[nycbug-talk] Verizon Woes got you down?

[Isaac Levy]

Hey All,

Not a *BSD topic per-se, but just wanted to shout out on this one  
because:

1) It's a common conversation for us to swap sob stories about  
Verizon problems

2) I found a nifty service/solution

After some insane service problems with verizon, (yet another  
client's T1 with regular outages), I was luckily cold-called by a  
TowerStream representative, selling 'Pre-WiMax' internet service.

http://towerstream.com

Basically, after doing my homework, it goes like this:
WiMax, (802.16) is a wireless spec that has not been ratified by  
standards bodies yet.

With that, hardware vendors and service providers are chomping at the  
bit to provide service, and are doing so.  Here's what's cool about  
WiMax:

- 30 mile range for line-of-sight networks (yikes!)
- up to 100mbit synchronous
- Very robust radio band, weather doesn't hurt it etc...

--
With that, I sadly replaced T1 service for this client with a  
TowerStream line, for no matter which T1 service provider we went  
with, Verizon created massive problems in keeping us (and our  
neighbors!!!) online.  We got a package which costs $40 more than  
your average T1, same 99.9% uptime SLA, and can burst to 5mbit...  
(they sell up to 100mbit pipes, but that's pricey for our needs...).

Anyhow, I'll be hammering this line, as will everyone in the offiice-  
but so far, so good- though I'm sad not to use one our the local T1  
providers, (lots of providers on this list have promoted and  
participated in NYC*BUG activities).
But no Verizon holding our pipes here...  I can't express my relief  
in words here :)

--
Next thought, anyone seen any PCI or MiniPCI cards for doing 802.16  
wireless?  (something like the Sangoma cards for Soekris...)  ;)   
NYC*BUG all-burroughs IPV6 lan anyone? (no throwing rotten fruit at  
me for that one...)

Rocket-
.ike