|
As the regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs) scale back on digital subscriber line (DSL) deployments and the cable operators endeavor to migrate Excite@Home subscribers to their own networks, several uncertainties surrounding the growth of residential broadband surface yet again. In addition, Sprint’s decision to halt its multichannel multipoint distribution system (MMDS) network deployment and AT&T Wireless’s announcement that it will shut down its fixed wireless operations have further dealt a blow to the dream of ubiquitous broadband availability. Despite the rather somber outlook for residential wireline broadband deployment, specifically in the nonmetro areas, there does exist a gleam of hope for consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets in the form of fixed wireless service providers, both in the licensed and unlicensed spectrums. This Report specifically analyzes the unlicensed fixed wireless technologies and highlights the strategies of selective providers in this arena. This Report should be read in conjunction with the November 2001 Yankee Group Consumer Market Convergence Report, “Fiber-to-the-Curb, Fiber-to-the-Home, Fixed Wireless, and Powerline Communications: Threatening Cable Modem’s and DSL’s Hegemony?” In this Report, greater emphasis is placed on technologies in the 2.4-GHz spectrum, which includes wireless local-area networks (LANs) utilizing the 802.11b (also known as Wi-Fi) protocol, since that is where most of the residential unlicensed fixed wireless provider focus has been. |
