Wireless Internet in a Wired World

Wireless Internet will always have a place in broadband. While Visionary Broadband continues to expand more fiber internet to rural communities across the intermountain west, we are also building new wireless internet towers and upgrading existing towers. There will always be a place for wireless internet because there will always be a home, business, ranch, or drill site that is still too far from the wired networks. 

Is Wireless Internet Just Another Word for Wifi?

No, wifi is not wireless internet. “Wi-Fi is simply an alternative to network cables as a way to connect devices of a local area network (LAN). Prior to Wi-Fi (or Bluetooth technology), the only way to connect devices together was to run physical network cables between them . . .” (Source: cnet.com). Similarly, a hotspot from your mobile device is local internet connection delivered via Wifi. This is no replacement for a proper broadband internet connection. Wifi Hotspots are subject to the battery power of the phone or tablet and the data usage limits in your mobile plan.

What is Wireless Internet?

Wireless internet uses cell towers to create a network over a wide area, usually 3 to 6 miles around the cell tower. “Wireless broadband (WiBB) is a high-speed internet and data service delivered through a wireless local area network (WLAN) or wireless wide area network (WWAN). . . [W]ireless broadband speeds are defined by the FCC to be at least 25 megabits per second (Mbps).” (Source: techtarget.com). Visionary Broadband has wireless internet towers across the west. Our wireless technology is designed to bring the best product to remote areas that are not currently slated for other broadband internet products. 

We are updating our existing towers with next-generation fixed wireless access networks (ngFWA) Gigiabit1 (G1). This technology allows us to provide faster wireless internet speeds, decreased service interruptions, and improves services in densely wooded areas.

Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks and months on tower upgrades and new tower construction with faster internet speeds.