If any Techie kind of folks would like to volunteer for Wi-Max rollout:
9-9-2005
Wireless Tech to Be Deployed for Katrina
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A high-speed wireless networking technology that's still being tested around the world will be deployed at an evacuation shelter and other spots on the U.S. Gulf Coast hit by Hurricane Katrina.
The technology called WiMax will bring the Internet to remote areas where the existing infrastructure has been destroyed or never existed. The network will be used for Internet telephone service and information exchange.
Intel Corp., a major WiMax supporter and maker of chips, shipped equipment Thursday to San Antonio's decommissioned Kelly Air Force Base where thousands of evacuees are being taken. The gear is expected to arrive on Friday.
A group of wireless Internet providers called Part-15.org is working with the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy Wi-Fi hotspots at the shelter and areas hit by the storm.
The WiMax equipment will be able to handle carry signals about 15 miles to what's known as a Point of Presence on the Internet. The bandwidth both upstream and downstream is expected to be about 45 megabits per second ? 30 times the speed of a standard 1.5 megabit per second DSL connection.
WiMax, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, has been mentioned as a possible alternative to cable modem and Digital Subscriber Line services offered by cable and telephone companies. It's also touted as a tool to connect emerging markets to the Internet.
But its potential in the United States has been clouded by spectrum questions. The 3.5-gigahertz band that's being used in tests elsewhere has been reserved for the military in the U.S. In addition, no WiMax equipment has been certified for compliance with the WiMax standard that was set just last year.
For the disaster recovery, the airwaves are not a problem, Ballard said. The Federal Communications Commission granted an emergency license for the spectrum use on Thursday.
:thumbsup:
PART-15.ORG Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
Deployment Scenarios: - There is a desperate need to reestablish communications in the disaster areas. More specifically, the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Biloxi and their surrounding areas. P15's coordinated efforts will be handled through the PART-15.ORG Disaster Relief Headquarters.
What can P15 and others within the industry do to help? We can assist by coordinating communications assets and personnel to provide potential assets to responding emergency services personnel and agencies.
Some of these assets may include in reestablishing internal communications and provide connectivity to all disaster relief efforts by installing point to point, point to multipoint links, IP Web cams and VoIP services
To accomplish these goals, we will need not only the License Exempt Industry as a whole, but local communities, major companies, and all others that can provide even the slightest of assistance to our teams.