First Step continues to expand the coverage area for wireless service. Customers in Moscow, Pullman, Troy, Orofino, Pomeroy, Genesee, Palouse, Lewiston, Clarkston, Colfax, Garfield, Oakesdale, Tekoa, Colton, Potlatch, Uniontown, Onaway, Princeton, Harvard, Deary, Bovill, Weippe, the Southwick/Cavendish region around Teakean Butte, and now the town of Steptoe as well as the region around Kamiak Butte have access to First Step's high speed wireless network. Check out our full list of SERVICE AREAS. Please review our selection of services and schedule a site survey to determine if you qualify for service.
First Step has established a comprehensive wireless network with numerous distributions points throughout Eastern Washington and North Central Idaho. These distribution points broadcast and receive microwave signals that deliver high-speed Internet service to antennas mounted on homes or buildings, without the need for phone or cable lines. Service is delivered using the IEEE 802.11b standard, also known as WiFi, operating in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) frequency. In addition to WiFi service, First Step Internet also offers business-class service via microwave bridges operating in the 5.3 and 5.8 ghz spectrum in many areas.
From the distribution point, data is transferred to and from the First Step facilities in Moscow, Idaho, utilizing a higher frequency (5.8 GHz) and higher capacity backbone connection. For critical core links in the network, First Step has deployed high capacity FCC licensed bridges from DragonWave and Stratex that can deliver up to 100mbps full duplex speeds. In select locations, existing fiber optic or T1 lines are used to network distribution points as well.
The speed of wireless Internet is comparable to other high speed Internet services like DSL, and wireless is typically 2-3 times faster than DSL or Cable Internet (and generally 20-50 times faster than a 56K dial-up modem).
The 2.4ghz and 5ghz microwave signals do not bounce off or penetrate obstacles such as trees, buildings or terrain. This requires clear and unobstructed line-of-sight between the customer's antenna and one of our distribution points. In Potlatch and Pomeroy, and now in Weippe and Teakean Butte, we have deployed 900mhz service that offers NON line of sight service to areas around these towns. We have seen folks as far out as 20 miles with no line of sight receive good service.
Networkability
The increased bandwidth offered by a wireless connection is great for local networks. You can have several computers share one high speed connection. Each computer can access different parts of the Internet without interfering with each other. Multiple office workers can access the Internet at the same time. You can check your email while other family members surf websites or download their favorite files.
Internet Access in Rural Areas
If you live outside of town, chances are that your Internet connection does not connect at the highest rate possible. Even though you may have a 56K modem, you probably never connect at that speed. Phone lines that extend out that far are usually quite old, not very well maintained, and are not capable of handling the amount of data that a modem can send over those lines. Living outside of town also means that you likely won't qualify for DSL or Cable service. Wireless is the solution to your problems.
Roaming Access
You can also connect to the First Step distribution points with roaming access. This service is available using a laptop computer with a wireless radio in selected service areas. See the
Hotspots page for a number of free hotspots you can connect to, and with a roaming subscription (as low as $30/mon.), you can also connect to any First Step distribution point or any subscriber hotspot.
