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Talking business: Dustin Heusser, left, retail account executive for Clearwire, talks with Tobin Kinsey, a retail account executive for Clearwire in Medford, about Clearwire’s coverage area in Roseburg at the Internet provider’s kiosk at Roseburg Valley Mall last week. Heusser usually works the kiosk, but Kinsey was covering for him for the afternoon.
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ENLARGE
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Box
Everything needed to set up broadband wireless Internet
service from Clearwire comes in this box.
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In 1999, a local telecommunications task force was told wireless residential Internet service would not work locally.
Christopher Hutton, co-owner of Roseburg's DC Wireless ISP, was a member of that group. He didn't buy into that belief.
"We're still proving them wrong, even to this day," he said.
Another wireless Internet service called Clearwire is determined to do the same.
Clearwire joins four other wireless Internet service providers already providing Internet access to Douglas County computer users. DC Wireless, Megabyte Communications, Pioneer-Net and Douglas Electric Cooperative's Douglas FastNet comprise the others.
Clearwire began offering its service in June, and its official commercial launch came last week.
"Clearwire eliminates the limitations of traditional broadband service," said Greg Theis, Clearwire's general manager for Southern Oregon.
Clearwire's other wireless ISP competitors cite similar advantages with their services.
With an aggressive marketing campaign, sleek packaging and promised simple plug-and-surf equipment, however, Clearwire is trying to be the company that makes the technology more widely understood and accessible to area residents.
"What Clearwire will do is help educate folks that there's wireless, in addition to DSL," said Dave Sabala, general manager at Douglas Electric Cooperative. "They're both broadband, so I think that might be a positive thing that Clearwire might bring."
The Internet services are sent using radio spectrums. A tower transmits radio signals back to a user's computer, connecting it to the Internet at speeds that can reach 1 1/2 megabytes downloaded per second.
In Clearwire's case, the service is also portable. It isn't grounded to a specific home outlet like other fixed wireless systems, and can be used anywhere the service reaches via the modem receiving the radio signal.
For Clearwire customers, that includes Medford and Eugene, as well as Roseburg.
"We've already heard so many great stories about how Clearwire is changing the way people live and work," said Amy Yard, company territory manager for Roseburg.
<b>DRAWING ATTENTION</b>
Along with its service, Clearwire has worked to impress residents of the Roseburg area.
The company had a launch party at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center Thursday, where they announced charitable partnerships with Casa de Belen and Umpqua Training & Employment.
The company gave Casa de Belen, a Roseburg shelter for homeless families and teens, $2,500 and free Internet service.
Umpqua Training & Employment in Roseburg also received free Internet service.
"They were very interested in UT&E and making a partnership," said Norm Gershon, UT&E president. "We talked about what our needs are and one of our needs is to have mobile Internet technology."
Gershon said with employee orientations following the July fire at Murphy Plywood, as well as Ingram Book Co. recently letting 45 workers go, that kind of technology would have been a handy feature.
The same goes for UT&E information booths at fairs and schools. Being able to show people the nonprofit's Web site and connect back with the Roseburg office will make the process of introducing UT&E's services easier.
"This is something we have a real need for and frankly never thought that we'd be able to have the capability, especially at the price, which is free," Gershon said.
Christopher Hutton, co-owner of Roseburg's DC Wireless ISP, was a member of that group. He didn't buy into that belief.
"We're still proving them wrong, even to this day," he said.
Another wireless Internet service called Clearwire is determined to do the same.
Clearwire joins four other wireless Internet service providers already providing Internet access to Douglas County computer users. DC Wireless, Megabyte Communications, Pioneer-Net and Douglas Electric Cooperative's Douglas FastNet comprise the others.
Clearwire began offering its service in June, and its official commercial launch came last week.
"Clearwire eliminates the limitations of traditional broadband service," said Greg Theis, Clearwire's general manager for Southern Oregon.
Clearwire's other wireless ISP competitors cite similar advantages with their services.
With an aggressive marketing campaign, sleek packaging and promised simple plug-and-surf equipment, however, Clearwire is trying to be the company that makes the technology more widely understood and accessible to area residents.
"What Clearwire will do is help educate folks that there's wireless, in addition to DSL," said Dave Sabala, general manager at Douglas Electric Cooperative. "They're both broadband, so I think that might be a positive thing that Clearwire might bring."
The Internet services are sent using radio spectrums. A tower transmits radio signals back to a user's computer, connecting it to the Internet at speeds that can reach 1 1/2 megabytes downloaded per second.
In Clearwire's case, the service is also portable. It isn't grounded to a specific home outlet like other fixed wireless systems, and can be used anywhere the service reaches via the modem receiving the radio signal.
For Clearwire customers, that includes Medford and Eugene, as well as Roseburg.
"We've already heard so many great stories about how Clearwire is changing the way people live and work," said Amy Yard, company territory manager for Roseburg.
<b>DRAWING ATTENTION</b>
Along with its service, Clearwire has worked to impress residents of the Roseburg area.
The company had a launch party at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center Thursday, where they announced charitable partnerships with Casa de Belen and Umpqua Training & Employment.
The company gave Casa de Belen, a Roseburg shelter for homeless families and teens, $2,500 and free Internet service.
