3 Things to Know about Rise Broadband

There's the big players in the ISP industry with their usual technology. Then there's Rise Broadband; gaining ground doing it at a fraction of the cost.

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The technology and methodology used in the ISP industry (Internet Service Providers) is dominated by fiber, cable, DSL, and satellite. But there’s another one that’s gaining ground- fixed wireless. And the champion of fixed wireless is Rise Broadband. It hasn’t been easy for them, however. The ISP industry has some big players- AT&T, Spectrum, Verizon, to name a few. And these big players have control of all the major metropolitan areas. There are some areas that are still “free,” but for the most part, it’s the big guys and not anyone else. For a new company to enter the space it would take a lot of money and a head-on type of tactic. But Rise Broadband isn’t doing that. And yet they’re succeeding. What else should we know about Rise Broadband?

Island Hopping

To understand how Rise can contend with the big players and carve out their own niche, let’s look back into history. World War II to be precise. While the Nazi’s expanded and sought to hold onto Europe, another conflict was raging in the Pacific. Here the Allies had to contend with the Empire of Japan. General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific, had a problem. The Japanese Empire, a much bigger and well-equipped force, had advanced throughout the Southwest Pacific, taking and fortifying islands all over the area. With this many fortified islands over such a large space, a head-on attack by the Allies would be costly and time-consuming. MacArthur opted for a different tactic, Island Hopping. As far back as the late 1800s, the idea of “Island Hopping” was proposed and even used in limited capacities; instead of a full-frontal assault, resources would be focused on only key islands. They could cut off other islands and isolate more dangerous threats this way. MacArthur used island hopping in a more expansive capacity. And it worked. It also saved time. As MacArthur found success with the tactic, the Allies were able to take strategic positions across the Southeast Pacific at a satisfying pace. Japan reacted by withdrawing and consolidating their forces. This allowed the Allies to retake more islands with little resistance. And they continued to use the tactic in their assault on Japanese forces until they reached the island nation itself. Rise Broadband, though it’s not fighting a world war, is doing something similar. Instead of trying to get into the metro and urban markets, they’re instead selling internet to rural areas. But they’re not selling the “usual” methods of delivering internet.

Fixed Wireless

Fixed wireless is relatively new in the ISP industry, but not unheard of. It’s no “best-kept secret.” If you haven’t heard of it yet it’s probably because of all the marketing of the other ISPs. That’s changing though. Fixed Wireless uses line-of-sight to transmit their signal from a tower to a receiver. There’s no need to install cables out to the home or business. What’s needed is a receiver installed on the property, and from there, Wi-Fi can be used to provide internet within range of the receiver itself. But that’s all that you need to know about Rise Broadband and fixed wireless.

It’s Cost Efficient

Instead of taking the time to dig and bury wires out to a structure, or install an unobstructed dish, Rise Broadband can install the receiver and related equipment quickly. There’s no need for cables to be pre-installed. All that is required is a power source. From there, Rise installs a receiver on the structure and ensures there’s a clear line-of-sight to the transmitter. If there’s no transmitter in the area they can build a tower there to install one. Or better yet, attached a transmitter to something tall. If there’s another tower nearby, or a grain elevator or just a tall structure will do. Time is saved and the customer gets internet access much faster. This is how Rise is so competitive; their equipment costs a fraction of what the larger providers use. Installation is relatively quick, and they can bring the internet to areas largely underserved. With these lower equipment costs, Rise can use that money for other endeavors, like maintenance, customer service, and marketing. In a sense, they’re island hopping around the big players as opposed to taking them on directly.

It’s an Alternative

Fixed wireless, specifically Rise Broadband, offers rural customers another alternative. For the longest time satellite was thought to be the only option available for those in rural areas. As Rise Broadband continues to expand, they’re finding a customer base eager to take advantage of something new. Rise also offers fixed wireless in urban and suburban areas as well. Even though Rise has been focusing on rural over urban, residents everywhere are open to a different delivery method for their internet. Especially when 50 Mbps download speeds are available!

They’re Leading the Way

As the largest fixed wireless internet provider in the US, Rise Broadband is setting the course for how these types of companies operate. Back to the island-hopping metaphor; Rise Broadband didn’t waste time and money trying to break into major urban areas first. This may have been the “logical” first step. Yet, they didn’t take it. Showing ingenuity, they opted instead to go after rural customers first. This worked well for them. Many of the normal internet delivery systems are often too expensive to install when terrain and distance get involved. They may not be the first ones to do it, but they’re the first ones to have significant success with it. And when something works, other people are likely to copy and improve upon that formula. There’s also the fact that many of the big players didn’t see a pressing need to speed up installation. When urban areas are growing and there’s a healthy customer base, taking care of the rural customers falls by the wayside. With fixed wireless, Rise Broadband had a way to deliver reliable internet and at a lower cost. And they could do it quickly. This doesn’t mean they’re without competition entirely. Many rural customers use satellite internet. Despite what many say, it’s a reliable means of internet delivery, and there are endeavors to strengthen it as well as improve latency issues. But Rise has a better option available now. As a result, many customers are willing to take it. This is how they’re building a loyal customer base.

Moving Up

Rise Broadband is still considered a “small” ISP. It is, however, the largest fixed wireless provider. By continuing with their “island hopping” like strategy, they’ll be able to maneuver around major urban areas and continue to increase how many customers they serve. Much like MacArthur himself, Rise is moving quickly to isolate and cut off a much larger force. Within the coming months and years, it may not be surprising to hear more and more about Rise Broadband. As of this writing, there’s no news of any change in their strategy. They’ll continue to expand as they’ve been expanding. Are you curious to see if they’re in your area? Check out Rise Broadband internet deals to see if they’re available. For those not familiar with history, MacArthur and the rest of the Allies did win over the Empire of Japan. Thanks to island hopping, many more lives were spared than if they’d gone for a full-frontal assault. While Rise is not seeking world domination, they’ve established their presence in the ISP industry and are showing no signs of slowing down.