BWIA is Broadband Wireless Internet Access and BWIA Magazine is a new publication about BWIA that will debut in Summer, 2009. BWIA Magazine will encompass cellular broadband technology (HSxPA, 1xEV-DO, LTE, etc.) used to deliver Broadband Internet Access, Broadband Internet Access via satellite, WiMAX technology (Mobile and fixed), Wi-Fi, Municipal Wi-Fi, microwave point-to-point networks, proprietary systems, and many other technologies.
Spectrum Models
BWIA Magazine will cover all spectrum usage and allocation - licensed spectrum, license-exempt (unlicensed) spectrum, shared-use spectrum, as well as innovative new spectrum models such as White Space and spectrum leasing. Spectrum coverage will extend from UHF to THz (free-space optical).
Business Models
BWIA Magazine will focus on multiple business models, but not just commercial networks. BWIA Magazine will cover carriers, enterprise networks (including public safety), not-for-profit / public/private partnership networks, and small service providers (WISPs). Where possible, BWIA Magazine will cover the use of BWIA technology as used by government and military. Occasionally, we'll also cover "hobbyist" use of BWIA, including Amateur (Ham) Radio, and interesting business models such as Broadband Internet Access on ships at sea, commercial airplanes, and offshore networks.
Technologies
The technologies used to deliver Broadband Wireless Internet Access will be a particular focus of BWIA Magazine. We'll try hard not to lapse into excessive "Geek Speek" - one of our primary directives for BWIA Magazine is to explain the technologies used in BWIA to make that information accessible to anyone interested in following the BWIA industry.
Regulatory
The use of spectrum distinguishes BWIA from other Broadband options, so regulatory issues play a key part in the BWIA industry, and thus BWIA Magazine will attempt to cover regulatory issues... but do so in less than mind-numbing detail.
Features
Rounding out BWIA Magazine will be a number of regular features including personnel changes, a calendar of events related to BWIA, notable new deployments / upgrades of BWIA networks, a number of columns, new company watch, and coverage of new BWIA-related products. BWIA Magazine will also provide some coverage of complementary technologies such as fiber deployment - BWIA certainly doesn't exist in a technological vacuum. Effective use of BWIA also depends on numerous non-wireless technologies, so there will be occasional coverage of systems such as routers and network monitoring that have a specific relevance to BWIA.
US and International Coverage
While the US is a hotbed of BWIA technology, having pioneered license-exempt spectrum, ultra wideband technology, and most recently, White Spaces, there is demonstrably more active deployment of BWIA outside the US. BWIA Magazine will attempt to provide international coverage of BWIA developments, primarily through the use of local correspondents. It will take time to qualify and develop such sources, so, initially, BWIA Magazine will primarily cover BWIA developments in the US.
Editorial Independence
Like every other magazine, we pledge editorial independence despite the presence and financial contribution of advertisers. BWIA Magazine isn't beholden to any one segment of the BWIA industry, nor beholden to any particular company. With our very low overhead, BWIA Magazine doesn't need big advertisers to survive.
Publication Model
BWIA Magazine will initially publish on a bimonthly schedule. BWIA Magazine will utilize a hybrid print/online publishing model through the use of print-on-demand services such as MagCloud. BWIA Magazine will be available at no cost online; print subscriptions (and individual issues) will be available upon payment of a subscription or individual issue fee. BWIA Magazine will include advertisements, and we feel that this will be a strong draw for readers. Just as there is a dearth of quality content on the subject of BWIA, there's no one good place to find out who the vendors of BWIA-related products are.
Editorial Staff
BWIA Magazine's Founder and Editor is Steve Stroh, an accomplished, independent writer who has focused on Broadband Wireless Internet Access since 1997 when he began a column in Boardwatch Magazine called Wireless Data Developments, explaining the use of wireless data technology (not exactly "broadband" back then) to Internet Service Providers. Since that column, Steve has written extensively on BWIA, in numerous magazine articles, an independent newsletter, blogged extensively and was one of the founders of Wireless Tech Radio, a pioneering streaming radio show on wireless technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Um... why a magazine? Isn't that pretty old-school - dead trees, etc.?
Magazine format - longer articles, designed for in-depth reading is what BWIA Magazine is aiming for. Our business model isn't to "spam you with paper". You'll be able to read online, read offline, or read in print - whichever you prefer.
Why a magazine about Broadband Wireless Internet Access?
If you want news the fastest... there are ample sources of fast news. But "fast" definitely doesn't equate to "good"... let alone "complete" or going beyond simply excerpting or reprinting a press release. We decided that there's no point in being the fastest - there's always going to be some caffeine-fueled-sleeps-three-hours-a-night blogger out there that will be faster.
What we think is more relevant than "fast" is that there's a dearth of well-researched, in-depth information about Broadband Wireless Internet Access. There's some good information out there about cellular, and some good information out there about WiMAX... but very little about the other BWIA technologies, such as popular, very capable systems like Motorola Canopy, new technologies like White Spaces, deep perspective on regulatory developments related to spectrum issues, etc. BWIA Magazine will bring together information about all the BWIA technologies in one publication.
Best coverage of BWIA... that's where BWIA Magazine will really differentiate itself.
Why now?
The consensus seems to be that recessions are great time to launch new ventures. The "big" competition for BWIA Magazine has, in a number of cases just in 2009, has gone away because their business models weren't sustainable. As discussed above, we don't regard the blogs and "newsletters" as significant competition for what we plan to do in BWIA Magazine.
The other reason for "now" is that evolution in BWIA is more rapid than ever in 2009. Clearwire has emerged as a (relatively) "pure play" BWIA Service Provider. Cellular carriers will deploy LTE and potentially provide "real" broadband capability. White Spaces promises new business models and may be the technology that finally can close the "Broadband Gap" in rural areas.
Why "BWIA"? Why not just WiMAX? Why not just cellular?
There's more to BWIA than just WiMAX and cellular... a lot more, stuff that matters. For example, satellite is a form of BWIA (the "towers" just happen to be 22,300 miles above the equator), and that's highly relevant to the deployment of BWIA... but it's really hard to find decent discussions of satellite Broadband Internet Access outside of satellite industry trade publications (which are mostly dominated by coverage of video content delivery these days). Wi-Fi is a BWIA technology, but the cellular carriers won't concede that they're in the same business as service providers that use Wi-Fi.
Why Steve Stroh?
Mostly because I've been rabidly interested in Broadband Wireless Internet Access back before it was "Broadband" (back in the "old days" it was called wireless data, or packet radio), and I love learning everything I can about the subject. I learned that if I write about what I learn, it starts to be a virtuous circle - writing allows me to keep learning. I've been doing that since 1997, and along the way I've built up a pretty good knowledge of the BWIA industry and BWIA technologies.
How do I learn more?
Contact information for BWIA Magazine is on the sidebar.
Thanks for reading!