Umpqua Training & Employment in Roseburg also received free Internet service.
"They were very interested in UT&E and making a partnership," said Norm Gershon, UT&E president. "We talked about what our needs are and one of our needs is to have mobile Internet technology."
Gershon said with employee orientations following the July fire at Murphy Plywood, as well as Ingram Book Co. recently letting 45 workers go, that kind of technology would have been a handy feature.
The same goes for UT&E information booths at fairs and schools. Being able to show people the nonprofit's Web site and connect back with the Roseburg office will make the process of introducing UT&E's services easier.
"This is something we have a real need for and frankly never thought that we'd be able to have the capability, especially at the price, which is free," Gershon said.
The spirit of giving isn't confined to the new company on the block, however. DC Wireless, for example, provides free service to any nonprofit event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Yard, of Clearwire, said her company has tried to develop these kinds of partnerships in each market they've entered, from Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Fla., to Merced and Modesto, Calif.
<b>
ROOM FOR COMPETITION</b>
Clearwire representatives said competitors have taken an interest in its service.
Sabala said he would attend the Clearwire launch party as an "observer" on behalf of Douglas FastNet.
"We've been invited and plan to attend," he said before the event.
Douglas FastNet has offered wireless Internet services since 2003. Sabala said he isn't sure if wireless Internet will continue expanding with new companies coming to the area or if the market will consolidate.
"From a residential standpoint, there's a lot of competition out there," he said. "That being said, there's still the vast majority of folks that are on the Internet that are still on dial-up."
Clearwire is distributed through five area retailers, along with a kiosk in the Roseburg Valley Mall. Company representatives said business has been brisk, but they couldn't provide an exact number of users.
Clearwire is already in Medford and Eugene and there are also planned launches in other locales around the country, as well as internationally.
In Roseburg, Clearwire's service doesn't extend beyond the city limits. Currently, 11,000 households have access to the service.
That will grow in Douglas County.
"We're looking into expansion," Clearwire's Theis said. "Myrtle Creek is coming soon."
DC Wireless actually focuses on the cities and communities outside of Roseburg. It serves a 500-square-mile coverage area that includes Glide, Sutherlin, Melrose and Dillard.
"We started with only one tower," Hutton said. "Now we've got over 15 towers out there."
The biggest obstacle the company faces, Hutton said, is convincing people in less populous areas they can have high-speed Internet at their homes.
He said people actually tell DC Wireless representatives that the service will not work in their homes. Only a demonstration makes them believers.
As far as competition, Hutton said they don't have it in those out-of-Roseburg areas. He did say half their customers are in Roseburg, however, and most of them have several Internet provider options.
Aside from the advantage of portability offered with Clearwire's service, the main differences in wireless Internet service providers comes down to prices, download and upload speeds and technical support offered.
Clearwire, even though it's a national company, believes it can compete locally.
"People are very excited to have another Internet option in town," Yard said.
* You can reach reporter Paul Craig at 957-4211 or by e-mail at pcraig@newsreview.info.
Yard, of Clearwire, said her company has tried to develop these kinds of partnerships in each market they've entered, from Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Fla., to Merced and Modesto, Calif.
<b>
ROOM FOR COMPETITION</b>
Clearwire representatives said competitors have taken an interest in its service.
Sabala said he would attend the Clearwire launch party as an "observer" on behalf of Douglas FastNet.
"We've been invited and plan to attend," he said before the event.
Douglas FastNet has offered wireless Internet services since 2003. Sabala said he isn't sure if wireless Internet will continue expanding with new companies coming to the area or if the market will consolidate.
"From a residential standpoint, there's a lot of competition out there," he said. "That being said, there's still the vast majority of folks that are on the Internet that are still on dial-up."
Clearwire is distributed through five area retailers, along with a kiosk in the Roseburg Valley Mall. Company representatives said business has been brisk, but they couldn't provide an exact number of users.
Clearwire is already in Medford and Eugene and there are also planned launches in other locales around the country, as well as internationally.
In Roseburg, Clearwire's service doesn't extend beyond the city limits. Currently, 11,000 households have access to the service.
That will grow in Douglas County.
"We're looking into expansion," Clearwire's Theis said. "Myrtle Creek is coming soon."
DC Wireless actually focuses on the cities and communities outside of Roseburg. It serves a 500-square-mile coverage area that includes Glide, Sutherlin, Melrose and Dillard.
"We started with only one tower," Hutton said. "Now we've got over 15 towers out there."
The biggest obstacle the company faces, Hutton said, is convincing people in less populous areas they can have high-speed Internet at their homes.
He said people actually tell DC Wireless representatives that the service will not work in their homes. Only a demonstration makes them believers.
As far as competition, Hutton said they don't have it in those out-of-Roseburg areas. He did say half their customers are in Roseburg, however, and most of them have several Internet provider options.
Aside from the advantage of portability offered with Clearwire's service, the main differences in wireless Internet service providers comes down to prices, download and upload speeds and technical support offered.
Clearwire, even though it's a national company, believes it can compete locally.
"People are very excited to have another Internet option in town," Yard said.
* You can reach reporter Paul Craig at 957-4211 or by e-mail at pcraig@newsreview.info.
