Comments on: Portland Users Weigh In http://www.muniwireless.com/2006/12/12/portland-users-weigh-in/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=portland-users-weigh-in Citywide WiFi, smart grid, enterprise wireless, public safety, mobile apps Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:38:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carol Ellison http://www.muniwireless.com/2006/12/12/portland-users-weigh-in/#comment-7135 Carol Ellison Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:15:14 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=5447#comment-7135 <p>I agree, John. </p> <p>Managing expectations is a struggle in any endeavor. Logan Kleier and I talked about this the other day. Proportionate to the population, Portland received very few complaints about the service. Most of those they did receive were from folks who argued that "free service" should also mean they don't have to purchase a singal booster.</p> <p>It might be useful for munis to publish hardware recommendations for service in the same way that software companies used to publish minimal hardware requirements and recommendations for the computer platform on which it should run. Concepts like range and signal-to-noise ratios are foreign to most people but insisting up front "you need this to make it work" might help to address complaints before they arise.</p> I agree, John. 

Managing expectations is a struggle in any endeavor. Logan Kleier and I talked about this the other day. Proportionate to the population,¬†Portland received very few complaints about the service. Most¬†of those they did receive were¬†from folks who¬†argued that “free service” should also mean they don’t have to purchase a singal booster.

It might be useful for munis to publish¬†hardware recommendations for service in the same way that software companies used to publish¬†minimal hardware requirements and¬†recommendations for the computer platform on which it should run. Concepts like range and signal-to-noise ratios are foreign to most people but insisting up front “you need this to make it work” might help to address complaints before they arise.

]]> By: John Dolmetsch http://www.muniwireless.com/2006/12/12/portland-users-weigh-in/#comment-7134 John Dolmetsch Tue, 12 Dec 2006 09:35:52 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=5447#comment-7134 <p>Esme, is this a surprising revelation that most folks need a signal booster for the majority of Muni-WiFi networks?</p> <p>95% indoor coverage, without a high power client, is virtually impossible from an operator business model perspective as RF is RF and physics apply.</p> <p>If so, expectations need to be reset to fit what is realistic as the WiFi client is always the determining factor for coverage.</p> <p>Correct exectations would be a significant boost to our whole industry.</p> <p>John D.</p> Esme, is this a surprising revelation that most folks need a signal booster for the majority of Muni-WiFi networks?

95% indoor coverage, without a high power client, is virtually impossible from an operator business model perspective as RF is RF and physics apply.

If so, expectations need to be reset to fit what is realistic as the WiFi client is always the determining factor for coverage.

Correct exectations would be a significant boost to our whole industry.

John D.

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