Providing 802.11 Access Across State Lines? 18
kmleon asks: "Where can I find decent information on how to provide wireless internet service using an unlicensed technology (such as the 802.11 variants) across a state border? There are a few hundred people in this rural area that are desperate to use our service since no one else can give them broadband, but I have no idea how to offer that without knowing if we'd be getting in trouble with who knows how many government agencies.
Anyone had any experience with doing this?
The problem is that all our backbone is on one side of the border, with just strong enough of a signal to give service about 2-5 miles on the other side of the border.
Is it just as simple as registering the business in both states? Which agency (FCC, FTC, or other someone else) could I contact for help? None of their websites have provided me with any helpful information. Thanks for any useful input."
what you need (Score:2, Funny)
Like you said (Score:4, Informative)
Re:I didn't think they had the 'lectricty in WVa, (Score:2)
*chain saw roaring*
We're gonna tich ole Jim-Bob a real good less'n!
IANAL, but... (Score:4, Informative)
1) The FCC already took care of the radio issue (as AC pointed out above). Even transmissions send and recieved within a single state fall under the "interstate commerce" clause of the Constitution, and thus under the FCC's jurisdiction.
2) Business licenses and taxes are another issue. You may need a business license, and you many need to pay sales or other taxes, in your customer's state. Seek local advice. There may be government agencies who provide free help to small businesses with just these issues -- ask.
Re:IANAL, but... (Score:1)
I'm not arguing your original point that FCC has cleared the way for this ISP (802.11b's frequencies can be used by anyone), just that their intrastate jurisdiction comes from "bending" the commerce clause, not directly applying it.
See FCC regs (Score:3, Informative)
While you're at it what about baking recipes too? (Score:5, Insightful)
Here you'll get geeks of varying degrees of boredem expressing their limitied legal/political understandings of how your rather vague question should be interpreted. The actual value of these expressions will be distinctly dubious and at some point you'll just have to go to a lawyer anyway.
Why anyone posts this useless sort of question to "Ask /." is beyond me, moreso why they're chosen. Exactly what utility will the answers here be beyond raising /. pageviews? Like I said, the blazingly obvious answer is "go to a lawyer", everyone here will be prefacing with "IANAL" or for the .0001% who are legally sophisticated "This does not constitute competent legal advice and you should etc."
Re:While you're at it what about baking recipes to (Score:1)
its federal (Score:4, Interesting)
Just think about it for a minute. Do states have big jammers along their borders that prevent you from receiving television and radio broadcasts from another state?
Re:its federal (Score:2)
In a previous job we were looking at about $10K/mo in tarrifs to run just a dozen T1's across a state line. Back then it took $30K to buy microwave transceivers, but, going RF took it out of the states' hands, so the only monthly costs were the tower fees.
What I wonder is how all the telcos have shut down their microwave systems and gone fiber - they must have a way around the tarrifs or they would just have kept building microwave towers.
Try asking the same question here.... (Score:5, Informative)
If anyone has done this kind of stuff before these guys/gals have.
Re:Try asking the same question here.... (Score:1)
So will I be able to get free Internet access if I connect to SWN?
Why isn't free Internet access available 24/7 at the MeetingPlace or by certain other prominent members of SWN?
If you are employed by (or have as clients) an internet-related firm or ISP, then it can set up a conflict of interest scenario due to clauses in employment or sales contracts. This doesn't prevent those members without conflict of interest problems from being helpful and connecting to SWN to provide bandwidth to the internet. If people don't provide this type of bandwidth, then the utility of our SWN network will be quite limited to being a demonstration system. "
So, they want to be independent of the Internet and not be a free ISP, but if (wink, wink) people share their internet access, then it will keep this from being wholly useless exercise.
It must be all the rain...
plead ignorance. (Score:1)
Just like DirectTV users in Canada that have US billing addresses. The service isn't(wasn't?) available there but it works.