Illegal wireless networks in SA

How can Wireless ISP be legal anyway

How can Wireless ISP'S be legal if they operate on 2.4 and 5.8Ghz frequency's as these are unlicensed bands ??? this is like saying i have a drivers licence so my car does not have to be roadworthy to use it ??

Normally you have to have a frequency provisioned from the regulator

Most wireless isp's use ADSL uncapped bandwidth and resell this to there customers so the contention ratio is 100:1 + hence the latency playing games and ping times in the 400-600ms international
 
There are plenty of small WISPs that aggressively saturate our 2.4Ghz spectrum by using uncertified and overpowered equipment. Some even go as far as to actively try to disrupt the service of competitors and WUGs in the same area. These guys are bad news for home wifi users, WUGs and generally everybody that operates their equipment lawfully.

I think this is the kind of people that WAPA's trying to track down and licensing is one of the ways to do it to ensure fair use of the unlicensed 2.4Ghz ISM band for us all.
 
I know of 4 WAPA members that do not ad hear to correct practices ISP'S generally do not have a spectrum analyzer or do link budget calculations or spec up the correct antenna for each end they think bigger is better
 
I think WAPA is a necessity in the wireless internet world as ICASA has no idea of managing such entity's but WAPA downfall is that it need to regulate how its members operate 1) it nees to force WISPS to show how they provision there bandwidth to the end user (ADSL/DIGINET/FIBRE) regulation on high sites/approval of such and equipment specification link budgets (RF) etc need to be approved i think that ISP'S are using WAPA as there legal arm and not really as a regulatory one
 
We operate a wisp in the rural areas. There are no other alternatives. I know some see us as cowboys but we were willing to meet the need. We are trying to do it right. Currently we are also having a lot of interference issues with new guys popping up and going crazy. I feel it is important that there comes better regulation to make it possible to provide quality of service to do proper voip etc. Hopefully we will get access to our own or shared frequency. Wapa is doing a great job. We are growing and maturing!
 
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So what is the story if i run a wireless router at work for my internal wireless network ? Do i have to pay as well ?
 
wisp said:
We operate a wisp in the rural areas. There are no other alternatives. I know some see us as cowboys but we were willing to meet the need. We are trying to do it right. Currently we are also having a lot of interference issues with new guys popping up and going crazy. I feel it is important that there comes better regulation to make it possible to provide quality of service to do proper voip etc. Hopefully we will get access to our own or shared frequency. Wapa is doing a great job. We are growing and maturing!
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If you get your own assigned frequency your equipment costs can increase dramatically thats why WISPS like to use the low cost kit
 
I was planning on running a small wireless network between friends (+- 5 people), and we were discussing about sharing the cost of a 4mb uncapped account and just sharing it over the wireless network, would this type of network setup be considered illegal as we are just splitting the monthly cost rather than trying to make a profit?
 
Defiler said:
I was planning on running a small wireless network between friends (+- 5 people), and we were discussing about sharing the cost of a 4mb uncapped account and just sharing it over the wireless network, would this type of network setup be considered illegal as we are just splitting the monthly cost rather than trying to make a profit?
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This type of network is legal without a licence, as the service is provided on a "not for profit" basis, and the owners of the network are the only users (either condition would be sufficient). S 6 of the ECA (2005).
 
WISPS

Its amazing that only one small WISP has posted comments on this thread, this show how much they want to defend themselves
 
Drunkard #1 said:
This type of network is legal without a licence, as the service is provided on a "not for profit" basis, and the owners of the network are the only users (either condition would be sufficient). S 6 of the ECA (2005).
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Thanks, that's pretty much what I needed to know.
 
Defiler said:
Thanks, that's pretty much what I needed to know.
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Remember, you're taking legal advice from an anonymous internet forum, so the usual caveats apply.

While I'm confident that my interpretation of the act is accurate, case law and regulations may have superseded it. Only an attorney who specialises in this field can advise you of the current situation. Also, you may be restricted from certain practices by your agreement with your ISP, but I obviously can't comment on this. If you set up your network right, no-one will even know it's there, so I doubt you'll have any trouble, but speak to the specialists if you want to be 100% sure.
 
Ricard said:
This translates to "bwhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, give us money! and we cant offer you any indemity from prosecution from ICASA"
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not sure what you are on about - why would you need indemnity from prosecution by ICASA?

Moonglum said:
So what is the story if i run a wireless router at work for my internal wireless network ? Do i have to pay as well ?
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believe it or not ICASA currently requires that anyone running a LAN or WLAN has to apply for a licence exemption. clueless is their middle name.

wirelessvsadsl said:
Only if you cross your boundary walls
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this is Telecommunications Act stuff - no longer with us under the Electronic Communications Act

wirelessvsadsl said:
How can Wireless ISP'S be legal if they operate on 2.4 and 5.8Ghz frequency's as these are unlicensed bands ??? this is like saying i have a drivers licence so my car does not have to be roadworthy to use it ??

Normally you have to have a frequency provisioned from the regulator

Most wireless isp's use ADSL uncapped bandwidth and resell this to there customers so the contention ratio is 100:1 + hence the latency playing games and ping times in the 400-600ms international
Click to expand...

Because certain bands are licence exempt ... the power output levels in 5.8GHz ISM, for example, are 200W point to point and 4W point to multipoint. The driver's licence analogy should stay in the garage.

"Most" wirelss isp's (sic)????

wirelessvsadsl said:
I know of 4 WAPA members that do not ad hear to correct practices ISP'S generally do not have a spectrum analyzer or do link budget calculations or spec up the correct antenna for each end they think bigger is better
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WAPA is far from being the finished article but my view is that it is making a difference in the industry. Members have access to a spectrum analyser.
 
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