ISSN: 1536-7215
 

FOCUS is edited by Steve Stroh and published by Stroh Publications L.L.C.

In 2006, FOCUS has changed from a paid, private subcription model to a free publication. Links to new issues of FOCUS will be posted below and emailed to readers who wish to be notified when new issues are published (see below for details).

My first inspiration for this new publishing model for FOCUS is Jerry Michalski who encouraged me to "make it free" at a conference several years ago. It took me too much time to truly understand the extreme wisdom of Jerry's counsel. Jerry forsaw the "attention economy" that has emerged in the last few years, where one would be able to build a reasonable income... in various ways... from attracting sufficient attention by offering unique, valuable insights on a specific subject. Unfortunately, my attentions were divided for too long by trying to establish my place in the "attention economy" with four different blog hosting arrangements (that's death... there are still links out there to my first, long-since-abandoned blog), my obligations to the paid subscribers of FOCUS, my continuous scramble for paying work, and my most recent but most fun venue, Wireless Tech Radio.

My second inspiration is David Isenberg's amazing, prophetic, and incredibly informational SMART Letter. While David has apparently discontinued Smart Letter [update - apparently not entirely, though there was a fourteen month gap between Smart Letter #99 and Smart Letter #100] in favor of the shorter, more immediate format of isen.blog. I continue to see value in publishing one's ideas in both blog format and newsletter format. But, as David discovered way before I did... there are only so many available person-hours in a busy life, and like with Jerry's advice, it took me a while to see the wisdom in David's approach with SMART Letter - make it available freely, when you have something to say, say it well and in depth (I did get that part)... but don't promise a regular schedule.

Some Background On FOCUS:
I began my professional writing career in 1997 and over the next few years received a number of other opportunities to write about Broadband Wireless Internet Access for other publications. But in doing so, I began to get somewhat frustrated with the constraints of freelance writing assignments - the editors edited, sometimes brutally and cluelessly, the stories were only about what topics were topical and "hot", and all too often I wasn't able to tell the story about a product, technology, or company the way I felt it should be told. So, when the tech downturn hit full force in 2001 and all my former freelance writing opportunities dried up... I decided to try my hand at a writing a newsletter on Broadband Wireless Internet Access which I decided to imaginatively name FOCUS On Broadband Wireless Internet Access. Another inspiration for FOCUS was that fans of my writing told me how much they enjoyed my writing about BWIA and wanted to if there was any way they could read more of my stuff.

In the debut issue of FOCUS in June, 2001, I wrote FOCUS On Broadband Wireless Internet Access is founded upon  two tenets: (1) The trend towards “Broadband Internet,  Everywhere” is irreversible... and profound! and (2) That the  primary method of Broadband Internet Access is very likely to be  wireless- Broadband Wireless Internet Access.

In the following issue, July/August, 2001, I updated the tenets:

1. Internet technology is becoming the foundation for nearly all  communications, commerce, and entertainment services;
2. For Internet access to be truly usable, always-on Broadband  Internet access is required;
3. By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Internet access  will be ubiquitous;
4. In the “last mile”, wireline-based technologies and systems will  generally prove to be insufficient or not cost-effective to provide ubiquitous, always-on, Broadband Internet to most homes and  businesses;
5. In the near term, Broadband Wireless Internet Access in all its  forms – Sub 11 GHz, Above 11 GHz, Free Space Optics, Ultra  Wideband, Licensed, License-exempt has emerged as the most likely technology to provide cost-effective, ubiquitous, always-on  Broadband Internet Access.

While it's tempting to update the tenets, I think they've held up pretty well given the rapid evolution of the BWIA industry since 2001.

Along the way, my writing in FOCUS (and other venues) has garnered some notice:

FOCUS, and more specifically Steve Stroh "is the voice of the industry" to the world market when any discussions of Wireless Technologies pop up. His foresight and visions are considered to be the most accurate on the planet.
Michael Anderson, Chairman, Part-15.Org (Award of Part-15.Org's WISP Advocate of the Year for 2002)

Steve Stroh is the perpetrator of the "Focus on Broadband Wireless Internet Access" newsletter, an in-depth review that gets it. The subscription fee is worth every penny.
David Isenberg, Principal Prosultant, isen.com

Independent technology writer Steve Stroh again provided his unique blend of comprehensive and informative insights in his newsletter Focus On Broadband Wireless Internet Access. The newsletter continues to provide personal interpretations on industry developments that are worth knowing � and supporting.
Andrew Kreig, President Wireless Communications Association International

Steve Stroh is a walking encyclopedia of fixed wireless information. His knowledge on the subject is both extremely wide and deep. When I am looking for a source that can quickly cut through the marketing hype and technical mumbo jumbo that permeates the market, he is my first choice.
Daryl Schoolar, Senior Analyst, Advanced Carrier Services, In-Stat/MDR

Clued-in is Steve Stroh, whose understanding of the technical issues involving wireless broadband is first- rate and fine-grained.
Dana Blankenhorn, A-Clue.com

To the increasingly large group of people who talk sense about broadband wireless services, I have to add Steve Stroh. His subscription publication is full of sensible advice born of deep technical and market knowledge. Anyone trying to make a living, start a company, or run a division in which this is your market shouldn't hesitate before subscribing.
Glenn Fleishman, Wi-Fi Networking News

There is a very good writer named Steve Stroh who specializes in wireless technology...
Robert X. Cringely, author

Steve Stroh is *the* most knowledgeable writer about emerging Wireless issues, and is far ahead of the journalistic curve on the growing role of License Exempt businesses, from manufacturers, and Wireless ISPs, to emerging efforts to form national companies aggregating local 802.11b hot spots.
Dave Hughes, Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation Wireless Field Tests


If you would like to receive receive FOCUS via email...
(via email will be somewhat in advance of a new issue being posted on the this web page), please drop me a note and include a bit about yourself and what your particular interest is in BWIA in general (if any) and in FOCUS in particular (if any). For the immediate future, I'll be maintaining the list by hand. Your acknowledgement that you're on the FOCUS list will be notification from the list management system... and it might take a while.

This page was last updated July 2007.