wireless service

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

Posted-Date: 24 Oct 1993 11:16:28 -0800
Date: 24 Oct 1993 11:16:28 -0800
From: "Anker, Andrew" <anker@spcom.com>
Subject: RE: Let Em Run Amok
To: com-priv@psi.com, "John Galloway" <jrg@rahul.net>


John Galloway wrote


  > Where does this hunch come from?  $30/month now doesn't even cover
  > montly access let alone any air time for current cellular service. What
  > is it that is going to make wireless communcation come down in price by
  > a at least one order of magnitude?  Currenty acces is say $35/month +
  > 5min/day prime + 10min/day nonprime = 35 + (.40*5 + 10*.22)*30 is more
  > like $150/month and thats only for 15 mins total use per day. If you go
  > up to a couple of hours per day your closer to 2 orders off from the
  > $30/month goal (which is supposedly more then people will be whilling to
  > pay??).  I must have missed something.


I've mentioned this once before on this list (and I will reiterate that I have a
financial interest in this company), Metricom based in Los Gatos has announced
that it is in beta on regional networks that would essentially provide local
loop data networks at throughputs up to 50-60 kbps for around $20 per month,
with no per packet charges.


They will be the first (most likely) to offer commercial wireless service at
those prices but they won't be the last.


-aa