> The main problem with this way of transmitting is that you are on unregulated parts of the radio spectrum.
Traditionally this is true and is still mostly true today, but a ton of WISPs picked up PAL licenses in the CBRS band and are using that. Also, as you mentioned, in practice "jamming" equipment is uncommon (and very illegal!)
Also I always recommend that folks use licensed or FCC registered links for their wireless backhaul, which limits the amount problems you'll get from interference.
> I was wondering about laser modems. It could never be jammed without some kind of expensive and conspicuous physical intervention. I would feel much more comfortable investing in that even if lasers were more expensive or a pain in the ass.
I've used some of these device (called "open air optical.") They're ok for very short range connections, but over anything more than a few hundred yards the performance of wireless is much better.
> Not that it matters. 5G is going to put all these guys out of business.
As a WISP you have the option of deploying 5G networks. It's expensive, but might be worth it. Many, many WISPs (myself included), operate fixed 4G LTE networks, and 5G is the next step. I haven't dabbled in 5G yet, but I have sales people calling me somewhat regularly ready to sell the gear. To the extent that 5G will live up to it's promises, WISPs are well positioned to take advantage of it.
Freedomfi (https://freedomfi.com/) is selling hardware later this year which will allow you to become your own cell tower for 5G CBRS bands, based on Facebook's magma project. You can backhaul a 5G modem/antenna, offload to a major MNO/MVNO, and get paid $.50 per gb consumption, paid in Helium HNT crypto (yes, crypto). Its still a big work in progress but could totally unlock private deployments of 5G networks and make them almost as easy as setting up wifi.
A few of the other companies that I know are doing fixed 4G LTE right now are Blinq and BaiCells. BaiCells, at least, is also moving toward 5G.
I don't trust the specs of the parabolic antennas on the market. They are supposed to be better but I have heard from multiple reviewers on multiple products that their specs are wrong and they simply don't deliver high gain at low frequencies when advertised to be tuned for 4G LTE. I think it is because to cover 4G LTE bands fully you need to support a ridiculously wide range of frequencies from 600 to 2200 MHz. My low frequency LTE yagi is awesome for difficult wooded areas. It can shoot through at least 3 miles of trees.
I think your Proxicast peaks at 11 dB gain and you need to check which frequencies that's valid for. With such a large frequency range spec'd on that you can't be sure you have high gain on all frequencies. It can drop off drastically on important bands.
That's why I have a dedicated yagi for low frequencies and a similar antenna to what you have for ~2 GHz bands.
I found through experience the best proxy for correct antenna aim is an upload speed test. And the best way to determine aim is by using cellmapper.net and calculating a compass bearing from your location, then using a compass (app) to aim your antenna. Not the more high tech metrics reported by your modem like RSSI and link quality. They can be very misleading in general and especially when the link is idle.
Does 5G make much of a difference here? From what I've read, in the the bands that give you reasonable range (mmWave doesn't work at these distances), 5G at the very most gives you like 20% more bandwidth than 4G LTE. That doesn't seem game-changing.
From the competition section of the site, the sweet spot for WISPs seems to be just under suburban, where there's enough density but not quite cable coverage (or the local cable monopoly isn't giving their network enough TLC)
This is my opinion as well - 5G will improve latency and also capacity (meaning carriers won't have to be as stingy with tethering plans) but not necessarily top speeds or coverage area.
Nearly a decade at a small/medium ISP in Brazil (where illegal competitiveness isn't uncommon) and I've never seen this happening to us (or if it did, we never found out).
This is because jamming the spectrum requires a very powerful antenna that will _also_ interfere with every other antenna in the region, including probably their own. Instead of that, it's way easier to just grab some scissors and cut off your competitor's wires (which has in fact happened to us on numerous occasions).
So while there are anticompetitive practices I don't think this is one you'd ever have to worry about.
The main problem with this way of transmitting is that you are on unregulated parts of the radio spectrum. So there’s nothing stopping someone from jamming your equipment, grinding everything to a halt, whether it’s on purpose or by accident. Maybe in practice it’s rare, but it’s too big a vulnerability for me to invest in such a business.
I was wondering about laser modems. It could never be jammed without some kind of expensive and conspicuous physical intervention. I would feel much more comfortable investing in that even if lasers were more expensive or a pain in the ass.
Not that it matters. 5G is going to put all these guys out of business.