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Aspen Communication's wireless access point in Tyler, Texas.

A typical WISP Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) installed on a residence.

Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISPs) are internet service providers with networks built around wireless networking. The technology used ranges from commonplace Wi-Fi mesh networking or proprietary equipment designed to operate over open 900MHz and 2.4GHz bands or licensed frequencies in the UHF or MMDS bands. In 2005 the Federal Communications Commission released Report and Order, FCC 05-56 that revised the FCC’s rules to open the 3650 MHz band for terrestrial wireless broadband operations.^[1] On November 14, 2007 the Commission released PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 07-4605) in which the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announced the Start Date for Licensing and Registration Process for the 3650-3700 MHz Band.^[2]

WISPs often offer additional services, like location based content, Virtual Private Networking and Voice over IP. Isolated municipal ISPs and larger state-wide initiatives alike are tightly focused on wireless networking.

WISP's are predominantly in rural environments where cable and digital subscriber lines are not available. WiMax is expected to become mainstream in the near future, bringing with it dramatic changes to the marketplace by increasing the number of interoperable equipment on the market and making mobile data transmission feasible, increasing the utility of such networks in rural environments. However, high-bandwidth wireless backhauls are already common in major cities, providing levels of bandwidth previously only available through expensive fibre optic connections.

Typically, the way that a WISP operates is to pull a large and usually expensive point to point connection to the center of the area they wish to service. From here, they will need to find some sort of elevated point in the region, such as a radio or water tower, on which to mount their equipment. On the consumers side, they will mount a small dish to the roof of their home and point it back to the WISP's dish. When operating over the tightly limited range of the heavily populated 2.4ghz band, as nearly all 802.11-based WiFi providers do, it is not uncommon to also see access points mounted on light posts and customer buildings.

Since it is difficult for a single service provider to build an infrastructure that offers global access to its subscribers, roaming between service providers is encouraged by the Wi-Fi Alliance with the WISPr protocol. WISPr is a set of recommendations approved by the alliance which facilitate inter-network and inter-operator roaming of Wi-Fi users. Modern wireless technology has comparable latency to other terrestrial broadband networks.

• Most technologies operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum and higher required radio line of sight.
• The range and maximum bandwidth of 700 and 900 MHz equipment is sharply reduced in Non Line of Sight applications.
• The range of unlicensed equipment is often limited severely by government mandated limits on broadcast power.
• Interference can be caused by everything from sun spots to other broadcasters, including home users on open bands and neighboring licensees of licensed spectrum, including other WISPs.
• WISPs often must mount their antennae outdoors, or even atop small radio towers, leaving them prone to damage from lightning and extreme winds.

• EarthLink
• Satellite Internet access
• Neighbourhood Internet Service Provider (NISP)
• ConnectKentucky

• WISP Centric – provides industry news and information as well as a resource for global initiatives.
• Start a WISP – assisting new WISPs by providing daily input, assistance and advice from established WISPs. Also includes an image gallery and discussion forum.
• WISP Directory – a global directory of WISPs including WISP-related organizations and entities.
• WISP Forum – Very large and useful WISP forum.
• Daily Wireless – Wireless ISP news
• Collines.net – Wireless ISP directory for rural areas in France
• WISPA – WISPA, a trade association for WISP owner/operators
• PART-15 – a wireless organization for WISP's using unlicensed spectrum.
• WISPTalk.com – Get help starting your new WISP

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