Wisp Reloaded

Hello Everyone, we have a company message and hope you take the time to read it thoroughly… but first a poem:

In a nice place to live there’s an internet service named Wisp,

Its signal came from a lofty sight you'd probably dismiss,

They came to love their community in bliss,

But there were some civic details they missed.

The city’s regulation became quite scary,

And Wisps existence was left, but just barely,

Until one day the FCC protected them fairly,

And now we're keeping those loyally connected all merrily.

  Wisp was created out of necessity for quality internet.  The company was incubated as a subsidiary of LocalSplash, a local SEO company, when it moved to Fountain Valley and created a datacenter in a building that conveniently came with a discrete rooftop cellular communication facility.  This gave us a launchpad to install high speed internet antennas.

  Our building became like a virtual island with great internet all to ourselves while many of our neighbors did not have that same luxury.  So we set out to create an internet service that could be wirelessly relayed within the local community.  It’s a very gratifying feeling to enable businesses, churches, and schools to be connected to high speed services, many for the first time.  We saved the OC405 project when all other providers failed to deliver services to their remote field offices along the freeway.  Wisp created an affordable residential option, bringing relief for those seeking refuge from the cable monopoly.  For a short period, we even worked with the City to serve the entire FV Sports Park at Mile Square with a free public WiFi zone, until….

  One important detail was missing: the early engineers that put things together failed to get a building permit for the antenna pole (tower) placed on top of our building.  Although the City Planning initially approved a correction in allowing us to be permitted, others in the City disagreed and required that Wisp be treated like a cell phone company.  Although we did attempt to comply with the City cell phone tower ordinance, it was prohibitively expensive and not feasible.  We believed that Federal laws protected our internet antennas, but some of the officials at the City didn’t see it that way and proceeded with enforcement.  We fought in various forums and at one point nearly 100 of our loving patrons stormed City Hall in a plea to allow Wisp a variance.  Although the City didn’t agree, it stalled things just long enough to get our case accepted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

  For nearly 4 years Wisp was stuck in a stalemate: we were allowed to operate, but could not grow, nor change anything.  Our modest team became more lean as we lost some of the initial team members.  COVID brought new opportunities and we cautiously found ways to provide new connections to very needy locations, particularly churches, schools, low income and remote student households.

  In 2021, a miracle happened: the FCC unanimously passed a Wisp law that allowed fixed wireless internet companies to relay their signal.  Several months later, the City attorney agreed that the law could conditionally allow us to be permitted.

  We have been validated and exonerated.  It took years and well over $250k in legal fees, expert testimonials, technical surveys and so many people’s time struggling with trepidations.  For the majority of our businesses existence, we had been fighting to survive and now it was finally over.  This is a great fundamental win not only for us, but the community of customers and supporters.

  As with any business, growing a wireless ISP business comes with difficulties, costs, constant time constraints and can fraught with uncertainties. 

  We were free to grow again!  There was much to do: rebuild parts of our team, invest in new materials, and scale out coverage areas.  But now the landscape is different.  Had we been on course all along it might be sustainable to continue growing, but catching up at this point when competition in the airwaves is on the horizon from the likes of Starlink and 5G carriers, we determined that it’s not favorable to do so.

  Today we are on the brink of a rebirth.  It's something that we might have only dreamed of in the long distant future, but it's coming much sooner and faster.  Wisp is in the planning phases of providing gigabit service to the entire City.  It will be available to everyone, at excellent competitive prices and we can safely say it will be the best, fastest internet service, not just in FV, but practically anywhere on the planet.  All of this from a local company that is dedicated to working in the community.

  In the coming weeks we will release more details.  We look forward to continuing to serve this nice place to live.