he says he's pleased with the standard of service he gets for his money.

Unfortunately, finding a fixed-wireless service provider is getting harder. Last October, Sprint announced that it would maintain service to its current subscribers but wouldn't add new ones. Soon thereafter, AT&T scrapped its entire fixed-wireless service. And although smaller players exist in the fixed-wireless market, Sprint and AT&T clearly control the lion's share.

McDaniel says that he's ready to switch to EarthLink DSL if Sprint decides to drop fixed wireless completely. For now, his biggest Internet concern is a tree growing in his neighbor's yard. "If it grows any bigger, it may block our access," he says.

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