Lee Tsao, Worldwide Solutions Director, Pronto Networks

Pronto Networks is in the business of providing a "carrier-class operations and services platform for broadband wireless access."

In its own words, Pronto Networks says, "Our carrier-class solutions enable cellular network and WLAN operators to cost-effectively deploy, provision, and manage large-scale, broadband wireless networks and deliver new revenue-generating services."

Lee Tsao is the Worldwide Solutions Director at Pronto Networks. He spoke at length and in detail today with Broadband Wireless Access World about Pronto Networks, its partners, and how they are working together to create and operate state-of-the-art wireless networks.

You can listen to that conversation with Lee Tsao by clicking here.

In that interview, Mr. Tsao discussed the construction and operation at CTIA 2005 of a powerful broadband wireless network that was made available to conference attendees in a several-block area outside the conference center at no cost to them. Participating in that project were MCI/Skytel, Motorola (with its Canopy product), and Tropos, maker of Wi-Fi radios.
You can read more about that integration of individually-powerful technologies from leading wireless companies into an even-more-powerful combined system by clicking here.

To view a Pronto Networks fact sheet, click here.

Among the items discussed during this interview was the possibility of aggregating many small wireless Internet service providers, including even individuals who set up and operate a single Wi-Fi hot spot, in locations anywhere in the world, into an integrated Wi-Fi-based network that would have most of its operations managed by Pronto Networks, for the benefit of the wireless radio operators and their customers.

Visitors to this page who feel there might be something for them and/or their organizations in putting together such an endeavor are encouraged to sign up for the new Etopia Media Wireless Group by sending an empty e-mail to EMWireless-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Once a "critical mass" of potential participants emerges, you'll be contacted about next steps.

Mr. Tsao indicated during the interview that having as few as 50 customers paying $20/month for broadband wireless access delivered by a hot spot integrated into such a system could be sufficient to support its operations.

An important point also made by Mr. Tsao was that, as a company focused on supporting and integrating the operation of "wireless" systems, and not solely "Wi-Fi" systems, Pronto Networks is already positioned to lead the way during the transition from strictly Wi-Fi deployments to more advanced emerging and evolving configurations involving Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and other, related wireless technologies.

Among the investors in the privately-held Pronto Networks is Intel Capital.